Tom Bartelmay is a guitarist, bandleader, composer, and instructor based out of Detroit, MI. A late comer to the music industry, Tom didn’t start playing guitar until 18, but hit the ground running, moving to Detroit from his hometown of New Buffalo, MI, to further his education at Wayne State University. Today Tom has his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from Wayne State, and is a co bandleader of the group SETI, a premier jazz ensemble dedicated to paying homage to the illustrious work of Thelonious Monk, as well as being a part of groups lead by the Detroit jazz legend Leonard King and the Moving Mind Orchestra.
His new group features a selection of originals mixed with music from the Chris Potter Underground Orchestra, and Keith Jarrett’s “American Quartet.” Tom’s music takes a modern shape, while still keeping the rootsy melodic approach he’s known for. Joining him in his quartet are saxophonist Jason Didia, drummer Sean Perlmutter, and bassist Jonathon Muir-Cotton.