This Roman bassist was born in 1946. He is not to be confused with Giovanni Tommaso who was his cousin and was also a bassist with Enrico Rava. His work ranges from jazz to contemporary music and medieval music. He was the first president of The Italian Association of Jazz Musicians. Many of the most interesting and innovative musical projects in Italy over the past 20 years can be traced back to his influence. He is a great composer, with 12 variations of a Jerome Kern theme and the soundtracks to Steamboat Bill Jr. composed by Buster Keaton. He also arranges opera arias for Enrico Rava and Carmen (label Bleu 1993 and 1995), and Gianluigi Trovesi (Soul Note 2001). Tommaso was a founding member of The Italian Instabile Orchestra, which he later left. However, they maintained a friendly, cooperative relationship. He still conducts the orchestra’s performances of his pieces (“I Virtuosi di Noci”) on Live in Noci Leo 1995 and “Il Maestro Muratore”, on Skies of Europe ECM. Tommaso is a highly sought-after arranger and conductor of Italian jazz. He is also an improviser in Gruppo Romano free Jazz. His discography as an arranger and conductor does not reflect his musical output. However, Meditango (Onyx Jazz Club of Matera 1998) and the suite for soloists and orchestra Nux Erat (1994 CMC), which he performed with Pino Minafra and Gianluigi Trivesi, may give a glimpse of his musical interests. Il Diritto e il Rovescio was written by Tommaso in 1996. It includes texts from judges Falcone (Siena Jazz) and Borsellino (Cosa Nostra), who were killed in Sicily for their anti-crime activities. He is a professor at the Naples Conservatory. There he founded a jazz orchestra with Maria Pia De Vito (Oltre Napoli la Notte Dischi della Quercia 2000). He can be found anywhere jazz is taught or performed in Italy. Allmusic
