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Tom Chang
In the mid-1980s, Chang enrolled at Los Angeles’ Guitar Institute of Technology where he majored in jazz performance. He studied privately with Scott Henderson, Joe Diorio, and the late Ted Greene. Chang’s rapid advancement led to professional work with everyone from comedian (then cabaret performer) Sandra Bernhard to crooner Luther Vandross. But his background seems oddly disconnected from what was to come. Living in New York for the past 20 years, Chang immersed himself in the City’s boiling jazz scene playing with musicians including Rich Perry, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Dave Binney, Gerald Cleaver, Chris Lightcap, Tom Rainey, Joey Calderazzo and many others. Chang’s passion for music has led to studies with Southern Indian Carnatic percussion legend T. H. Subash Chandran with whom he has both recorded and performed live.
All the while maintaining an active playing schedule, Chang also successfully curates jazz for New York’s critically acclaimed Cornelia Street Cafe. Tom Chang’s debut release, Tongue & Groove (Raw Toast Records), has received rave reviews from critics and players alike. Joined by saxophonists Greg Ward, Jason Rigby, bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Gerald Cleaver, Tongue & Groove is experimental, spacious and innovative, full of emotional solos and telepathic group improvisations. “Flawlessly executed yet effortless and natural, Chang’s compositions are boldly orchestrated and never cease to surprise. This is telepathic playing from an incredible group of musicians, not to mention beautifully inventive and nuanced guitar work.” – Mary Halvorson. “What separates these tracks (on Tongue & Groove) from other rock leaning cuts made by jazz musicians today? It’s not ironic, or cool—they’re just actually working with some sinister rock riffing. It feels authentic. . . Later, things get eerie, as if someone was mixing funk with a New York edge. That someone was Chang.” -Brad Farberman, DownBeat (Four Stars)
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Tom Chang: Tongue and Groove
by Vincenzo Roggero
L'incontro tra musica indiana e musica improvvisata è da qualche anno una presenza tutt'altro che sporadica nelle vicende jazzistiche grazie anche all'affermarsi di una schiera di musicisti di primo piano quali Rudresh Mahanthappa, Rez Abbasi, Vijay Iyer e alle loro differenti visioni espressive. Il chitarrista di origine coreana Tom Chang si aggiunge alla schiera con la pubblicazione di Tongue & Groove, album di debutto nel quale si circonda di eccellenti musicisti statunitensi e di due interpreti della musica carnatica tra ...
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by Mark F. Turner
It's a natural extension of New York guitarist Tom Chang's repertoire to combine heavy metal with jazz improvisation in Spinal Tap/Goes to 11" the opening track of his release Tongue and Groove. Born in South Korea, he moved to Canada with formative teen years listening to rock icons like Joni Mitchell and Led Zeppelin. What comes as an added surprise in this noteworthy release is the fluency that Chang displays in blending not only a jazz-rock aesthetic but also a ...
read moreTom Chang: Tongue and Groove
by Mark Corroto
When did the ultimate compliment for a jazz performance switch from you swing, cat" to you rock, dude"? Perhaps it happened after a generation of jazz artists raised on rock-n-roll found their way into improvisation and the latitudes of expression that jazz enable. Case in point is Tongue And Groove by guitarist Tom Chang. Raised on the music of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Jimmy Page, his soul was imprinted with their spirit as he applied his guitar ...
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by Dave Wayne
Look at the lineup on Tom Chang's Tongue & Groove! There is literally no way that this album could be anything less than great. Listening, repeatedly, to Tongue & Groove has, in fact, borne this out. Chang utilizes the increasingly popular two-reeds / bass / drums configuration to frame brief, but consistently spectacular, improvisations in the midst of his surprisingly knotty and complex multi-sectioned compositions. Everyone rises to the occasion here because the only way to play Chang's cutting edge ...
read moreEnter the "Tom Chang - Tongue & Groove" Giveaway!
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All About Jazz
All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Tom Chang - Tongue & Groove giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on September 16th. Click here to enter the contest (Tracking Tom Chang at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! About Tom Chang and Tongue & Groove All the while maintaining an active playing schedule, Chang also successfully curates jazz for New York’s critically acclaimed Cornelia Street Cafe. Tom ...
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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson
Spinal Tap / Goes to 11
From: TongueBy Tom Chang