TOMMY GARRETT
Jazz Singer . Author . Model
Jazz Singer . Author . Model
About Tommy
About Tommy
......well many will say his magmatic charisma and talent are completely irresistible!
Tommy Garrett, the multi-talented American artist, has the unique distinction of becoming a Sony recording artist, a leading man in a hit Broadway musical and one of the premier international male models of his generation.
Tommy is a critically acclaimed singer, song writer and recording artist for the Sony Columbia Jazz label. He received his vocal training in New York City under the tutelage of Maestro Thurman Bailey. His CD "Quiet Times" was the first from Columbia Jazz records to cross over and land in the top thirty of the international pop charts. Jazz Hot magazine declared " Tommy's hot and subtle voice is sometimes reminiscent of Nat King Cole."
His performances in concerts, gala festivals and night clubs have taken him across America and to the four corners of the globe. The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the MGM Grand Casino in Detroit and the Knoxille Museum of Art have all been host to Garrett's musical presentations. He opened in Berlin for Eartha Kitt, in Morocco for Miriam Makeba and in Paris performing with Dee Dee Bridgewater...... even singing his way to the North Pole on the "Mermoz" a French luxury liner. Christian Dior, Nina Ricci and Lanvin are the noted Paris fashion houses who have invited Tommy to present Jazz concerts in conjunction with their international fashion shows....... also accepted to sing for the renowned model, Naiomi Campbell's birthday celebration.
Here’s what we’ve been working on
Here’s what we’ve been working on
Tommy is a celebrated artist, performing in concerts at prestigious fundraising events such as the Paris Opera in honor of Jerome Robbins - a beautiful performance at the Hotel de Ville in Paris to benefit the New York City Ballet and the Cartier Trinity Ball a charity in Hong Kong for Down Syndrome children. Tommy has also been requested to sing for royalty and at private dinners for some of the world's most influential families. .........The Atlanta Constitution: .....the Sultan of Oman recently invited him to perform in his oil rich country a second time. The first time around Garrett sang for the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Tommy is an accomplished stage actor, cast in the leading roles of major Broadway, French, Japanese and Turkish theatrical productions. These opportunities include performing a leading role in the hit Broadway musical "Bubbling Brown Sugar" with the original Broadway Company. In Tokyo he had the honor of replacing the legendary Yul Brynner in an Oriental theatrical creation, starring opposite the incomparable Japanese actor Akihiro Miwa. Tommy's role as a flashy jazz singer/dancer in the French musical "Las Tu Revue" at the Opera Comic Paris brought him rave reviews. Le Figaro said "We were at once completely subjugated by the immediate and irresistible talent of Tommy Garrett."
Tommy's career as an international model was launched in NYC after being discovered by Eileen Ford. In the early 1970's under the guidance of the Ford Modeling Agency his mission was to integrate the pages of the great white American magazines with men of color. Eventually doors began to open and he became one of the first African-American male models to do the all- American fashion layouts for Co-ed, Redbook, Bride's, Seventeen and Glamour magazines. He was normally photographed with black models like Joyce Walker, Marcia Turner and Beverly Johnson until one day Glamour pictured him with America's sweetheart Christy Brinkley as an inter-racial couple. This was unheard of at the time, as Glamour was the number one fashion magazine in America.
The 10 Great Designers took Tommy to Tokyo with Bill Blass and Eleanor Lambert. Upon returning to New York, Bill Blass immediately booked Tommy for his first major fashion show in New York, and Calvin Klein was next.
A modeling assignment brought him to Paris where he sang in jazz clubs by night and pursued modeling by day. Although represented by Elite modeling agency, there were still more obstacles to overcome. The words "no blacks" were written next to the names of many clients on the casting list, so it was necessary for Tommy to go on appointments where he was restricted. However he managed to accumulate an impressive résumé of top designer shows, counting Hermes, Dior, Pierre Balmain, Cerutti, Paco Rabanne, Thierry Mugler, Patrick Kelly, Paul Smith, Claude Montana, Jean Charles de Castelbajac, Issey Miyake and Kansai Yamamoto among his clients. Vogue Homes, Paris Vogue, Italian Vogue, Depeche Mode, and Joyce are a few of the European magazines where he has been featured in photos by David Bailey, Eddie Kolhi and Dick Ballarium.
Tommy toured Japan doing shows for the renowned designer Itchiku Kubota and afterwards was photographed wearing the Kimonos for the book "Opulence", which is now become a collector's item. In Moscow, Garrett was booked to do the historic Burda Fashion Show. He was the only male among the cast of 25 female models including Christy Turlington and Renee Simonsen. The show, televised around the world, was the most widely viewed fashion show in history.
In Paris it was ironic that the designer Yves Saint Laurent discovered Tommy singing at a jazz club. Again and again Yves came to hear Tommy perform and became one of Tommy's biggest admirers. It was Tommy's voice, stage charisma and style that became the inspiration for the Yves Saint Laurent fragrance "Jazz" for men!
