Type
Instrumental Soloist

Genre(s)
Jazz
Blues
Swing

Instruments(s)
Guitar

Homebase
Fort Wayne,IN

Performs in public
yes

Interested in meeting new playing partners
no

Main influences
Lester Young
Coleman Hawkins
Gene Harris
Charlie Christian
Jim Hall

E-mail
Contact Artist

Website
Visit Artist's Website

Description
Tom Castonzo

The Tom Castonzo group has toured and recorded with many Chicago blues and jazz artists including Willie"Big Eyes" Smith (Muddy Waters), Little Smokey Smothers (Howlin' Wolf) Fenton Robinson, Big Time Sarah, Tim Mulvenna, Ken Vandermark,Ted Sirota, George Floudas, Richie Corpolongo, Tommy Coster Jr. (Eminem), Buddy Scott (Buddy Scott and the Rib Tips), Nate Turner, Sam Good, and Lefty Diz.


Tom leads several of his own groups including the traditional swing sextet, The Riff Rockets, which features the music of the Benny Goodman Sextet with the instrumentation of vibraphone, clarinet, tenor sax, trumpet, bass, drums. and electric guitar. The Riff Rockets have performed at the legendary jazz club the Green Mill, Grant Park Starlight Music Series, Chicago Cultural Center, Shedd Aquarium, First Night Evanston, and countless road gigs!


The Tom Castonzo Group, which showcases Tom's original compositions, has performed in clubs and festivals since 2003. Tom has also been an active composer/arranger and session guitarist in Chicago since 2006 and now resides and performs out of his new home base, Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he works as a Web Programmer for Sweetwater Sound, Inc.

Recording and equipment
Pro Tools, Live to 2 track, '65 Fender Twin Reverb, 1959 Gibson ES-335, Heritage Super Eagle, Gibson L5 CES, Gibson EH-150, Thomastik strings, Dunlop 417P71 picks, Monster cable MJazz6, Fender princeton

Upcoming Shows
Check www.tomcastonzo.com for upcoming gigs and news.