User:Ehudakineah/Jason Tom

Jason Tom (born November 21, 1982) is an Asian American musician, dancer, composer, poet, teacher, and motivational speaker of Hawaii Chinese descent known for beatboxing in music, dance, poetry slam, and the performing arts. He is the founder of the Human Beatbox Academy curriculum taught on tour, at studios, after school programs, and workshops since 2006, and he is the co-founder of the Art Smith (currently known as the Creative founded by Youth Speaks Hawaii and Pacific Tongues) at the Chinatown Artist Lofts and Chinatown Courtyard of the Mendonca Building.

Tom's Hawaii beatbox class at the Art Smith was featured on "Our Favorite Things" for the April 2012 edition of Hawaii Business Magazine. His influences in music, dance and the performing arts include Michael Jackson, Bobby McFerrin, Rahzel, Doug E. Fresh, MC Jin, Jake Shimabukuro, Makana, and Gene Kelly.

Tom was featured at the 2014 Word of Life Hawaii G12 Conference: Awaken to Conquer, 2013 Chevron/Honolulu District Speech Festival, 2012 RAW artists: Solstice Showcase, 2011 TEDx Conference: It's About Time, 2010 Rethink Speaker Series at HIFF, and 2009 TEDx Conference: Shift to demonstrate the process of composing a song piece in the perspective of a performance poet, mouth drummer, vocal percussionist, and dancer as a musician and beatboxer to blend musical genres of hip hop, house, reggaeton, dubstep, drum and bass with the vocal emulation of even traditional Hawaiian and Australian musical instruments.

Tom competed and showcased at the 2014 American Beatbox Championship in New York. Tom qualified as a Top 12 poet of the 2011-2012 Hawaii Slam season and advanced to the 2012 First Thursdays Grand Slam Final. He hosted and organized and judged (with two qualified Hawaii beatboxers) the 2014 Hawaii Beatbox Battle during Art And Flea's 90's Hip Hop Celebration: Boom Bap, and organized the 2014 Hawaii Beatbox Jam: Breakthrough event.

Jason Tom is a Top 12 Poet of the 2014-2015 HawaiiSlam season advancing into the April 2015 First Thursdays Grand Slam Final and qualified as a Top 75 beatboxer in the world, and advancing into the men's solo competition at the 2015 Beatbox Battle World Championship in Europe. He has opened for Michael Winslow, Reeps One, B-Art, Soulfire Revolution, Blue Scholars, Jake Shimabukuro, Makana, JabbaWockeez, and Quest Crew.

Primary School
Jason Tom is a fourth-generation Asian American of Chinese descent and was raised as a second-generation Chinese American. At the age of four, he recorded himself on audio cassette tapes to Michael Jackson tunes starting with "Bad." He blended an a cappella art form known as scat singing and an urban vocal percussion technique known as an inward K snare drum beatboxing technique. Growing up Tom played around with a toy piano, an ukulele, and tuba, but consistently turned to beatboxing or the human voice as his main musical instrument. He graduated from McKinley High School in 2001.

Secondary Education & Mathematics
Jason Tom graduated from the University of Hawaii at Kapiolani Community College (KCC) as a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Student with an Associates in Arts in Liberal Arts in fall 2007. He worked on campus as a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader in mathematics.

In 2005, Tom's KCC Voice I Professor Lina Doo introduced the Tuvan throat singing cultural vocal art form that he would eventually incorporate into his beatboxing after she encouraged him to watch Genghis Blues. He graduated in summer 2006 with a certificate of completion in Intensive Chinese courses from the Freeman Foundation China Scholarship Study Abroad Program at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) in Beijing, China, and was on the KCC Dean's List.

Music & Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) Program
During Jason Tom's final semester at KCC, he simultaneously attended and enrolled at UH Honolulu Community College (HCC) and Belmont University's Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business (CEMB) in Nashville, TN via live feed as a Music Business major and first-generation Music & Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) Student.

Jason Tom studied from Dr. Larry Wacholtz, Dr. David Moser, Sarita Stewart, James Hearon, Eric Lagrimas (of Pimpbot), Lina Doo (pre-MELE Program), and others. His secondary education musician peers included American Idol's Jordan Segundo, Kalei Gamiao, John Tussey, and among others. He attended the first inaugural MELE Songwriters Workshop in 2009. Tom along with Yelp Hawaii's manager Emi Hart (Nerdy Boys) were brought into the Adam Watts Songwriter Workshop Group, and he shared with Adam Watts one of his original songs he had composed and written called, "Listen Carefully (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)," and Adam Watts loved it and it caught the attention of Disney Music Publishing that described Tom as a "virtuoso."

2009-2010
In 2009, Jason Tom was voted the "Best Hawaii Musician Deserving of a Wider Audience" in the Best of Honolulu Weekly issue and was referred as Hawaii's Premier Human Beatbox in the 808 Scene Zine. On September 2009, filming took place for Shaka Talk's fifth episode hosted by Diar D.R. Rhea and Edna McMan. After filming took place Tom flew out to Los Angeles and performed for fans at the International Secret Agents concert sponsored by JCPenney and produced by Wong Fu Productions and the Far East Movement. The Shaka Talk episode five featured Jason Tom and it aired on October 16, 23, 30th, and November 6 for ʻOlelo Community Media's ʻOlelo 52 channel. On November 2009, he was the guest entertainer for the TEDxHonolulu conference at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center and was interviewed by Angela Keen.

