Tom Olsen

Tom Olsen is an award winning and adaptable saxophonist, arranger, clarinet player and composer based in London playing jazz, blues, samba, pop and classical music. He is influenced by musicians such as Bill Charlap, Oscar Peterson, Donny McCaslin, Sonny Stitt and Paquito D'Rivera. His jazz playing is heavily swinging, influenced by Basie and the wailing blues of Oliver Nelson and his ballads move audiences. He was the winner of the Jon Hassal prize for Jazz at Trinity where his teachers included Jean Toussaint of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Tom also came second in Wales in the Under 19s Composition Competition in the Urdd Eisteddfod. He has performed with the Vic and Dougie Six in the Houses of Parliament as part of Pride at Night which marked fifty years since the passing of the Sexual Offences Act and has performed at Ronnie Scott's with Trinity. He has just finished at Trinity jazz department which produces some of the finest jazz musicians in Europe including Mercury Award nominated Laura Jurd, Jazz FM award winning Ezra Collective, Sam Smith's piano player and members of Kansas Smitty's house band. ‘I’m completely bowled over by your playing’ Mike Williams ‘Burning’ Martin Speake.