Drummer, Improviser
Tommy Norbury is a Leeds/Stoke based drummer specialising in all types of jazz and improvised music.
BIOGRAPHY
Tommy Norbury draws various influences from Jack DeJohnette and Han Bennink, to Terry Bozzio and Chester Thompson. Since starting studies at Leeds Conservatoire in 2025, his passions of improvised and free music has been nurtured to provide a unique and distinguishable sound and feel when playing that can apply to a multiple genres of music.
He is currently gigging a variety of music as a sideman (most notably White Sugar Machine) whilst band leading an avant garde/free jazz focused quartet dedicated to the music of Anthony Braxton named "The Braxtet"
Furthermore, he is preparing to record and release "Tommy Norbury's Double Trio" - an ode to Ornette Coleman's "Double Quartet Free Jazz". This will include a combination of original written tunes, improvisations as well as renditions of existing tunes and music.
He frequently collaborates with fellow percussionist improviser Felix Parkin Christie for semi frequent short free improvisations posted on Instagram.
TOMMY NORBURY'S PROJECTS
THE BRAXTET
The "Braxtet" is Tommy Norbury's ode to one of his biggest musical influences, Anthony Braxton. Featuring Reece Soko Fogg on alto saxophone, Conrad Clenton on tenor saxophone and flute and Sean Blake on upright bass, this chordless quartet has a heavy musical emphasis on Braxton's mid 70s quartet line ups (such as those seen on his Arista Records releases).
This music features both heavy free improvisation and the purposeful avant garde written music of Anthony Braxton.
Upcoming Gigs:
April 30th @ Hyde Park Book Club
TOMMY NORBURY'S DOUBLE TRIO
Tommy Norbury's Double Trio is his ode to Ornette Coleman's "Double Quartet Free Jazz", a seminal album in the history of improvised and avant garde music. This group currently features Tommy Norbury and Felix Parkin Christie on percussion/drum kit, Jonah Selwood and Matthew Rowell on upright bass, Freddie Good on trombone and Louis Ashton-Gully on saxophone and is in the process of recording a debut album. This album will feature improvisations, original written tunes and renditions of existing music whilst making as much use of having two trios improvising and playing together. Music has been written and arranged for this specific ensemble.
Currently, the Double Trio has a few demos available to share!
FREE IMPROV WITH
FELIX PARKIN-CHRISTIE
Starting out as unrecorded, unplanned events whilst living together, Tommy Norbury and fellow improviser percussionist Felix Parkin-Christie have begun an online series of free improvisations on a variety of different objects (such as toasters, hoovers and wooden fences) in a variety of places around Leeds.
These are very spur of the moment and natural things for both Tommy and Felix and so any sort of schedule (be it daily, weekly, etc.) would only take away from how raw and impulsive of an activity this can be for both of them.
These improvisations are Tommy and Felix's attempt to bring their passion of free improvisation to a large and diverse audience and tear down any pre existing ideas of elitism or that there's any right way an individuals musical expression.
Going forward in the future, both Tommy and Felix would like bring these abstract improvisations to the stage in the vein of John Cage, Han Bennink and Jamie Muir to name a few.
GIG VIDS
December 3rd w/ KEANU RITCHIE QUARTET @ Headrow House
February 15th w/ TOMMY NORBURY SEXTET @ Sela Bar
UPCOMING GIGS
April 30th w/ The Braxtet @ Hyde Park Book Club
May 2nd w/ Nika Ticciati's Young Cat Ensemble @ Hyde Park Book Club
May 8th w/ White Sugar Machine @ The Lending Room
May 10th w/ Kurtis Scotland's Bardic Inspirations @ Sela Bar
May 23rd w/ White Sugar Machine @ Royal Park Cellars