RIP Tom Swift, Mingus Big Band’s longtime recording engineer

All of us at Jazz Workshop, Inc. and the Mingus Big Band and Orchestra offer respect and gratitude to the memory— and love to the family and friends—of sound engineer Tom Swift. He variously recorded, mixed, and mastered nine Mingus Big Band recordings beginning with Gunslinging Birds in 1994. Together we earned 6 Grammy nominations, the last being the NPR recording that became the 2011 Grammy-winning Live at Jazz Standard.

SUE MINGUS: Hey Tom--Congratulations! Mingus Big Band Live at the Jazz Standard was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category. Your magic touch did it again!

TOM SWIFT: Wow!! I am thrilled to have been part of your endeavors and have learned a tremendous amount from studying Charles' music and striving to achieve adequate representation of his genius.

SUE MINGUS: We're delighted we finally won even though we know all the other great recordings we did together are just as deserving!