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“Where In The World marks a flowering of his talent, showing sophisticated playing and refined composing.” (All About Jazz)
"Their playing together, running through intricate harmonies and intriguing melodies is marvellous, so sympathetic and in tune with each other. It’s a synergy where they are so much more than their individual parts" (UK Jazz News)
Elegant melodies and attentive improv (The Guardian)
In truth, in a perfect world (has there ever been one?) Ollendorff's compositions would be the staple fare of a future Great British Songbook. (Bebop Spoken Here)
This is an album that hits that sweet spot of being both readily accessible and offering depths that reveal something new with each listen (Jazz Views)
'A very ambitious and beautifully realised set of recordings '(Jazzwise)
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This is a work overflowing with the talent to carry the future of the jazz guitar world ! (Jazzlife Japan)
Where in the World is a sparklingly wonderful record, the kind that makes you wonder why you’ve haven’t heard of its creator before (The Big Takeover)
Where the World is one of the sneaky good albums, with melodic lines that linger long after it stops playing, likely to keep luring the listener back for repeated listens. (Making a Scene)
A talented young British guitarist, Tom Ollendorff enlisted pianist Aaron Parks for his new album, which is vocal, sophisticated, and quite delightful. (TSF JAZZ)
Born in London in 1992, British guitarist Tom Ollendorff is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most distinctive voices of his generation on the international jazz scene.
He graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff in 2015, the same year he was awarded the Yamaha Parliamentary Jazz Scholarship. In 2016, he relocated to London to begin his professional career.
Tom released his debut album, A Song For You (Fresh Sound Records), in 2021. The record received international acclaim and launched a touring career that has taken him to leading festivals and venues across Europe, Asia and Australasia, including Ronnie Scott’s, Malta Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, Perth Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Extravaganza, The Cotton Club Tokyo, and One Day Jazz Festival, among many others.
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His second album as a leader, Open House (2023), featured his long-standing trio with Marc Michel (drums) and Conor Chaplin (bass), alongside special guest Ben Wendel on four tracks. That same year, he also released Enchanted, a co-led project with American drummer Ari Hoenig, again on Fresh Sound Records.
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In 2024, Tom released his first solo album, Solo Volume 1, on Ubuntu Records, accompanied by a series of solo concerts across Europe, including performances at the London Jazz Festival and the Larvik International Guitar Festival.
Widely recognised for his highly distinctive sound, Tom blends virtuosic technique with a sophisticated harmonic language, nuance, and sensitivity. In 2022, he published Etudes, his first collection of works for solo guitar, with Faber Music. The book has since sold internationally across Europe, Asia, Australasia, and North America, further cementing his reputation within the global guitar community.
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As a performer, Tom has collaborated with many leading international artists, including Ari Hoenig, Bill McHenry, Geoff Simkins, Aaron Parks, Will Vinson, Tim Garland, Nitai Hershkovits and Ben Wendel.
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Alongside his performing career, Tom is currently a visiting tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music has been a guest tutor at leading institutions worldwide, including the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Nanjing University, BahçeÅŸehir University Istanbul, and Leeds Conservatoire.