Jazz Bassist, Educator, and composer Tom Baldwin has been one of the most in-demand musicians in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for 30 years. Baldwin has taught at the University of Maryland since 1996, and appears on over 50 CDs as a side man. He has been lauded for his “impeccable intonation and accuracy” (Vic Juris), “incredible beat” (“Tootie” Heath), “superb musical instincts” and “phenomenal consistency” (A.J. Collins).
Baldwin earned a BM in Jazz Studies at Ithaca College before returning to his home town of Baltimore. In 1995, he won 2nd place in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Bass Competition. Since then, Baldwin has performed and recorded with scores of top Jazz artists. A partial list would include instrumentalists Eric Alexander, Peter Beets, Gene Bertoncini, Marc Copland, Stanley Cowell, George Garzone, Tootie Heath, Fred Hersch, Tim Hagans, Roger Humphries, Lee Konitz, Harold Mabern, James Moody, Walt Weiskopf, and James Williams, as well as vocalists Anne Hampton Calloway, Michael Feinstein, Eartha Kitt, Stacey Kent, Bernadette Peters, and Kenny Rankin.
Some of Baldwin’s more notable recordings include his self-produced Glom On To This which features all original compositions and arrangements. Steve Herberman’s Ideals from 2009 resided on the Jazzweek national airplay chart for 28 weeks and peaked at number 10. Tony Martucci’s Life In Hand features pianist Marc Copland, three of Tom’s compositions, and was voted by the Washington Post among the best of 2011. Two more Baldwin originals appear on 2014’s Angel Eyes by the grammy winning Afro Bop Alliance. More recently, a series of performances with Dutch pianist Peter Beets culminated with the 2019 release Our Love Is Here To Stay and a tour of Holland.
Baldwin teaches Jazz Bass and coaches combos at the University of Maryland, where his arrangements are often performed by his student groups. He is also a frequent faculty member at Maryland Summer Jazz camps, and a clinician/adjudicator for regional festivals and workshops. For more information, visit https://tombaldwinbass.com/home and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7L1l5sOfacZuh9cUTfuLdw
Contact
Affiliate Artist
Jazz Upright Bass
tbaldwin@umbc.edu
Education
B. Mus. Ithaca College (1990)