Thomas Chapin

Saxophonist-Flautist-Composer

T I M E L I N E

EDUCATION

1975

Phillips Academy (Andover, MA)

1978

Hartt College of Music (CT)

1980

BA Music: Rutgers University (New Jersey)

Studies

American Jazz Masters: Jackie McLean, Paul Jeffrey, Kenny Baron, Ted Dunbar; Afro Caribbean Percussionist: Louis Bauzo

Experience

1997

Thomas Chapin Trio Plus Brass

JVC Jazz Festival (Bryant Park, NYC)
Litchfield Jazz Festival (CT)

1997

Thomas Chapin & Borah Bergman (duo)

Du Maurier Downtown Jazz Festival (Canada)

1996

Thomas Chapin Trio

JVC Jazz Festival (NYC)
Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy)

1995

Thomas Chapin Trio

Newport Jazz Festival (Newport, RI) [Cable program aired nationally 1995-96]
What Is Jazz Festival (Knitting Factory, NYC)
Jazz a Vienne (France)
North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland)
Molde Jazz Festival (Norway)
Pori Jazz Festival (Finland)
Tondela Arts Festival (Portugal)
Knitting Factory Tour of Europe

1994

Thomas Chapin Trio

JVC Jazz Festival (NYC)
North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland)
Glasgow Jazz Festival (Scotland)
Tampere Jazz Festival (Finland)
Tallinn Jazz Festival (Estonia)
SJU Concert Jazz Festival (Utrecht, Holland)
Knitting Factory Tour of Europe

1994

Thomas Chapin Quartet
w/ Peter Madsen (piano), Reggie Nichoson (drums), Kiyoto Fujiwara (bass) closes the famous Village Gate jazz club on Thompson & Bleecker St. NYC, 2/94

1993

Thomas Chapin Trio

DuMaurier Jazz Festival (Vancouver)
North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland)
Vittoria Jazz Festival (Spain)
Frankfurt Festival (Germany)
Newport Jazz Festival in Madarao (Japan)
Honolulu Academy of the Arts (Hawaii)
What Is Jazz Festival (Knitting Factory, NYC)

1992

Thomas Chapin Trio

North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland)
Ottawa Jazz Festival (Canada)
Wolf Trap Jazz Festival (U.S.)
Knitting Factory Festival Tour of the U.S.
What is Jazz Festival (Knitting Factory, NYC)

1991

Thomas Chapin Trio

Toulon Jazz Festival (France)
JVC Jazz Festival (NYC)
Knitting Factory Tour of Europe
What is Jazz Festival (Knitting Factory, NYC)

1990

Thomas Chapin Trio

JVC Jazz Festival at The Knitting Factory (NYC)
JVC/Newport Jazz Festival at Saratoga Springs (NY)
Real Art Ways Jazz Festival (CT)

1988 – 1991

performances with:

Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
Walter Thompson Big Band
Borah Bergman
Bob Moses

1988 – 1989

Chico Hamilton Quartet

Tour of Europe
Charlotte Jazz Festival (U.S.)

1988 – 1989

Thomas Chapin Spirits Rebellious (Brazilian music)

1987 – 1988

performances with:

Alborada Latina w/Thad and Francesca Wheeler
Carlota Santana Flamenco Dance Company w/: singer-dancer La Conja and guitarist Pedro Cortes
Flamenco Latino w/Aurora and Basilio Georges

1987

Thomas Chapin Sextet

JVC Jazz Festival at Saratog Springs (NY)

1983

Thomas Chapin Sextet

Greenwich Village Jazz Festival ’83
The Blue Note, w/ Junior Mance Duo

1981 – 1986

Lionel Hampton Orchestra (as musical director/lead saxophonist-flautist)

Tours of Europe, Japan, Mexico, South America and U.S.
Festivals, including Kool Jazz (USA)
Newport Jazz Festival (RI)
Nice Jazz Festival (France)
North Sea Jazz Festival (The Hague, Holland)
Aurex Jazz Festival (Japan), etc.

Television/radio broadcasts and recordings

Prior to 1980

Lionel Hampton All Stars (New Orleans)
Paul Jeffrey Big Band (NYC)
Livingston College Jazz Ensemble (lead alto) (NJ)
Zasis Improvisatory Ensemble (NYC and New England)
Spiral (New Music Group using Baschet Brothers Sound Sculptures) (also featuring Steve Swallow on bass)
Jazz Clarion (Hartford Conservatory)
Talking Drums (Latin Jazz)
Tour of Europe (1978) w/Dalton School Jazz Ensemble (NYC)
Tour of Russia (1975) w/Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble (New England Conservatory, Boston)
Protean Theatre (Hartford, CT)
Bassett Watts Hough Prize (for excellence in woodwind playing)

Phillips Academy (Andover, MA)

Media

2016

"NIGHT BIRD SONG: Thomas Chapin" by Stephanie Castillo
                   documentary film by filmmaker Stephanie J. Castillo (color, 90 mins.)
                   "Best Story" Prize, Nice, France International Film Festival, May, 2016
                   "Posthumous Documentary" Prize, New York Jazz Film Festival (Harlem), November, 2016
                   Shown at Monterey (CA) Jazz Festival, September, 2016

1993

“JAZZ MAN: Thomas Chapin in Hawaii” by Stephanie Castillo
                   Hawaii Public Television - Short documentary portrait produced & directed by Stephanie Castillo, (color, 7 mins.)
                   Trio performance footage from Honolulu Academy of Arts; Thomas and friends improvize a fun "concert"
           with soda bottles atop the windy Pali cliffs

1991

“DANCING CHICKEN MAN: Thomas Chapin” by Terri Castillo
                   Short, documentary videotape. Produced and directed by Terri Castillo (color, 11 mins.)
                   Fanciful, but serious, discoveries by Thomas Chapin about dance and movement, improvisation
                                      and performance; a visit to dancing chicken in NY's Chinatown: “sometimes I feel like a 'dancing chicken.”

1989

“MUSIC MAN: Thomas Chapin” by Terri Castillo
                   Short, documentary film. Produced, directed and edited by Terri Castillo (color, 12 mins.)
                   TVC Award, 12th Annual New School for Social Research Film Fest 1989
                   Portrait of Thomas Chapin as music maker and his relationship to sound and ordinary objects,
             also in relation to art collage.

1987

"SCHOOL CROSSING" by Terri Castillo
                   Short film-montage set to music. Produced, directed and edited by Terri Castillo. (color, 5 mins.)
                   Sound track: music, voice, instrumentation by Thomas Chapin
                   Kin-O-Lux Achievement Award, 10th Annual New School for Social Research Film Fest 1987
                   About a Queens, NY neighborhood's morning awakening around school kids and a crossing guard.

Grants

1992

Recipient of performance grant from NEA for Trio concerts at Kampo Cultural Center, NYC

1991

Recipient of music grant from NEA for study of Afro-Carribean percussion with Louis Bauzo

1988

Recipient of music grant from NEA for composing and recording (Spirits Rebellious album)

Published

1985

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