Nick Tomalin

THEORY & MUSICIANSHIP LESSON VAULT

Jazz Workshop #102 Exploring the music and playing of Bill Evans

This month I’m joined by one of the UK’s most in demand jazz pianists, Nick Tomalin. Over his thirty year career his swinging, tasteful bebop-rooted style has made him the favourite accompanist for many of the capitol's best musicians including Jim Mullen, Mark Lockheart, Stan Sulzman, Alan Barnes and many others.

During this workshop Nick will be looking at the music and playing of Bill Evans. Rather than talk about his iconic piano voicings, which are often covered, Nick will be looking at a transcribed solo and seeing what we can learn from Bill's melodic techniques, including bebop phrases, patterns, and use of rhythmic displacement.

So this will definitely be something that we can all benefit from, whatever instrument you play!

Nick studied at Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall School of music and graduated in 1994. In 1998 he was assistant MD for the UK tour of the Motown tribute musical 'Dancing in the Streets' featuring Edwin Starr and Jackie Graham. In 2001 he wrote a show - "Molly and the Owl" aimed at introducing younger children to jazz, for which he wrote both the story and the music. In 2005 he secured an Arts Council grant to tour the show, which was a huge success. The piece was recorded and is available to stream and download. In 2021 Nick put together a 'Shades of Shearing' quintet dedicated to performing the compositions and arrangements of British-born pianist George Shearing. The band has performed at many notable venues including The Concorde Club, Peggy's Skylight, The Pheasantry and Ronnie Scott's Club and the band's first album was released in October 2024. Nick has a long running partnership with the ex-Itchy Fingers saxophonist and composer Mark Allaway and the two have recorded seven duo albums. Their latest album Jeru: The Music of Gerry Mulligan was released in October 2025. Nick has been involved in education at all levels and he is currently one of the principal tutors on the popular Grafham Water Jazz Weekends. He has also run sessions for the Cambridge Jazz Co-op.

This will be practical class, not just a theory lesson, so please make sure you have your instrument ready to play.