Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“ Teasley is a composer and a percussionist in the widest and most exuberant sense of the word....”
- Joan Reinthaler, The Washington Post
“ ( Tom’s) a creative bonanza...give Tom a bass drum, a snare drum and a djembe & he’ll give you part Stravinsky, part Art Blakey... Watching Tom Teasley take the snare drum, for example. He’ll cross stick it, turn the snares off and play it with his fingers like a piano, then grab sticks and do a funk beat. No instrument has a limitation for him. You’ll get a glimpse at the rest in his video THE DRUM: ANCIENT TRADITIONS TODAY. At one moment he’s doing street beat on drums, then he strikes the malletKAT to his right to get a dark blossoming swell. Then it’s over to a hand drum or maybe to the roughly hammered Chines cymbal above his hi-hat. .. the way he glides over his kit, hand drums and electronics, it looks simple and free. Just when you think you’ve got him figured out, he pulls another rabbit out of the hat. Of course that’s what makes good art.” Bruce Wittet, Modern Drummer
“ Latin, Brazilian, and Middle Eastern flavors abound, yet they’re blended in such a way that the resulting dish hits the palate as wonderfully different, toying with each composer’s original recipe to great effect” Larry Nai, Jazziz
“ Kind of Percussion” Oberndorfer Zeitung
“This one’s a keeper...a showcase for Teasley, an accomplished and versatile percussionist...burns with feral abandon.”
- Dave Burns, Jazz Times
“Teasley has put together one of the hottest percussion-based albums I’ve heard in a long,long time. He rips it up with a wild amalgam of traditional world instruments and electronic beats, grinding out the groove like a true master.” Mish Mash
“Tom Teasley takes tunes from the standard jazz repertoire and injects them with rhythms from different cultures and ages on Global Standard Time. Its’ New Orleans Jack Swing via Sao Paulo... inspired...”
- Robin Tolleson, Modern Drummer
“...a highly imaginative conceptualist.... a colorful, intellectual and surprisingly spare musician, employing his talents in the orchestration of sound....ingeniously deploys unusual uses of unusual percussion...unlimited talents...”
- Douglas Payne, allaboutjazz.com
“... full of such imaginative combinations... multicultural expressions... a fascinating mix...”
- Judith Schlesinger, 52ndstreet.com
“ His imaginative musical commentaries elevate the performance to a higher artistic plane.”
- John R. Raush, Percussive Notes
“... Teasley’s third album is electrifying ear-candy; a spicy fusion of world groove, legendary tunes and imaginative approaches to playing ethnic instruments... The timelessly hypnotic, sensual “Caravan” has rarely been recorded hotter or more memorably...
- PJ Birosik, New Age Voice
“ Tom Teasley is a percussionist who has some interesting and thought-provoking ways of combining diverse members of the percussion family in solo settings...see this video.”
- Terry O’Mahoney, Percussive Notes
“ “Tom Teasley, a virtuoso artist of rhythms, played his composition “ Hadwig-Toccata.”
... accompanied..on unusual instruments from Africa, Brazil, Egypt and Tibet, enfolding the flavors of these instruments with jazz and creating his own musical style.” Schwarzwalder Bote.
“... a tabernacle of rhythm.”
- Robyn L. Loda, Rhythm Music
“ The imaginative performances of Teasley on a vast array of percussion instruments add another dimension... He finds just the right musical commentary of each situation... that speaks directly to the listener, often in a emotionally powerful way....”
- John R. Raush, Percussive Notes
“ A stimulating video... by turns literal and lyrical, whetting one’s appetite for more examples of his artistry....would make a good gift for percussionists.”
- Larry Nai, Cadence
“ Teasley’s performance on the Marimba was precise, innovative and melodious...a many of rhythm through and through ( even to his tip toes), Teasley received thunderous applause for his exotic performance.” Schwabische Zeitung
“ Teasley is an incredibly gifted artist whose original compositions turn systemic rhythm into a language accessible for heart and soul. A master percussionist...moody, seductive, exhilarating.”
- Intermission
- Various Reviewers
PRESENTERS
“ It is with great pleasure and respect I write in support of Mr. Teasley. Tom has been a teacher of percussion and Artist-in Residence at the Levine School of Music...a gifted composer and master artist. His one man performances are captivating and uplifting. His breadth of experience enables him to address virtually any audience comfortably and effectively. I recommend him with highest distinction.”
