Tom Witek

Tom is a full-time Professor of Music at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Florida. He teaches classes in music technology, ear training, music theory, and music fundamentals. Tom has an active bass studio and coaches the symphonic and jazz bands. Tom lives in Orlando, FL, with his family, and continues to perform live.

Tom Witek was born in New York City in 1985 and grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. Tom began his musical journey playing trumpet in school jazz ensembles and concert bands. With the introduction of braces, Tom’s trumpet career came to an end, and he and his father traded the trumpet for deejay equipment on Canal Street. Luckily, his parents had a box of records in their basement. He became relatively good at spinning records and deejayed a high school party in eighth grade. Tom started playing on an abandoned electric bass in his friend’s music room. Tom began to perform with various rock, funk, blues, and reggae bands while still in high school.

Tom experienced an incredible McCoy Tyner concert at the Iridium Club in New York that inspired him to focus on playing jazz at sixteen years old. During high school, Tom studied with South Orange resident and bass master John Lee (Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins). John served as a musical mentor for Tom in the New York City jazz scene. Tom continued his education by studying electric and acoustic bass with Andy Eulau at Rutgers University – Newark and received a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2007.

After Hurricane Katrina, Tom moved to New Orleans in 2008 to help rebuild the city. He remained in New Orleans after finding plentiful freelance work as a working bassist. In the Crescent City, Tom played in early jazz, modern jazz, funk, folk, and contemporary music styles. In addition to performing regularly, Tom studied with bassists James Singleton (Astral Project), Roland Guerin (Allen Toussaint, Dr. John), and Peter Harris (Germaine Bazzle). He earned a Master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of New Orleans in 2014. Tom toured with Voodoo Town and Debauche. He also had the fortune of playing freelance stints with Hannibal Lokumbe, Don Vappie, Steve Masakowski, Ellis Marsalis, Leon Kid Chocolate Brown, and Mihali. Tom has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Blues Heritage Festival, Festival D’Été De Québec, French Quarter Festival, Festival International De Louisiane, and Muzik Fest.

In 2013, Tom appeared playing bass on the popular television series American Horror Story: Coven, Season 3, Episode 7 The Axeman. The group played Sun Ship by John Coltrane under the musical supervision of Jay Weigel. Tom appeared as a bassist in the Hank Williams biopic I Saw the Light in the “Lovesick Blues” scene the following year.

​Tom debuted his original arrangements and compositions on The V.Tet – Octagami in 2019. Recorded at Marigny Studios in New Orleans, Octagami displays some of the best Young Lions like Branden Lewis (Preservation Hall) on trumpet, Calvin Johnson (Dirty Dozen Brass Band) on soprano and tenor saxophone, Byron Asher (Skrontch) on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Evan Oberla (O.A.R.) on trombone, Georgi Petrov (Maggie Koerner) on guitar, Michael Torregano Jr (Allie Porter) on piano, and Trenton O’Neal (Deltaphonic) on drums. Offbeat Magazine reviewed the album.

Tom moved to Miami to pursue a doctorate at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. While attending Frost, Tom released his sophomore album of jazz standards. The album gained publicity by winning two accolades in the 44th Annual Downbeat Student Awards (Graduate Level). The V.Tet won the 44th Annual Downbeat Student Awards (2021) for Best Blues/Pop/Rock Group (Graduate College Level) and Best Vocal Jazz Soloist (Graduate College Level) on The V.Tet’s rendition of Body and Soul. He graduated in 2023, and the title of his doctoral essay is A Comparative Review of Six Sight-Reading Manuals for Jazz and Contemporary Bassists. His most recent recordings are on Tiki Tumbao Records. Level) and Best Vocal Jazz Soloist (Graduate College Level) on The V.Tet’s rendition of Body and Soul. He graduated in 2023, and the title of his doctoral essay is A Comparative Review of Six Sight-Reading Manuals for Jazz and Contemporary Bassists. His most recordings are on Tiki Tumbao Records.