Tómas R. Einarsson

Tómas R. Einarsson (born 1953) is an Icelandic composer and double bass player who has been prominent in the Icelandic jazz scene since the early nineties. Much of his later work is influenced by Cuban jazz music.

In 2014 he was granted the Order of the Falcon by the President of Iceland for his contribution to jazz and culture.

Life and career Tómas was born in the town Blönduós in the north of Iceland and grew up in Dalabyggð. He studied at Hamrahlid College in Reykjavík and was at the time a radical socialist who often took part in demonstrations. A techno remix of the albums was made in 2007, RommTommTechno, produced by President Bongo from the Icelandic electro-group GusGus.

Films

A documentary about Tómas was made in 2015 under the title Latin Viking (Latínbóndinn). The biographical film followed Tómas around as he toured in Cuba, as well as his home town. The film was moderately well received and was described as having an impactful narrative.

Tómas' music can be found in a total of 13 movies and TV films.

He directed and wrote the manuscript of a TV documentary film about the writer Guðbergur Bergsson. In 2011 Tómas wrote the music to the documentary film about the Icelandic writer and Nobel prize winner Halldór Laxness.

Translations Tómas has translated works by several Latin American authors such as Isabel Allende, Gabriel García Márquez, and Julio Cortázar. He also translated The Dancer Upstairs by the English novelist Nicholas Shakespeare.

Selected discography As leader

1989 – Nýr tónn 1991 – Íslandsför 1994 – Landsýn 1998 – Á góðum degi 2000 – Undir 4 2002 – Kúbanska 2003 – Havana 2004 – Dance you idiot! (Dansaðu fíflið þitt dansaðu!) 2005 – Let jazz be bestowed on the huts 2006 – Romm Tomm Tomm 2007 – Rommtommtechno 2008 – Trúnó 2009 – LIVE! 2009 – Reykjavík-Havana 2009 – Early Latin 2011 – Strengur 2012 – Laxness 2013 – Bassanótt 2014 – Mannabörn 2016 – Bongó 2017 – Innst inni

As co-leader

1985 – Þessi ófétis jazz 1987 – Hinsegin blús 1994 – Hot house – Reykjavik Jazz Quartet live at Ronnie Scott´s 1995 – Koss with Ólafía Hrönn 2000 – Í draumum var þetta helst 2015 – Bræðralag