Bio
Thomas Nordlund grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where he studied guitar with Roger Brotherhood and Jaime Guiscafre. In 1998, he received a scholarship from the Madison Jazz Society and studied with Bob Sneider at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center. Nordlund studied trumpet with Jon Schipper and performed with the concert band and orchestra through grade school and college. Nordlund holds a Bachelor of Arts in guitar performance from the University of Minnesota Morris. As an undergraduate, he studied with Tim Sparks and performed in a professional R&B band in regional venues. He spent a semester abroad in Auckland, New Zealand where he studied with Neil Watson, Ron Samsom and Roger Manins. In 2007, Nordlund performed as a solo guitarist, with his trio, and with the Madison Jazz Orchestra in Madison, WI. Residing in Minneapolis, MN, Nordlund is a freelance musician, composer, and arranger.
Quotes
"...an outstanding improviser, composer and arranger, a guitarist for the 21st century. The future of Jazz is in good hands!"
Tim Sparks - 1993 National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion
"...a gentle human being with a heart of gold that resonates with every note. A rising star, he is sure to be the leader of a new generation of guitarists."
Mark Linzer - Le Chardonnay, Madison, WI
"...an exceptionally talented guitarist that positively impacts audiences and musicians alike....He is one of those rare musicians that can swing, funk, and rock. Tom has his personal skills together. He is always prepared and shows up on time for not only gigs, but rehearsals as well. He is a joy to work with and his compositions are interesting to hear and play. In short, he has it all."
Bill Engebretson - Drummer, Funky Gumbo
"...an outstanding guitarist and musician, comfortable in multiple genres of music and is a keen listener in a group. I have played with him for a number of years in a variety of settings and have always been glad he is on the gig. He is extremely reliable and early for deadlines and dates. He would be a valuable asset to anyone seeking a professional guitarist and a hard worker. Tom is determined to find the means to be successful in any situation and is highly resourceful in both musical performance and the business end of entertainment. Tom is also a strong individual with a clean background, and will remain my first-call guitarist whenever possible."
Dustin Retzlaf - Bassist