About

A talent in finding the unbeaten path where tradition meets extremely intellectual, free, complicated and interesting musicianship.

Toms Rudzinskis is one of Baltic’s leading saxophone players and composers with an innovative and unique sound in his performance and compositions. Leading his own band or performing as a well-respected soloist and sideman, currently resides in Berlin and travels across Europe to perform, collaborate and educate.

Masters graduate of prestigious Conservatorium van Amsterdam, numerous jazz and classical music awards winner, Toms has won has the “Keep an Eye” Jazz award with the quartet “North by Northeast”, Best Soloist at the international big band competition “Meer Jazz”, selected as the Jazz ambassador of the internationally recognised venue Bimhuis. Won the prestigious “Burghausen Jazz competition” Grand Prix with “Matiss Cudars quartet” in 2012, which led to an opportunity to share the stage with internationally renowned Cassandra Wilson. Won the “Dutch Jazz Competition” Grand Prix with Loran Witteveen quintet which led to a tour in 2016 covering the biggest venues in The Netherlands.

In 2014 Toms released debut album “ABRA” with his Acoustic Quartet to critical acclaim, receiving double Latvian Grammy nominations as The Best Jazz Album and The Best Debut, gaining wider recognition and following in his homeland, speaking on TEDx stage and national press naming him the “most impressive discovery in Latvian jazz in the past years!”. Another “The Best Jazz album” nomination followed with the next album in 2017 – the first vinyl recording “Locomotion!” in independent Latvia, a fully analogue recording with the award-winning Austrian trumpet player Gerhard Ornig, named “one of the most powerful contemporary jazz albums the Latvian jazz scene has to offer” and praised for album’s harmonic diversity and compositional mastery.

Rudzinskis’ latest record, a collaborative contemporary big band album with Kenneth/Rudzinskis Space Big Band titled “Space Big Band” was released on Double Moon/Challenge Records International on October 2021 to both Latvian Music Awards and Danish Jazz Music Awards recognition, featured on Europe Jazz Media Chart and included on Lufthansa Group Airlines and Qatar Airways In-flight Entertainment. 

Called “a talent in finding the unbeaten path where tradition meets extremely intellectual, free, complicated and interesting musicianship” Rudzinskis’ compositions and intense yet warm sound opens a musical conversation of powerful rhythms, expressive melodies, and exciting improvisation, truly highlighting his and his fellow musicians’ musical personalities.

Toms is currently composing new music for large and small ensembles as well as working on the post-production of the crowdfunded new album of his electro-acoustic quintet “ABYSS” and recording his second album with Toms Rudzinskis Quartet in 2023.

Besides traveling and collaborating with jazz musicians across Europe, Toms teaches at the Music Academy of Latvia and Ventspils Musical High School, holds a Jazz Jam Residency at Riga’s jazz hotspot “M/Darbnīca” and teaches online through his Jazz Community & Education project #SHEDNSHARE.