On November 13, Tom joined the American Lung Association in Hawaii with Kutmaster Spaz, the 808 Breakers, Shayla Kaai, and Jalee Fuselier on the Music with a Message tour debuting at Pearl City High School.

He represented the state of Hawaii at the Sixth International Human Beatbox Convention and First Inaugural American Beatbox Championships in Brooklyn, New York City. His beatbox performance video dubbed "Jason Tom from Hawaii" became the first Hawaii Beatbox video to be featured on the Beatbox Battle TV website. Tom performed at the Bruno Mars concert on December 17.

2011-2012
Jason Tom headlined the Honolulu Twestival event with Kamuela Kahoano, Willow Chang and Emi Hart. Their combined contribution with the Honolulu Twestival team and attendees raised over $2,000 to the charity benefiting the Blood Bank of Hawaii. Tom also performed for the "Aloha Music For Japan" concert at the Aloha Tower Marketplace Centerstage which raised over $5,000 to benefit Japan's earthquake and tsunami victims. In July he founded the Human Beatbox Academy (Hawaii Beatbox School) and co-founded the ArtSmith studio in Downtown Honolulu's Arts District.

Tom teamed with Estria and performed at the #WaterWrites Hawaii Mural Unveiling in Kalihi near Honolulu Community College, Estria Graffiti Battle Honolulu & HIstory, and the 5th Annual Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle events & finals in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, California. He is the recipient of the "Best Solo Performer" Hawaii Scene Choice Award and TEDxHonolulu Conference: It's About Time Presenter Award for "Vocal Groove."

Jason Tom was Top 8 Performance Poet Finalist for HawaiiSlam's First Thursdays Grand Slam Finals. He was the first solo musician to be inducted into the first RAW artists showcase, "Solstice," in the Honolulu Chapter along with Blank Canvas.

2013
Jason Tom joined the "Say Yes To Purpose" tour with Diverse Art and Academy of Hype while simultaneously performing on the "Music with a Message" tour visiting middle and high schools throughout the state of Hawaii. Tom is featured in the award-winning "American Beatboxer" film that documented the 2010 International Human Beatbox Convention (Boxcon) and 2010 American Beatbox Championships in Brooklyn, New York. Those events were organized by Humanbeatbox.com and the World Beatbox Association (WBA).

Hawaii Beatbox Battle, Art And Flea, & Art After Dark
Jason Tom hosted the 2014 Hawaii Beatbox Battle at Art And Flea Boom Bap in Kakaako. In anticipation of the event, Tom and Aly Ishikuni released the "Do What You Love" video series. Prior to that he shared the stage with Diverse Art Center at the first Art And Flea Mililani event. He headlined the ARTafterDARK Rakugaki (Japanese for graffiti or art of writing) event at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Tom featured Kealoha, Cherry Lei, Pedro Vasquez also known as PRV, and Diamond Inouye also known as Hammah with a dance cypher that featured Skillroy (Rock Steady Crew), Reeses Pieces, Hi Jack (808 Breakers), Funky T, Fu Manchu, Chocolate Reign, Rabbit, Alex, Dawson, and others.

Beatbox Battle TV, SpoCom Anaheim & SpoCom Hawaii
Jason Tom is the first Asian American and Hawaii beatboxer to be featured on the Beatbox Battle TV YouTube Channel. Tom and Freelance Brand flew out for the Venue Trade Show, met with MC Jin's manager Carl Choi (manager of the Far East Movement when they were signed to an indie music label) of the Great Company, Agenda Trade Show, and he also performed a live set at the SpoCom Anaheim Supershow at the Anaheim Convention Center. He then performed a live set for SpoCom Hawaii at the Hawaii Convention Center as an opener for the B-Boy Battle. SpoCom Anaheim and Hawaii consisted of appearances by Timothy DeLaGhetto also known as Traphik, Janis True, Constance Nunes, Cherry Lei, Akemi Suzuki, and others.

HNL Flow Magazine & American Beatbox Championships
Jason Tom is featured in HNL Flow: One For The Books issue number three as he prepared to compete and be featured at the 5th Annual American Beatbox Championships and States of Beatbox in New York City with headliners Michael Winslow and Reeps One. Also featured at the American Beatbox Championships were B-Art, BBK, Verbal Ase, Heaven, Balu Ballistic, and an appearance by Rahzel at Webster Hall. Reeps One personally complimented Tom on his showcase set. The "American Beatboxer" film began to screen at universities with Harvard University on October 24, 2014.

ThinkTech Hawaii's Art of Life & YAP Show
On October 31, ThinkTech Hawaii featured Jason Tom in a post-American Beatbox Championship New York interview on the Art of Life Show hosted by Willow Chang and he shared collaborative plans to work more with Jody Kamisato, Heart & Soul, and Ukulele Hale. That interview followed with an additional ThinkTech Hawaii interview with Tom on the Young Adult Platform (YAP) Show that co-featured comedian Charles Shelley.

