About

Tom Niblock is a composer and saxophonist who is based in London. He is a graduate of both the Birmingham Conservatoire (taught principally by Mike Williams) and the Jazz-Institut Berlin where he studied for a Masters in Jazz arrangement and composition under the tutelage of Florian Ross. Whilst there he led his own Jazz Orchestra project which played original music featuring many young stars of the Berlin scene. Recent projects include a large ensemble collaboration with Birmingham based saxophonist and composer Liam Brennan featuring musicians from across the UK. In 2024 he started his own Big Band featuring many young stars of the London Jazz scene playing both his original music and arrangements.

Musicians he has played alongside and conducted include Percy Pursglove, Rachel Cohen, James Banner, Julius Windisch, Tom Barford, Florian Menzel, Olly Chalk and David Sear. In 2020 he won the Eddie Harvey Arranger Award with his arrangement of Olly Chalk’s piece Berlin. London Jazz News said: “It is a joyous piece full of energy and interesting changes of direction.  It has a brassy feel which reminded me of Mike Gibbs’ writing.” In 2021 he won the Dankworth Prize for his Big Band piece Big Grin.

Influenced by his heroes such as Jim McNeely, John Hollenbeck, Slide Hampton and the great history of jazz, Tom’s composition also draws on 20th century classical approaches in its rich harmony, structure and attention to detail whilst serving as a springboard for organic improvisations.