Artists Worth Checking Out: Tom Lellis

Born as Thomas Richard on April 8, 1946 in Cleveland, Ohio, this pop-jazz singer and pianist began singing professionally at age 15. Five years later, he began life on the road and in 1952, he was named as house singer at the Three Rivers Inn in Syracuse, New York The location was popular until it closed in 1973. Their self proclaimed “Home of the Stars” featured the likes of Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, Connie Francis, Johnny Cash, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee, and others.

During his time working with a big band, he collaborated with Gregory Hines, Ray Charles, Buddy Greco, and a group simply known as the Four Freshmen  He later traveled the country to lead small house bands in clubs across the United States.

Tom began intensive piano instruction in 1970. Great fortune again arrived three years later when he was opening for Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, and Bill Evans. This was around the same time he moved to New York City. His first album made it big across the pond in London’s jazz discos during the early 1980s. He was voted to Down Beat’s International Critics Poll in 1994. 

His discography includes the boxing themed title And in This Corner in 1979; the Los Angeles-based Inner City label released it on LP in 1981. The album would finally arrive in CD in 2002, thanks in large part to it being reissued by the Japanese P-Vine label. Acoustic bassist Eddie Gomez (who is best known for his long association with pianist Bill Evans) and drummer Jack DeJohnette were among the improvisers who backed Lellis on his debut release. His second album, Double Entendre was released by Beamtide Music in 1991 and was followed by his only Concord Jazz release, Taken to Heart two years later. (which came out in 1993 and found the singer doing some collaborating with Brazilian great Toninho Horta). After parting company with Concord, Lellis went on a heavy touring scheduling and would not produce another album until Skylark arrived in 2001.

My review is from his seventh and last album, The Flow which came out on January 29, 2016. The songs remind me of being in a club setting or carefree dinner party from an earlier era where the drinks would be flowing and laughs a plenty from the crowd.

A sped up version of Frank Sinatra and Sergio Mendes instantly crossed my mind, especially with “Dance With Me” on Track 2 and the often covered “Dawn of the New World” (which is not related to the Astro Boy TV series theme.) The rest of the songs are laid back and great for relaxing with your friend or lover by your side. Overall, it is an excellent album for any jazz lover’s library. I found it to be a fun listen, and I am sure you will agree.

It is available in both vinyl and CD on Amazon and eBay. His entire discography is streamable on both Spotify and Apple Music.

What album will I uncover shortly after America’s unofficial national holiday known as the Super Bowl makes its’ first ever trip to Sin City in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 11.

If it is anything like it was in Miami during Super Bowl LIV when the Kansas City Chiefs outlasted the San Francisco 49’ers in the last major sporting event before this living, breathing thing called COVID-19 took over our lives, this rematch in SB LVIII promises to be a great game.

But we will see how it turns out, as CBS along with separate coverage from dozens of countries in the rest of the world like Sky Sports in the United Kingdom will be tuning in on the fun. 

See you again next month, hopefully in time for Valentine’s Day–if not, sometimes thereafter.