Tom Wakeling

Bassist Tom Wakeling's musical travels have taken him throughout Europe, Asia, and North America to perform and record at major festivals, jazz clubs, and concert halls.

Tom has performed with many of the jazz greats, including Arturo Sandoval, Lee Konitz, Mel Torme, Benny Golson, James Moody, Herb Ellis, Mose Allison, Charlie Rouse, Houston Person, Ken Peplowski, Ernie Watts, Scott Hamilton, Charles McPherson, Carl Fontana, and Herb Geller. 

Wakeling has shared the stage with some of the most significant jazz pianists and drummers of our time, including Albert “Tootie” Heath, Lewis Nash, Jeff Hamilton, Mickey Roker, Butch Miles, Grady Tate, Dave Frishberg, Bill Mays, Roger Kellaway, Mike Wofford, Larry Fuller, Bruce Barth, Randy Porter, and Art Lande.

Tom’s “show biz” credits include Della Reese, Red Skelton, Rich Little, Mickey Rooney, the Fifth Dimension, and playing in the orchestras of national touring shows such as "Cats",  "A Chorus Line", the Joffrey Ballet, “Grease”, and "Damn Yankees" (with Jerry Lewis). 

Tom's most recent recording is “Tom Wakeling - West by Northwest Live At Ravenscroft - Vol. 1" on the Cellar Live label.  Other recent recordings:   “A Little Taste - A Tribute to Dave Frishberg”,  with Rebecca Kilgore and pianist Randy Porter,  “Fun House” with Todd Strait and Bill Mays, and "Canadian Sunset" with Rebecca Kilgore and Canadian guitarist Bill Coon.  Additional recordings include Tom Wakeling's  “The CBC Tapes” and "Cotton Club Live" with Juno award-winning Canadian trumpet player Brad Turner, Nancy King's "Perennial, the Bridge Quartet’s “Night” with Phil Dwyer, Alan Jones, and Darrell Grant, and "Climbing” with the Alan Jones Sextet.  

An experienced and dynamic educator, Tom has served as a guest artist at the Wuhan (China) Conservatory of Music, Stanford University Jazz Workshop, Taichung University (Taiwan), Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, University of Kansas, Arizona State University, University of Nevada, University of British Columbia, Washington State University, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Centrum - Pt. Townsend Jazz Workshop, and Jazz Camp West, among others.

As Chair of the Music Department at Clackamas Community College in Portland, Oregon (now retired) Tom established Oregon's first and only professional-technical certificate in Music Technology and oversaw the design and construction of the college's first performing arts building on behalf of the Music Department.  CCC's Niemeyer Center for the Arts continues to serve as a model for other institutions that are planning their own facilities. 

Tom's book on arts facility planning is a helpful guide for those who are involved in planning for construction or renovation of their own facilities.

Gear

My main upright bass is a Czech flatback c.1890 

I use a Chadwick Folding Bass for travel. 

I use Oliv and Evah Pirazzi on the Czech bass and Tomastic Spirocore strings on my Chadwick travel bass.  

For amplification:  I use an ElectroVoice RE 20 to mic my upright basses directly.  I use a David Gage Realist pickup on my Czech upright bass and a David Gage Realist Lifeline on my Chadwick travel bass.  

I play Fender bass gutars and use Gallien-Krueger amps for both upright and bass guitar.

Tags