Tom Wright - Tailwind (2019)

Tom Wright's musical history begins in the 50s as a child learning violin, grows into rock guitar in the 60s and 70s, mainly as a member of the DC area progressive-rock group Grits, switches back to classical music for three decades playing viola in the Chicago Symphony, and culminates in exploring jazz on 5-string violin and viola. Now Tom has combined the experience and skills of violin, viola, and guitar on mandolin, particularly his 10-string instruments. These uncommon versions of mandolin extend the range down into guitar tones, making the 10-string an excellent jazz voice, covering the range from alto sax up to high trumpet tones.

These tunes are written to highlight the expressive capacity of mandolin, and show it fitting perfectly into a jazz group comprised of keyboard, bass, and drums, along with saxophone and guitar, for a big sound that swings and rocks. The band consists of Chicago's best sidemen -- Vijay Tellis-Nayak on Rhodes piano and Hammond organ, Mike Arnopol on upright bass, Tom Hipskind on drums, Jim Gailloreto on tenor and sopranro sax, and Neal Alger on guitar.

Tom uses a custom 10-string electric by Almuse for most tracks, and a Buchanan acoustic 10-string on track 4.