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Meticulous Eloquence' (The Guardian)
‘A must listen to album, especially for those who like contemporary guitarists’ (Jazzlife Japan)
‘Unmistakable is the beautiful and expressive guitar sound of the leader, which remains in the memory long after listening, a great album. (Jazz-Fun Germany)
‘Ollendorff’s writing combines accessibility with musical sophistication’ (The Jazzman)
‘Shimmering beauty’ (Simply Jazz Talks)
'An album that deserves to be heard everywhere' (Jazz views)
'Exquisite virtuoso musicianship that tugged at the heart strings as much as it thrilled. (All About Jazz, Album launch review)
'Ambitiously conceived and perfectly realised. Tom Ollendorff is making his quiet way towards ubiquity' (Jazzwise)
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.