“Thollem displays a chameleonic ability to adapt to suit whatever musical context presents itself.
There is more than one way to access the infinite.” – Daniel Spicer, The Wire
Thollem has released well over 30 albums playing a wide array of electric rigs, both solo and in collaboration with many different musicians, on Astral Spirits Records, Relative Pitch, Setola di Maiale, Personal Archives, ESP-Disk, Aural Films, New Atlantic Records and Union Pole Tapes. His performances include selections from his albums Electric Confluence, Worlds In A Life, Hot Pursuit Of Happiness, and 13 Billion Years To Tomorrow. Thollem weaves elements of eclectic approaches from electro-acoustic and noise to blues to punk to sounds inspired by the extensive cultures he’s had the privilege to experience and work within over the years.
”Fearlessly eclectic” – Ernie Paik, Chattanooga Pulse
“Drenched in many musical traditions, an original brew” – Dolf Mulder, Vital Weekly
Live in Italy – solo piano and electric
“An intense and virtuosic keyboardist.” – Time Out, New York
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Thollem was exposed to the music of a wide array of communities that influenced his development as a musician. Thollem’s released several solo albums on Aural Films Records (San Francisco) and Setola di Maiale (Italy) including A Day In The Leap, Who Are U.S., Operation Sunbeam and Worlds In A Life as well as a few directly to Bandcamp including Electric Confluence, Howled Ground and 13 Billion Years To Tomorrow. Obstacle Illusion was released in the spring on of 2022 on Astral Spirits Records and Hot Pursuit Of Happiness came out on Personal Archives in the fall of 2022.
“His omnivorous interest in styles and format is dizzying, but he maintains a steady focus on
Electric Confluence, an album comprised simply of solo synth instrumentals. Thollem uses this formalist restriction to launch into a wide array of sounds, gliding all over the map in pursuit of whatever next idea interests him. What we’re left with is a record full of surprises that both engages and challenges the ears.” – Marc Masters, Bandcamp
“Thollem’s eclecticism can be mind-boggling” – The Isthmus, Madison, WI
”Transgresses genre boundaries as much as he transcends them” – Dave Wayne, All About JazzNY
“…bringing wide-ranging expression and invention to everything his restless, nomadic existence comes into contact with. Thollem’s maverick essence is magically evident.” – Nels Cline, Bandcamp