Tom Connell Group

The Tom Connell Group brings together some of the East Bay's most accomplished jazz musicians, each contributing a distinctive musical voice while serving the larger architecture of the compositions.

The ensemble balances written material with improvisation, emphasizing interaction, listening, and collective interpretation over individual display.

Join the Tom Connell Group at the Back Room to celebrate the release of their latest release, El Cerrito All-Stars!

Tom Connell - Drums • Percussion

Tom has been drumming since he was a toddler. Obsessed with music all his life, he studied drumming with Louis Ferkovics in Florida, harmony and composition at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and the American Conservatory in Chicago, and later privately with Stephen Wolff and Aaron Blumenfeld. He started his current group The Tom Connell Group (originally the Connell-Purves Group) in 2010 and has been composing and recording on his own label, Ghostspeak Records, ever since.

Greg Sankovich - Piano • Keyboards

Greg is a Bay Area native. A virtuoso pianist, he’s played with jazz groups throughout the world from Tokyo to London (including with Charged Particles at Ronnie Scott’s with Randy Brecker) and throughout the U.S. When back at home, he’s very in demand as a performer, session player, and teacher.

Lincoln Adler - Tenor Sax • Baritone Sax

Based in the Bay Area, Lincoln has been very active as a performer, arranger, composer, and session player. He can be heard on recordings ranging from Katy Perry to Funkadelic to Jeff Goldblum and many others. As a producer, he’s had music on the charts in the U.S. and the U.K., and as a composer, he’s had music in movies and TV. He’s an in-demand performer and featured soloist for many Bay Area groups.

Jamison Smeltz - Alto Sax • Baritone Sax

Since graduating from Stanford, Jamison has been very busy in the Bay Area music scene playing wide-ranging music with mRthKon, Ten Ton Chicken, Pardon the Interruption, and many others. Most recently he’s been touring with the incredible Zappa tribute band, Stinkfoot Orchestra.

Mike Rinta - Trombone

A Bay Area native, Mike is a Grammy-winning trombonist who’s played with a wide variety of luminaries from Herbie Hancock to Pete Escovedo to Jerry Garcia to Santana, among many, many others. When back here in the Bay Area, he’s very busy performing with “everyone.”

Kurt Ribak - Bass

Kurt grew up in the Bay Area. He went to Berklee on a scholarship and graduated Summa Cum Laude. One of the Bay Area’s most in-demand bass players - he’s played with a who’s-who of jazzers. He also leads his own groups. His recordings can be heard regularly on KCSM Jazz 91 and his groups have sold out Yoshi’s and SFJazz.

Rolf Johnson - Trumpet

Rolf won the Downbeat Magazine’s annual scholarship competition and attended Berklee, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Since moving to the Bay Area, he’s been very active as a performer.