Ross Tompkins

Best-known to the general public for his one-time regular gig with Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show band, Tompkins is normally a flexible, swinging pianist using a do-everything technique who’s much popular on the LA jazz scene. After their studies at the New Britain Conservatory, he transferred to NY, documenting with Kai Winding and playing sometimes with Eric Dolphy (1964), Wes Montgomery (1966), the Bob Brookmeyer/Clark Terry quintet (1966), and Benny Goodman (1968). He also used Bobby Hackett from 1965 to 1970 as well as the Al Cohn/Zoot Sims quintet (1968-1972). Tompkins transferred to LA in 1971, where he used the Louie Bellson big rings and became a member of the Tonight Present band, staying until Johnny Carson still left the present in 1992. His most typical appearances on information were being a head and sideman for Concord Jazz in the 1970s, including a gig with Joe Venuti, Live at Concord ’77, and a program with Crimson Norvo, Crimson and Ross.