Tom Brislin
Tom Brislin (born October 5, 1973) is an American keyboardist, songwriter, singer, producer, and author. In December 2018, American progressive rock band Kansas announced Brislin as the group’s keyboardist; his playing, vocals, and prominent songwriting contributions are featured on the band’s most recently released studio album, The Absence of Presence (2020). Biography Early Life Brislin was born and raised in New Jersey, the youngest of five children in a musically inclined household in Dunellen, New Jersey. His older siblings provided his first exposure to music, which consisted of album-oriented 1970s rock acts such as Foreigner, Yes, and Led Zeppelin. As a young piano student in the 1980s, he drew inspiration from pop acts such as Prince, Men At Work, Duran Duran, and The Police, as well as keyboardists like Keith Emerson and Herbie Hancock. Brislin formed his first bands with childhood friends at the age of 10; by 12, he had cemented his aspiration to be a professional musician. Education Brislin graduated from Immaculata High School in Somerville, New Jersey, and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 2016. He went on to study classical and jazz piano performance at William Paterson University under the tutelage of notable musicians Harold Mabern, Rufus Reid, and Pete Malinverni, and others. During this period, Brislin performed in a variety of venues and styles, ranging from solo piano, jazz quartets, rock bands, church music, and dance bands. Late 90s-2001 As an undergraduate at William Paterson, he formed a recording project with fellow student musicians which evolved into the live band You Were Spiraling. With Brislin as frontman, keyboardist, and songwriter, the group performed throughout the New York City metro area and toured nationwide as a supporting act for They Might Be Giants throughout the late 90s and early ‘00s. Brislin produced 3 recordings with You Were Spiraling, including a self-titled EP distributed via the Hello Recording Club (a subscription record label launched by TMBG’s John Flansburgh) in 1997. In 1996, Brislin also played keyboards for fellow New Jersey resident Glen Burtnik (formerly of Styx). Burtnik connected Brislin with Meat Loaf (through musical director Kasim Sulton), which led to him joining the singer's band as keyboardist for three years (1998-2001). His tenure with Meat Loaf encompassed concert tours of Europe, the United Kingdom, and the US, as well as numerous television appearances, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, and a 1999 episode of VH1 Storytellers. Brislin’s piano work is featured on the artist’s 2003 album, Couldn’t Have Said It Better. During this period, Brislin released 30 Day Keyboard Workout, published by Alfred Music in 1999. Positive reviews for the book in Keyboard Magazine led to his contributing a monthly column entitled “Keyboard Basics” and working for the publication as a senior correspondent and contributing editor from 2001-2014. Prog Rock Notoriety & Spiraling (2001-2009) In July 2001, Brislin came to notoriety within the progressive rock sphere as keyboardist for Yes, joining them on their YesSymphonic tour in