- William Reeder, Director Washington Performing Arts Society
“ “Tom Teasley’s tonal rhythms create a magic that takes possession of the audience>’ Paul Sprenger, Garret Lakes Art Festival
“Tom has provided percussion instruction of the highest quality to our percussion majors and music education majors. He has excellent rapport with our students and is an excellent percussionist...his faculty lecture-recital in which he performed a program of literature running the gamut of periods of percussion...”
- Dr. William Mandel, Music Coordinator University District of Columbia
“ I am writing to recommend Tom Teasley... an outstanding musician, performer and communicator with audiences of all ages. I believe Mr. Teasley has a gift to enrich, entertain and inform audiences of all ages...”
- Dr. James L. Fisher, Mount Saint Mary’s College
“ instills a connection to the audience that many performers never achieve. The audience left with an experience etched in their memories- people are still talking about that show!” Kathleen Moran, Arts Program Specialist
“ It is my pleasure to recommend percussionist Tom Teasley to you. As a performer, Tom is extremely gifted, innovative, and personable, both as soloist and collaborator. His knowledge of theory, style, and jazz history is extensive, and he has a wonder ability to share that knowledge with his audiences through his warm personality and a great sense of humor...Tom Teasley is an artist of remarkable ability. I recommend him with hesitation...”
- Jean Kellogg, Education Director Chicago Lyric Opera
“ Speaking of Tom, he is a veritable on-man band! He speaks to young people through the language of rhythm. He illustrates how the simple rhythms of their popular music experience can be elevated to another level in the hands of a virtuoso.”
- Sean Timmons, Artistic Director Appel Farms Arts & Music Center
“ He wowed the audience when he played a familiar tune and variations on the vibraphone...He involved both children and adults, holding them in rapt attention while giving a clear and artistic demonstration...I highly recommend TomTeasley as a performer who knows how to fully engage the audience in an enjoyable musical experience...”
- Janet Hofmeister, Levine School of Music Washington DC
- Various Presenters
“ How can Tom Teasley keep so many things going and all in great taste? This is among my top picks.”
- Jerry L. Atkins, KTXK Radio
“ Tom Teasley talks to us with his drums. His language is the simple and subtle rhythms of speech enunciating the beauty of jazz.”
- Oscar Treadwell, WVXU & The X-Star Network & KIPO Radio
“’ Teasley achieves a chamber-jazz like sensibility remindful of the Modern Jazz Quartet ... Tom is a percussionist of uncommon skill and versatility.”
“Multi-percussionist Tom Teasley is a wise and thoughtful man whose global viewpoints go well beyond the musical. European, Latin, Middle Eastern and African influences are all incorporated in a sensitive and intelligent manner.”
- Willard Jenkins, writer for Jazz Times, National Public Radio Jazz Programmer WPFW-FM
“ ... this is a very engaging CD. Virginia-based Tom Teasley is an accomplished and serious percussionist, who shares his knowledge of world rhythms in this jazz-world-funk release...engaging melodies, rich interplay, and plenty of variety and diversity in its sound, all held together by a unity of groove...Teasley’s hand and sticks speak volumes.” KAOS Spin The Globe, Scott Allan Stevens
“Global Groovilization is a solid album. We’ll be adding this fine release to our Jazz section” KYUK, Adam Whitman
“Global Groovilization is like skipping around while chewing on some happy food. It makes me very happy to know I can play it whenever I want to be reminded that cats like Tom Teasley can really cook!” KGLP, Frank Bosler
“I Love Global Groovilization.” WRFG , Wanique Shabazz
“Take a basic beat, add groove and a sense of cultural uniqueness and you get Tom Teasley. Tom has invented a new genre I like to call ‘Groove Jazz.’ Smoother than smooth, Global Groovilization is groovy.” KSC, Innervisions Radio, Dave Butler
“ I just listened to Global Groovilization and there is no doubt about it, Tom Teasley is one talented guy.” WQFS Dave Oldhen
“ Global Groovilization is full of tight rhythms!” WLFR, Dan Estonda
“Global Groovilization is full of nice, happy grooves!” WKNH, Mitchell Mendys
- Various DJs
Discography
CDs:
Global Groovilization ( currently in release, radio play throughout the nation)
Other CDs featured on radio and NPR's All Things Considered:
Global Standard Time
Poetry, Prose, Percussion and Song ( with Word Beat partner Charles Williams)
Time Travel
Balancing Act
(specific tunes featured in liquid audio format at www.tomteasely.com)
VHS Videos:
Global Fusion Percussion ( not yet released)
The Drum: Ancient Traditions Today
Poetry, Prose, Percussion and Song In Performance ( with Word Beat partner Charles Williams)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
TOM TEASLEY
T & T MUSIC
Described in the Washington Post as a percussionist in the widest and most exuberant sense of the word, who frequently performs throughout the US and Europe, Tom Teasley combines percussion instruments and playing styles from Africa, India and the Middle East. He has fused this eclectic concept with American jazz and Western Classical music creating what noted jazz writer Bill Milkowski calls a beautiful tapestry of rhythm. Modern Drummer magazine awarded his latest CD, GLOBAL GROOVILIZATION a nine-star review that states, Percussionist and drummer Tom Teasley successfully infuses various rhythmic ideas from around the world, emphasizing the universal concept of groove. This hip West-African/Indian/Middle Eastern-influenced stew will soon have you hooked. (Martin Patmos, Modern Drummer) Recently, Teasley was the focus of a Percussion Today feature article in Modern Drummer Magazine. Featured on a recent Discovery Channel special, Teasley s music is regularly aired on NPR, and by jazz, college and community radio stations.
