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Lee Tomboulian

Pianist/composer/educator Lee Tomboulian has performed on piano, accordion, and keyboards with noted jazz artists Airto, Nat Adderley, Doc Cheatham, Larry Coryell, Jack DeJohnette, Herb Ellis, Eddie Harris, Marc Johnson, Sheila Jordan, Dick Oatts, Bucky Pizzarelli, Pharoah Sanders, and Steve Swallow. He was also a member of the world-famous University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band and is a founding member of the Brazilian and Uruguayan ensemble Circo. Lee teaches jazz improvisation, jazz small group performance practice, applied jazz piano, and more. He earned a B.A. in composition from the University of Arkansas, an M.M. in Jazz Studies (piano performance) at the University of North Texas, and studied privately with Art Lande and Hal Wilner at the Naropa Institute. He also studied African-American gospel music at St. Andrew Church of God in Christ in Texas. Tomboulian served on the faculty of Lawrence University Conservatory of Music for six years. Previously, he taught at Texas Wesleyan University, Cedar Valley College, the University of Dallas, and North Central Texas College. He has also worked as an instructor at the University of Texas at Arlington Jazz Camp, the University of North Texas Jazz Combo Camp, and served as a UNT graduate teaching fellow for two years.

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3
Album Review

Lee Tomboulian: Imaginarium

Read "Imaginarium" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


Terry Gilliam's 2009 movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was a complex, complicated, fantasy tale. Lee Tomboulian's Imaginarium doesn't quite match Gilliam's ambitious, if flawed, breadth of vision--after all, Tomboulian constructs this particular Imaginarium with just a piano and an occasional accordion--but he still displays an impressive range of ideas on this enjoyable recording.Tomboulian leads a variety of bands, including the Brazilian/Uruguayan Circo and Whenevs (formerly Return to Whenever). This solo outing finds him drawing on a mix ...

3
Take Five With...

Take Five With Lee Tomboulian

Read "Take Five With Lee Tomboulian" reviewed by Lee Tomboulian


Meet Lee Tomboulian:Composer/improviser Lee Tomboulian plays keyboards, accordion and sings. He leads Whatevs, the Weekly Reeders and Circo. He has played with Maria Schneider, Kenny Wheeler, Jimmy Witherspoon, Benny Golson, Terell Stafford, Horacio Hernandez, Greg Bissonette, Steve Houghton, Eddie Harris and many more. He was the Instructor of Jazz Piano and Improvisation at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music for six years and before that at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth and other universities. Instrument(s):

298
Album Review

Lee Tomboulian and Circo: Return to Whenever

Read "Return to Whenever" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Pianist/accordionist Lee Tomboulian is the leader of Circo, an exciting ensemble that performs World jazz (Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and Uruguayan). Tomboulian first relocated the group from Arkansas to Dallas, and now to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he serves as a musical educator at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music.

What makes a good portion of this album so diverting is its use of Brazilian and Brazilian-influenced music, sung by Elizabeth Tomboulian (nee Betty Elkins), who brings a lot of Luciana ...

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

Let's have fun making music! Instructor of Jazz Piano and Improvisation at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI for six years. Have taught jazz pop and classical music privately since 1977. Am available Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons for lessons at my home. Rates: $50/50 minute lesson. 201-250-2772 or [email protected]!

Clinic/Workshop Information

Listen to players playing, then give respectful, honest and creative feedback, including playing with the group to demonstrate.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Imaginarium

Self Produced
2013

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Return to Whenever

Self Produced
2008

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Videos

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