About Tom Hoffmann
About the Artist
Born in the Village of New York City, Tom was destined to become an artist. He devoted his life to music in service to God. He built the music department at the University of Maine at Augusta, along with William Mosely, Chuck Winfield, Willie Maiden and Charlie Danforth. Tom chaired the Jazz and Contemporary Composition and Arranging and the Guitar Departments. Tom's, "Feeling Better and Better," woke the world as N.P.R.'s intro and bridge music for The Morning Edition. Tom's music also accompanied public radio's: All Things Considered (Feeling Better and Better), and Maine Things Considered as well as Midday (Born of a Love). "His music gave those programs a consistent sound and helped hold them together... Tom would make several appearances with his various groups or solo (fundraising), and always astound us with his scope of creative out put," - Rick Tozier of MPBN. Tom's music was also aired live on WGBH, Boston. Television Advertising Agency, and Ad Media, also called on Tom's creative and musical ability for their television commercial score needs for the likes of: Bangor Savings and Weber Oil Co.
Tom worked with the Brubeck Institute of Jazz Studies teaching composition to the inaugural class at the University of the Pacific. Tom is the author of two instructional books "A Composers View: A Guide to Jazz and Contemporary Composition and Arranging" (currently in use at The Hancock Institute of Jazz) and "The Guitar: A Unique and Intimate Language," a two hour instructional DVD illustrating the concepts found in his book "The Guitar" is also available. The books and instructional DVD have received worldwide distribution through Jamey Aebersold. Tom has been a contributing writer for Jazz Player Magazine and Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
Tom Hoffmann received the distinguished "Special Distinction Award" from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). It is the same award that has been presented to: Aaron Copeland, Peter Schicklie and Igor Stravinsky. Tom received the award for his compositions and performances in 1995 (The Music of Tom Hoffmann-Hidden Canyons/Tree Of Life CD). Tom is greatly missed. We are graced to have his musical legacy live-on bringing beauty, joy, and a remembrance of his extraordinary life, mastery of talents and gentle soul.
"Hoffmann’s jazz composition and arranging book is one of the best of its kind out there – both from an artistic and practical point of view. Written in an easy-to- understand, straight-ahead manner, and covering everything from instrument transpositions and ranges to contemporary counterpoint, the text is well-suited for new writers and pros alike. I recommend it to all my comp students and continue to use it myself."
JB Dyas, PhD Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development - Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. Previously - Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
Professor Tom Hoffmann Teaching Composition to the Brubeck Institute of Jazz Inaugural Students at University of the Pacific.
Justin Brown, Joe Sanders, Anthony Coleman ll, Fabian Almazan and Tommy Morimoto. These Cats Are Doing It.
Method books, books about chords, chord progressions, scales, arpeggios, picking, improvisation techniques, books containing jazz solo transcriptions, solo guitar arrangemants of all sorts-one truly wonderful and mysterious book after another; as a young and hungry student of jazz and jazz guitar, my collection of such publications was (and still is) immense. But only a small handful of these comes even close to explaining things with such clarity, and relevence to the actual music making process, and unmistakeable joy, as does Tom Hoffmann's The Guitar: A Unique and Intimate Language.
Written from the perspective of a top-notch classical guitarist, jazz guitarist, composer, music theorist, and master teacher, this work offers straightforward,
insightful and practical presentations of key jazz guitar concepts and techniques for both the classical and the plectrum style player, in a concise yet light-hearted and personable style.
"Every serious guitar student, teacher and performer should have his or her own copy of this very noteworthy and unique text."
Thanks Tom!"
H. Edmund (Ed) Corey III Instructor of Guitar, Music Theory, and Jazz Studies- University of Nevada, Reno
Blue Ribbon for Carrot Cake he baked. Windsor, Maine Fair 1992 Tom Hoffmann with Mary French