Teasley has been Artist-in-Residence at the Kennedy enter, Washington, DC, at the Kreegar Museum (collaborating with visual artists), and at Levine School of Music. He was soloist and percussion section composer for Citypiece with the national Symphony Orchestra, showcased on July 4th, 2000, in a national broadcast on NPR that was rebroadcast in 2001.
Teasley performs in symphonic orchestras, jazz groups & solo percussion performances. He presents 100+ concerts yearly of The Drum: Ancient Traditions Today, a solo interactive educational performance and VHS video release which traces the use of percussion through various hand drums, traditional percussion & electronics. He has been a headlining performer/clinician at PASIC, the worlds largest and most prestigious percussion event, three times in the past five years. An avid educator, Teasley came by his world music chops honestly, studying ethnic percussion with Glen Velez, Trichy Sankaran, Yacub Addy and Frank Malabe. He is currently Chair of Percussion Dept., Levine School of Music, Washington, DC and the percussion instructor at American university, University of the District of Columbia
His creative innovation has been well documented on CD as co-leader of the Word Beat project with poet-actor-girot Charles Williams; a commercial VHS video documenting these performances was produced in partnership with the Wright Hand Drum Company. This spoken word/music disc as well as two other Teasley solo jazz outings his debut, BALANCING ACT, and 1997 follow-up, TIME TRAVEL as well as his 2000 global groove smash debut, GLOBAL STANDARD TIME have all received international air-play and favorable reviews. A new 2003 video, Global Fusion Percussion, documents Teasleys eclectic fusion of world drumming styles in educational performance format and accompanied by an instructional booklet written by Teasley.
Tom Teasley tours regularly, often providing workshops on behalf of the instrument manufacturers that he endorses including Remo, the Yamaha Corp., Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, Cooperman Hand Drums, Mountain Rythym Djembes & Wright Hand Drums. He also appears in Europe at music festivals in Regensburg, Germany, and Bolzano, Italy, as well as giving performance in Epfindorf and Berlin, Germany.
Described in the Washington Post as a percussionist in the widest and most exuberant sense of the word, Teasley came by his world music chops honestly, studying ethnic percussion with Glen Velez, Trichy Sankaran, Yacub Addy and Frank Malabe. He has twice been a headlining performer at PASIC, the worlds largest and most prestigious percussion event, and will be featured again in November, 2003. Recently, Teasley was documented in Modern Drummer magazine, and he will be featured on an upcoming Discovery Channel special. His music, is regularly aired on NPR, and by jazz, college and community radio. He is currently Chair of Percussion Dept., Levine School of Music, Washington, DC, and the percussion instructor at American University, University of the District of Columbia.
Teasley has been Artist-in-Residence at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., at the Kreeger Museum ( collaborating with visual artists), and at Levine School of Music. He was soloist and percussion section composer for Citypiece with the National Symphony Orchestra, showcased on July 4th, 2000, in a national broadcast on NPR that was rebroadcast in 2001.
Teasley performs in symphonic orchestras, jazz groups & solo percussion performances. He present 100+ concerts yearly of The Drum: Ancient Traditions Today, a solo performance and VHS video release which traces the use of percussion through various hand drums, traditional percussion & electronics.
His creative innovation has been well documented on CD as co-leader of the Word Beat project with poet-actor-griot Charles Williams; a com
Links
