Tomin - A Willed And Conscious Balance

Tomin’s debut full-length album, A Willed and Conscious Balance, explores fresh directions in jazz composition, embracing large-ensemble writing and rich, layered orchestration. Featuring a stellar septet of musicians from New York and Chicago, the album blends post-genre influences with a deep respect for jazz traditions, crafting a sound that is both innovative and timeless.

A multi-instrumentalist and composer with roots in Brooklyn’s DIY scene, Tomin’s background—ranging from punk-hip-hop-jazz to bioinformatics—shapes his unique sonic approach. His past Bandcamp releases showcased beatless miniatures and layered horn arrangements, foreshadowing the intricate textures and humanist ethos present in this album.

The ensemble’s synergy brings Tomin’s compositions to life, prioritizing collective interplay over solo virtuosity. The album features reworked versions of his earlier pieces, two original compositions, and covers of Booker Little’s Man of Words and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre’s Humility in the Light of the Creator, both of which deeply influenced his musical philosophy.

With a balance of accessibility and depth, A Willed and Conscious Balance reaffirms jazz’s ever-evolving nature, honoring tradition while pushing it forward in a distinctly personal way.