Tomas Janzon was born in Stockholm, Sweden. His musical quest started at the age of 7 playing the recorder. At 8 he began studying the cello and by 12 he was performing with the chamber orchestra Collegium Musicum. Later he would pursue and focus on the guitar. After studying at Musikhogskolan, The Royal School of Music in Stockholm he embarked on his professional career: touring, performing and recording in Sweden and northern Europe with such artists as Berit Andersson, Bronislaw Suchanek, Anita Strandell, Twice Guitar, Casa Grande and others. Tomas composed and recorded music for TV and films: “Vargavar” for national TV, the documentary “Kvinnor pa kontor”, art-film “The King of Siam”. Tomas arrived in Los Angeles 1991 to study with Joe Diorio. While studying with Joe in L.A. Tomas was awarded The Outstanding Player of the Year at GIT in 1992, teaching as an adjunct staff member from 1995 to 2008. In May 2000 he completed a MM with honors in Classical Guitar at USC Thornton School of Music, studying with Scott Tennant and James Smith, also studying composition for Vince Mendoza and teaching at the Jazz Studies and Studio Guitar Departments. His composition Variations I to IV for marimba, percussion, guitar and double bass was premiered at USC Thornton School of Music 2000. 2001 Tomas spent in Canada as an Artist-in-Resident at Selkirk College, teaching and performing. 2002 to the present has included touring and working in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Phoenix, Argentina, Brazil, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The last years has also seen Tomas articles published in Guitar Player, Down Beat, LA Jazz Scene, Orkesterjournalen, Jazz Stage and Fotnoten. Tomas recorded with Sherman Ferguson, Nedra Wheeler and Billy Higgins and has received positive reviews and international airplay with this, his Changes Music label recording X-Changes. A live national radio (SR P2) broadcast concert from jazz club Fasching in Stockholm with Bobo Stenson, Petur Ostlund and Christian Spering has been reviewed by www.allaboutjazz.com and Orkesterjournalen, see www.tomasjanzon.com/reviews. Tomas’ composing/recording project Coast to Coast to Coast from 3 cities: Los Angeles – Stockholm – New York, was released in January 2007. Featuring Ben Dixon, Ken Filiano, Birger Thorelli, Lars Ekman, Jeff Littleton, Tony Austin and William Henderson. Recording project Experiences (Changes Music 113, Naxos Sweden) featuring Art Hillery, Jeff Littleton and Albert “Tootie” Heath was released September 6, 2010. from www.tomasjanzon.com
