The Early Years Tomas Franck was conceived in Engelholm, Sweden in 1958. He was raised in a musical family. Tomas Franck began playing clarinet at age ten. He switched to the tenor-saxophone when he turned fifteen. He began playing at Helsingborg’s local club with Lennart Nilsson, a legendary blind pianist (who also appears on a live recording with Charlie Parker). Franck was able to perform with some of Sweden’s finest musicians, as well as American artists like Dexter Gordon and Tim Hagans, Richard Boones, Richard Boones, Pepper Adams, Idrees Suelieman, Ernie Wilkins, and Richard Boone – to name a few. In 1978, Franck moved to Malmoe and studied two years at Musikhogskolan (music schools). He met Hakan Brostrom, a Swedish alto sax player. Together they founded Equinox, which was named Jazz Group of the Year for Sweden in 1984. Eighties Tomas Franck was a member of the Swedish blues band Peps Blodsband in 1981. He also became the musical director for Fredrik Noren Band between 1982 and 1987. He toured mainly in Scandinavia during these years, but also in India and Singapore with Fredrik Noren Band, and twice in Canada as Equinox. Franck began to jam at La Fontaine, a small and well-known jazz club in Copenhagen, in the early 80s. This helped to make many new connections with musicians such as pianist Ben Besiakov and guitarist Doug Raney, as well as trumpet player Jens Winther. Franck moved to Copenhagen in 1984 and quickly became part of the Danish jazz scene. He has worked with many of the best Danish jazz musicians since then. His own quartet was also formed by Franck, which has been around since then, though with different rhythm sections. He has been a teacher at Copenhagen’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory since the late 1980s. Nineties He joined the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra in 1990. You can hear him on numerous recordings as both a soloist or as a composer/arranger. He has toured the United States, Canada, Australia, China and Europe as a member in the DRJO. Tomas Franck has been privileged to play with many great guest stars in the DRJO, including Joe Henderson, Toots Thielemans and John Scofield. Record Releases “BEWITCHED”, (Stunt Records 1989), featuring Thomas Clausen, Jesper Lundgaard and Leroy Lowe (dr), was Tomas Franck’s first album as a leader. Three more albums were released under his own name: “TOMASFRANCK IN NEW YORK”, which featured Mulgrew Miller (p), Peter Washington(b), and Billy Drummond (1993); “CRYSTAL BLALL” (Stunt Records 1994), featuring Jorgen Eborg (p), Lennart Ginman (b), and Jonas Johansensensensensensensensensensensensensensensen Ginman (b), Lennart) and Ole Streenbergs (dr), Lenart Ginman) and Carsten Dahl (p), and Lenart Ginman) and Ole Streenbergs (dr), and Ole Streenbergs) He can also be heard as a sideman on “DOUG RANEY QUINTET”, (Steeplechase), Roy Haynes’ “MY SHINING HOURS” (the Jazz-Par Project 1994 Storyville Records), and “LENNART GINMAN/KIRK LITTLEY – 1991″(Stunt Records), along with Carsten Dahl (p), Lennart Ginman (b) and Ole Streenberg (dr). In 2002, Ed Thigpen, a Twenty-First Century Legendary drummer, formed the Scantet band with Tomas Franck (sax), Jens Winther (trumpet), Jesper Bodilsen (bass) and Kasper Villaume (piano). In January 2004, the album “EDTHIGPEN’S SANTET” (Stunt Records), was released. Franck toured Sweden later that year with Changes, which featured Goran Schelin (bass), Jacob Karlzon (piano) and Peter Nilsson (drums). Franck also recorded a new album entitled “CHARISMA”, a Tomas Franck composition. 2005 saw Tomas Franck tour Canada with Ed Thigpen’s Scantet. He also joined Jens Winther European Quintet (a new band featuring trumpeter Jens Winther), which has released both CDs and DVDs. Franck was on tour with Jens Winther European Quartet in the spring 2006 and recorded an album with Niels Lang Doky (p), Mads Vidding (b) or Albert “Tootie” Heath (dr). The record was produced and released by Niels Lan Donky in June 2006. Franck is co-leading the Franck/Raney Quartet along with Doug Raney, guitarist. He also plays bass with Daniel Franck and Niclas Campagnol drums. Franck was heard at many jazz festivals, mainly in Scandinavia, with Jens Winther’s European Quintet and Ed Thigpen’s Scantet. He also performed with the Tomas Franck Quintet. One of the highlights was a gig in Copenhagen Jazz Festival at Tivoli Gardens, with Pat Metheny playing guitar, Palle Mikkelborg playing trumpet, Jesper Ludgaard on bass and Marilyn Mazur playing percussion. Alex Riel played drums, Niels Lan Doky on piano, Alex Riel on drums, and Niels Lan Doky on the piano. TF toured in Australia in 2007 with Jens Winther’s European quintet. The Scantet also played at Pizza Express in London twice and performed in Paris at Sunset. 2008: Recording and touring with Bjarne Roupe, the Swedish guitarist. Tomas Franck is a deeply rooted player in modern jazz, but he still has a distinct “Scandinavian” touch. From myspace