Hawaii Beatbox Jam: Breakthrough
On November 21, Jason Tom organized the 2014 Hawaii Beatbox Jam: Breakthrough at Branch Studios Kakaako with the support of Diverse Art Center and Freelance Brand. It was hosted by Mikey Mike and was headlined by Biggie Gz and Kid Mech with openers by the 2014 Hawaii Beatbox Battle Champion Eli So Fly (of 808 BeatVox), the 2014 Hip Hop Culture Day Cypher Queen Reeses Pieces, and Madd Rabbit. Cherry Lei and the book author of "Love Out Loud" Alexandria Lanai also attended. It also featured a concert by Hawaii beatboxers Rad FX, Hammah, Sayber, Klimaxe, Rebeatz, Rampage, Mighty Noa (of 808 BeatVox), Kayden, Bodhi, Kaimana.

TEDx Honolulu Conference: Shift
On November 5, 2009, Jason Tom was the guest entertainer for the first TEDx Honolulu Conference: Shift at the Hawaii Convention Center with presenters Neil Blecherman, Jill Buck, Henk Rogers, and Kaiser Kuo. He was interviewed by former Hawaii TV news reporter Angela Keen and by the prompting of one of her question he shared a quote, "successful people fail more." TED is an acronym for Technology Entertainment Design.

[Re]Think: Hawaii Speaker Series at HIFF
Tom spoke at the Rethink Speaker series at HIFF from October 18–20, 2010 in front of a diverse group of entrepreneurs. Tom also performed on the [re]think Navatek Dinner Cruise.

TEDx Honolulu Conference: It's About Time
Tom spoke at the TEDx Honolulu Conference on November 1, 2011. TEDx Honolulu: It's About Time was hosted by Ka'ala Souza at the Honolulu Design Center's Cupolo Theatre.

Chevron/Honolulu District Elementary Speech Festival
Mr. Jason Tom was featured as an inspirational speaker at the 2013 Chevron/Honolulu District Elementary Speech Festival with 27 elementary schools.

Hawaii Children And Youth Day
Jason Tom have been a feature at the Hawaii Children And Youth Day since 2010. He has performed at the Hawaii State Capitol's Main Stage, 808 Urban Teen Zone, and the PG-13 Zone. In 2010 and 2011, he featured his dance crew that consisted of dancers Yoda, Remedee, Nikki Guess also known as Olopop, Reeses Pieces, Andy Tran. In 2011, he featured Hawaii Beatbox Academy's Eli So Fly (of the 808 BeatVox). In 2013, he featured Hawaii Beatbox Academy's Klimaxe during his solo set at the State Capitol's Main Stage. In 2014, he showcased Hawaii Beatbox Academy's Yo-yogibeatz, Rampage, and Kaimana with Diverse Arts Center, Housing Project 360, and Branch Studios Kakaako. After that he featured Hawaii Beatbox Academy's Kaimana during his his solo set at the PG-13 Zone, and between that he collaborated with Trip Sev from Texas during Trip Sev's solo set, and Choatic Five during their set at the PG-13 Zone on their cover rendition of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name."

On the Beat
On July 20, 2010 Jason Tom's "On the Beat" was released during Kaleidoscope at thirtyninehotel in Downtown Honolulu's Arts District. "On the Beat" also appeared at the 2010 International Human Beatbox Convention and the First Inaugural American Beatbox Championship at Littlefield in Brooklyn, New York. His shirt release party in Honolulu featured a collaboration of beatbox, locking, popping, and b-boying with Skillroy and Andy Tran. The design of "On The Beat" was hand drawn by Hawaii artist JKS and concept by Tom in collaboration with JKS was inspired by Robert Crumb's 1970s Keep on Truckin' comic. "On The Beat" has appeared in music videos for Jeffrey James' TTYM's "Hawaiian Girls" (number one song on Island 98.5) and Pimpbot's "Used To Have Fun" featuring footage from their East Coast Bender Tour.
 * Music Videos

Soar Like An Eagle
On November 21, 2014, Jason Tom released his "Soar Like An Eagle" shirt at the First Inargural Hawaii Beatbox Jam: Breakthrough event at Branch Studios Kakaako and he composed an original song of the same title to coincide with the release. With the specifications of Tom the shirt was illustrated and designed in a collaborative effort by Duke King of Freelance Brand.

I'm Movin' On
Jason Tom is featured on the "Im Movin On" track from Faioso's "Nobody Owns Me" debut album, a 2010 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award nominee in the hip-hop/r&b category. Album liner notes credited lyrics & melody by Faioso, music by Jason Tom (ASCAP), produced by Osna (of Angry Locals) and mixed by DJ Packo.

Veteran entertainment journalist John Berger of the Star Advertiser wrote, "'I'm Movin On' stands out musically in combining stream-of-consciousness lyrics with the human beat box percussion of Jason Tom."
 * Reception