The band plays jazz, blues, and jazz-rock fusion. With a full jazz orchestra horn section of 5 saxes, 4 trombones, and 4 trumpets, the band’s repertoire includes traditional swing arrangements from the great big bands such as Count Basie and Duke Ellington through the more progressive sounds of Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, and Woody Herman and up to Steely Dan jazz- rock and the modern big band fusion styles of Gordon Goodwin’s Phat Band.

We have male and female vocalists who perform with the band as well as guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. Many of our arrangements are original arrangements, vocal performances, and improvised jazz solos in a variety of styles. The TomKats Jazz Orchestra is a complete big band, 18 instruments and vocalists. The TomKats are a working big band, being in residence in locations throughout Pinellas County over the years.

We recently finished a 15-year run as Monday night house band at the Blue Parrot Café on St. Pete Beach. Before that we were the Thursday night house band at the Bilmar Beach Resort on Treasure Island for over a decade. In addition to our weekly performances, we play local festivals and events. We have played several times at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and at the Gulfport Jazz Festival and the Treasure Island Blues Festival.

The TomKats Jazz Orchestra has performed New Years Eve events at the St. Petersburg Coliseum and St. Petersburg Yacht Club among others. We have played weddings and society events at the Don Cesar Hotel, Vinoy Hotel, Sarasota Yacht Club, and St. Petersburg Yacht Club. We have some smaller band subsets of the group that play a variety of events and are available for hire.