Tom Ollendorff: ‘The guitar is an essential part of my identity’

Who is Tom Ollendorff, you ask? Great question! He is simply one of the brightest shootings stars of the jazz guitar in Europe at the moment.

After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music in Cardiff, he has made a name for himself, playing alongside Ari Hoenig, Bill McHenry, Geoff Simkins, Huw Warren, Tim Garland, Nitai Hershkovits, and The Fresh Sound Ensemble. To say that he’s had a busy decade would be an understatement.

With two albums already under his name, he is releasing his new one, Where in the World, in November, but he won’t be in the UK for that, because these days, he’s in Australia.

And now you are up to date.

What will you be presenting during your tour in Australia? What should we expect?

I am lucky to be performing with two of the world’s finest musicians, Conor Chaplin, who works with Jacob Collier, and Dinosaur, and JK Kim who is one of the world’s most in demand drummers, working with artists like Aaron Parks and Charles Altura. Working with musicians of this calibre always makes the concerts highly interactive and challenging, and I hope audiences will be wowed by their virtuosity.

What are your expectations from the audience?

I try not to have too many expectations. I am totally comfortable with the idea that people may not have listened to much jazz or improvised music; sometimes playing for audiences like that can be super fun! I just hope they give the music a chance.

How did you develop your sound?

Developing your sound is a process which is always changing and unfolding. I think it occurs over many years of trying to study your favourite artists, and the combination of success and failure to imitate them, along with your own ideas about how you want music to sound gradually turns into a unique voice.

**If Where in the World was a film soundtrack, what kind of film would that be?**

I love the film Past Lives by Korean director Celine Song, maybe that.

What have been the highlights of your journey in music so far?

Being a musician is a wonderful thing, and I feel really fortunate to do this for a job. The two main highlights are the reward of studying music, and sharing my music with audiences.

What has been the greatest challenge you’ve had to face?

The endless possibilities for music and study can be overwhelming sometimes.

How would you describe your relationship with your guitar?

I have been playing guitar almost everyday for such a long time it just feels like essential part of my identity and form of self expression. That is a great thing, but not feeling fluid or in touch with the instrument can be really challenging.