Brian Q. Torff

BRIAN Q. TORFF BIOGRAPHY

Website: www.briantorff.com

Brian Q. Torff is a renowned bassist and composer, and is currently

Music Program Director at Fairfield University. He is a featured bass

soloist, leading his own trio, and is the musical director for the Django Reinhardt New York Festival, which has appeared at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and Birdland in New York City. Torff has performed at Carnegie Hall for Fiddle Fest where he appeared with Mark O‚Connor, Dave Grusin, Regina Carter, Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchus Zukerman. He performs in jazz festivals around the U.S., has founded the Fairfield University Summer Jazz Workshop and has served as co-chair person for the music advisory board for the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2008 he was awarded Artist of the Year by the Fairfield Arts Council.

Brian Torff’s professional career began in 1974 when bassist Milt

Hinton offered him the opportunity of touring with Cleo Laine. During

the late 70’s, Torff recorded and performed with pianists Mary Lou

Williams and Marian McPartland, and toured Australia, New Zealand, and

Hong Kong with the jazz violin virtuoso, Stephane Grappelli. He played in

pianist Erroll Garner’s last group and worked in the big bands of

Oliver Nelson, and the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra.

In 1979, Brian Torff joined in a duo with pianist George Shearing. In

the course of their 3 1/2 year collaboration, they toured throughout the

U.S., Europe, Brazil, and South Africa and were featured on the NBC

Tonight Show, Merv Griffin, and their own PBS special from the Café Carlyle in New York City. They received worldwide acclaim, and were invited to

perform at the White House in 1982 for President Reagan. Their third

album won a Grammy for vocalist Mel Tormé.

Brian Torff is a noted composer who has contributed works for records

with George Shearing, Larry Coryell, Union trio, and his own

recordings- Life in East Bumblepuck, Hitchhiker of Karoo, Manhattan Hoe- Down, and Workin’ On a Bassline. He has written scores that have been performed by the Boston Pops, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Pittsburgh Symphony, and has appeared as conductor, composer, and clinician for numerous high school

and college jazz festivals. He is a published writer on music and musicians, composes for big band, and directs the Summer Jazz Workshop at Fairfield University. Torff is listed in the Groves Dictionary of

Jazz and has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune,

Downbeat Magazine, Jazz Times, and many other music publications.

Brian Torff lived in Paris in early 2008, where he wrote his book, “In Love With Voices: A Jazz Memoir.” Torff is currently featuring his bass playing and new compositions in a trio and quartet setting. He is the Jazz Series director at the Westport Arts Center in Westport, CT.