Thomas Chapin (March 9, 1957 – February 13, 1998) was an American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

and

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pro ...

/multi-instrumentalist. Though primarily an

alto saxophonist The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

, he also played sopranino, as well as

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

baritone sax The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...

es and

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

. Many of his recordings as a leader were in a trio with bassist

Mario Pavone Mario Pavone (November 11, 1940 – May 15, 2021) was an American jazz bassist, composer and bandleader. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead offers that Pavone was not only "great bass player ut also abig-hearted mensch." Early life Pavone was born i ...

and drummer Michael Sarin. Chapin studied with

Jackie McLean John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their deat ...

, Paul Jeffrey , and

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...

. He died of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

three weeks before his 41st birthday. He played at a benefit concert two weeks before his death.

Career

Chapin was born on March 9, 1957 in

Manchester, Connecticut Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 59,713. The urban center of the town is the Manchester (CDP), Connecticut, Manchester census- ...

. He attended

Phillips Academy ("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness , address = 180 Main Street , city = Andover , state = Ma ...

in Andover, Massachusetts where he studied

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

. In the late 1970s he attended the

Hartt School of Music The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford located in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States, that offers degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and ...

at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, studying with saxophonist

. In 1980 he graduated from

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

where he studied with saxophonist Paul Jeffrey, pianist

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

and guitarist

Ted Dunbar Earl Theodore Dunbar (January 17, 1937 – May 29, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist, composer, and educator. Career Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Dunbar trained as a pharmacist at Texas Southern University, but by the 1970s he only did pharma ...

. From 1981 to 1986 he toured with

as lead saxophonist and musical director. He performed with

Chico Hamilton Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton (September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He came to prominence as sideman for Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and Lena Horne. Hamilton became a bandleader, ...

's band from 1988 to 1989. In the late 1980s he formed quartets, quintets, and a band and album devoted to Brazilian music, ''Spirits Rebellious'' (Alacra). He founded

Machine Gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...

with guitarist

Robert Musso The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

and a trio with bassist

and drummers Steve Johns and later Michael Sarin. In 1994 the trio performed at Madarao Jazz Festival in Japan, where he also played with Betty Carter, and at the

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hire ...

in 1995. He formed larger groups (Trio with Brass, Insomnia, Haywire, and Trio with Strings) and performed with Ray Drummond,

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chica ...

Tom Harrell Tom Harrell (born June 16, 1946) is an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer, and arranger. Voted Trumpeter of the Year of 2018 by ''Jazz Journalists Association'', Harrell has won awards and grants throughout his career, including mul ...

Sonny Sharrock Warren Harding "Sonny" Sharrock (August 27, 1940 – May 25, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. He was married to singer Linda Sharrock, with whom he recorded and performed. One of only a few prominent guitarists who participated in the firs ...

, John Zorn, Walter Thompson, Dave Douglas,

Marty Ehrlich Marty Ehrlich (born May 31, 1955) is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, clarinets, flutes) and is considered one of the leading figures in avant-garde jazz. Biography Though born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the portion of Ehrlich's youth spent in ...

, and

Ned Rothenberg Ned Rothenberg (born September 15, 1956) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer. He specializes in woodwind instruments, including the alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). He is known ...

. He recorded over fifteen albums as a leader. Chapin died of

in 1998 at the age of forty.

Discography

As leader and co-leader

As sideman

With

* ''Machine Gun'' (MU 1988) * ''Open Fire'' (Mu New York 1989) * ''Pass the Ammo'' (MuWorks, 1991) * ''WFMU'' (MuWorks, 2000) * ''Live at CBGB's Vol 1 06/02/87'' (Musso Music, 2007) * ''Live at the Gas Station 12/03/88'' (Musso Music, 2007) With

* ''Sharpeville'' (Alacra, 1988) * ''Toulon Days'' (New World/CounterCurrents, 1992) * ''Song for Septet'' (New World/CounterCurrents, 1994) * ''Dancers Tales'' (Knitting Factory, 1997) With others * Borah Bergman, ''Toronto 1997'' (Boxholder, 2003) * Michael Blake, ''Kingdom of Champa'' (Intuition, 1997) *

& Mario Pavone, ''

Seven Standards 1995 ''Seven Standards 1995'' is an album by pianist/improviser Anthony Braxton and bassist Mario Pavone's Quintet recorded in 1995 and released on the Knitting Factory Works label.

