Tom Lawton is known for his facility with both traditionally rooted jazz forms and free improvisation. He has played from age seven and studied classical music with Horace Alwyne, Joseph Barone, Judith Willoughby, Robert Durso and Edna Golandsky. His jazz studies were with Gerald Price, Al Stauffer, and Bernard Peiffer.
Lawton has been a member of the Jazz Studies faculty at Temple University since 1992 and has given jazz clinics and master classes at Rowan University, the Painted Bride Art Center and Bloomsburg University. In addition to teaching jazz piano, harmony, and improvisation, Lawton specializes in teaching the Taubman piano technique to jazz pianists. He performs extensively at jazz festivals, concert venues and clubs. Currently in the Philadelphia area he performs with Larry McKenna, Lee Smith, Bobby Zankel, Norman David’s Eleventet, Monkadelphia, Joanna Pascale, Mary Ellen Desmond and Miss Justine. As a world-class musician, he is one of the most sought-after jazz pianists.