TOM HOOK BIO
Tom Hook:
Musician and songwriter began his career in Kansas City Missouri where he was a
founding member of the New Red Onion Jazz Babies, a regional “trad” jazz
favorite. Throughout the 1980’s Tom began a long association with the Delta
Queen Steamboat Company on the Mississippi and Delta Queen as a performer and
bandleader. He then moved on to a lengthy tenure at Walt Disney World. In 1987
Tom was a founding member of the Black Dog Jazz Band, an association that has
led him to appearances at most major Traditional Jazz festivals in the US,
multiple tours of Western Europe and a tour of China. In the 1990’s Tom returned
to Disney World then launched himself to Las Vegas for a coveted tenure as
musical director at a casino. He then returned to the Delta Queen Steamboat Co
to perform, lead the bands and assume the role of Cruise Director on the
American Queen. In the late 1990’s Tom returned to perform at Disney World and
Universal Studios City Walk where he was presented with the “golden Woody” award
for his premier entertainment. Tom then became Manager of Entertainment for
Delta Queen Steamboat Co, and Music Director at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans.
By 2002 at the Delta Queen Steamboat Co., Tom was Director of Entertainment,
overseeing the entertainment programming for the entire company. In 2007 Tom
formed Daymark Productions with associate Wes Payne, and produced shows and
administrated the entertainment for the Majestic America Line’s entire fleet of
nine vessels. 2008 brought the long awaited opportunity to return to the Far
East with performances in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with David Hansen’s Garden
District Band and a tour of Japan with Tom Fischer’s New Orleans Jazz All-stars.
The 2009 Traditional Jazz Festival circuit found Tom appearing in Victoria, BC,
Mammoth Lakes, CA, Penticton, BC, and Sun Valley, ID. Tom also performed for
Windstar Cruises in the Aegean Sea, cruising between Athens and Istanbul for six
weeks, then as a guest artist on an Alaskan cruise and returned to perform in
Japan.
When not on traveling, Tom performs nightly in New Orleans at Houston’s
Restaurant on St. Charles Avenue with David Hansen’s Garden District Trio. You
can also find Tom on Tuesday nights at Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar where he has
performed for over ten years and other New Orleans venues including Fritzel’s
European Jazz Pub on Bourbon Street and the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel.