'' (Knitting Factory, 1995) *

Barbara Dennerlein Barbara Dennerlein (born 25 September 1964 in Munich) is a German jazz organist. She has achieved particular critical acclaim for using the bass pedalboard on a Hammond organ and for integrating synthesizer sounds onto the instrument, and was de ...

, ''Junkanoo'' (Verve, 1997) * Armen Donelian, ''Quartet Language'' (Playscape, 2003) * Ray Drummond, ''

Continuum Continuum may refer to: * Continuum (measurement), theories or models that explain gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes Mathematics * Continuum (set theory), the real line or the corresponding cardinal number ...

'' (Arabesque, 1994) *

Pamela Fleming Pamela Fleming (born 10 October 1957) is an American musician who composes and plays trumpet and flugelhorn. Born in New York City, her family moved to the suburb of New City, New York when she was a child. She grew up in New City and graduate ...

, ''Fearless Dreamer'' (Infinite Room, 1998) *

, ''Made in Japan'' (Glad-Hamp, 1984) * Lionel Hampton, ''Sentimental Journey'' (Glad-Hamp, 1985) * William Hooker, ''Crossing Points'' (NoBusiness 2011) *

Frank London Frank London (born 1958 in New York) is an American klezmer trumpeter who also plays jazz and world music. Early life London was born to a Reform Jewish family and grew up in New York and Connecticut. He started playing the trumpet in fourt ...

, ''Scientist at Work'' (Tzadik, 2002) *

Medeski Martin & Wood Medeski Martin & Wood (or MMW) is an American jazz fusion band formed in 1991, consisting of John Medeski on keyboards, Billy Martin on drums, and Chris Wood on bass. The band is influenced by musical traditions including funk and hip hop and ...

, '' Notes from the Underground'' (Accurate, 1992) *

, ''Active Resonance'' (Tokuma, 1992) *

, ''Overlays'' (Moers Music, 1991) * Ned Rothenberg, ''Real and Imagined Time'' (Moers Music, 1995) *

Daniel Schnyder Daniel Schnyder (born March 12, 1961 in Zurich) is a Swiss jazz reedist and composer of both jazz and classical music. Schnyder learned to play cello before saxophone. He attended Berklee College of Music and the Conservatory of Winterthur. H ...

, ''Tarantula'' (Enja, 1996) *

Peggy Stern Margaret "Peggy" Stern (born September 22, 1948, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American jazz pianist and synthesizer player. Career Stern studied piano at the Eastman School of Music, receiving her bachelor's degree in 1968, then attended th ...

, ''The Fuchsia'' (Koch, 1997) * Walter Thompson, ''The Colonel'' (Nine Winds 1998) *

Axel Zwingenberger Axel Zwingenberger (born 7 May 1955) is a German blues and boogie-woogie pianist and songwriter. Biography Zwingenberger was born in Hamburg, West Germany, and enjoyed eleven years of classical piano training. After listening to recordings by p ...

, ''The Boogie Woogie Album'' (Telefunken, 1982)

Books

* Thomas Chapin. ''Ten Compositions'' (sheet music book of original compositions) (Peace Park Publishing/Akasha; US)

Documentaries

Music Man: Thomas Chapin
directed by Terri Castillo, 1989 * directed by Terri Castillo, 1991 * with features of the Thomas Chapin Trio directed by Richard Buxenbaum for Festival Productions, 1995 * directed by Stephanie J. Castillo, 2004 *''Night Bird Song: The Thomas Chapin Story'' directed by Stephanie J. Castillo, released in 2016, winner "Best Story" Award, 2016 Nice (France) International Film Festival; shown at Monterey (CA) Jazz Fest, Sept., 2016

References

External links

Thomas Chapin official siteThomas Chapin Film siteThomas Chapin Papers.
Rubenstein Library, Duke University
"The Thomas Chapin Era"
''Jazz Halo'', July 2016 {{DEFAULTSORT:Chapin, Thomas Avant-garde jazz musicians Phillips Academy alumni 1957 births Jazz alto saxophonists Deaths from leukemia Arabesque Records artists 1998 deaths Rutgers University alumni 20th-century saxophonists Machine Gun (band) members Knitting Factory Records artists