“Feigning Pleasantries” (TA+2)
This is a song I wrote about my last retail job. TA+2 is my trio featuring bassist Jason Emmond and drummer Nick Anderson. This clip comes from a stream at the Jive Hive in Albany, a night of Upstate jazz featuring us alongside groups led by guitarist Wyatt Ambrose and saxophonist Jeremy Gold, recorded on July 23, 2024.
“Theme for George” (Live w/ Sketches of Influence)
From a performance in December 2023 at Alias Coffee in Troy, NY as part of a special lineup of Joe Barna’s Sketches of Influence, featuring Barna (drums/compositions) and myself alongside Hartwick College lecturers Wyatt Ambrose (guitar) and Evan Jagels (bass), also known for their work in the Killdeer Trio.
“Triumvirate” (Live)
My composition for the 2022 Ravinia Steans Music Institute Jazz Grandstand in Highland Park, IL, which I participated in as a fellow of RSMI’s Program for Jazz. This performance features myself alongside fellows Hannah Duhon (trombone), Sam Chandler (piano), Sameer Shankar (bass) and Josiah DeNooyer (drums).
Thom Avella: A Graduate Recital
This recital took place in April 2022, and was the capstone of my graduate studies at William Paterson University. It features compositions I arranged for octet and big band by composers including myself, Thelonious Monk, Cole Porter, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Randy Brecker and Mark Hollis.
“Children’s Songs” (Corea/Rubio)
This is a suite of six of Chick Corea’s Children’s Songs arranged by Douglas and Jill Rubio, performed by myself on soprano saxophone and Julian Eichholz on guitar. The recording is taken from my senior saxophone recital at the Crane School of Music in April 2019.