Tom Grant (jazz musician)
Encyclopedia
Tom Grant is an American
contemporary jazz
/jazz fusion pianist and vocalist.
, Oregon
to a musical family – his father was a tap dancer who owned a record store in Portland, and his brother was an avant-garde jazz pianist. At a young age, Grant learned to play piano and drums. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he traveled to New York City in 1970 with Native American saxophonist Jim Pepper. This led to Grant touring and recording with jazz greats Woody Shaw
, Charles Lloyd, and Tony Williams.
In 1976, Grant cut his first solo record for Timeless and in 1979 he formed his own band. Beginning in 1983, Tom Grant started recording a series of jazz-influenced pop albums that have variously been called "New Adult Contemporary," "Quiet Storm
," "Contemporary Jazz" and "Smooth Jazz
"; each have been best-sellers in the "lite jazz" market.
Grant has been featured on CNN
and has been a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno
.
In addition, Tom Grant has composed music for TV and radio.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
contemporary jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
/jazz fusion pianist and vocalist.
Biography
Tom Grant was born in PortlandPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to a musical family – his father was a tap dancer who owned a record store in Portland, and his brother was an avant-garde jazz pianist. At a young age, Grant learned to play piano and drums. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he traveled to New York City in 1970 with Native American saxophonist Jim Pepper. This led to Grant touring and recording with jazz greats Woody Shaw
Woody Shaw
Woody Shaw was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and band leader, often referred to as the "last innovator" in the jazz trumpet lineage...
, Charles Lloyd, and Tony Williams.
In 1976, Grant cut his first solo record for Timeless and in 1979 he formed his own band. Beginning in 1983, Tom Grant started recording a series of jazz-influenced pop albums that have variously been called "New Adult Contemporary," "Quiet Storm
Quiet storm
Quiet storm is a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams, pioneered in the mid-1970s by then-station-intern Melvin Lindsey at WHUR-FM, in Washington, D.C. Smokey Robinson's like-titled hit single, released in 1975 as the title track to his third solo album, lent its name to the format...
," "Contemporary Jazz" and "Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
"; each have been best-sellers in the "lite jazz" market.
Grant has been featured on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and has been a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
.
In addition, Tom Grant has composed music for TV and radio.
Discography
- Mystified (1976)
- You Hardly Know Me (1980)
- Tom Grant (1983)
- Heart of the City (1984)
- Just The Right Moment (1985)
- Take Me to Your Dream (1986)
- Night Charade (1987)
- Mango Tango (1988)
- Edge of the World (1990)
- In My Wildest Dreams (1992)
- The View From Here (1993)
- Hands (1994)
- Instinct (1995)
- Have Yourself a Merry Little... (1996)
- Lip Service (1997)
- Tune It In (2000)
- Reprise (2001)
- Santa Claus Is Going To Town (2001)
- Solo Piano (2003)
- Nice Work If You Can Get It (2004)
- Side By Side (2005)
- Winter Warm (2007)
- Life is Good (2008)
- Delicioso (2010)