‘TomtheJazzman’ donates album collection to Joyner Library

Tom Mallison of Greenville, known to music lovers throughout eastern North Carolina as ‘TomtheJazzman,’ has donated thousands of LP jazz recordings to Joyner Library.

For thousands of jazz fans in eastern North Carolina, he’s known as “TomtheJazzman.” 

For more than 23 years, Tom Mallison of Greenville has made a weekly trip to WTEB studios, the home of Public Radio East in New Bern, to spend five hours sharing the music that is his passion to listeners as “TomtheJazzman.” His broadcast offers a cornucopia of jazz styles interspersed with his wit and wisdom garnered from more than 40 years in broadcasting.

Recently, Mallison donated to East Carolina University’s Joyner Library thousands of LP jazz recordings that he accumulated during his life-long endeavor, which began at the age of 12. These recordings span a wide variety of the sub-genres of jazz, including ragtime, Dixieland, bebop, free, and fusion. 

Many of the more unique recordings have been used to create the “TomtheJazzman Collection” housed in ECU’s Music Library. Others, mostly duplicates, have been sold to create an acquisitions fund for the support and enhancement of the collection. 

“The TomtheJazzman Collection will provide students and faculty the opportunity to research and understand the evolution of jazz and gain a greater appreciation for the art that is jazz music,” said Dr. Larry Boyer, dean of Academic Library and Learning Resources.

On April 5, Mallison was honored with a reception hosted by ECU’s Joyner Library at the Music Library located in the AJ Fletcher Music Center. Dr. Marilyn Sheerer, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs and Dr. Larry Boyer, Dean of Academic Library and Learning Resources, were among more than 100 family and friends who came to recognize and learn about Mallison’s gift to Joyner Library.

A Greenville native and 1966 ECU graduate, Mallison has carved a niche in the jazz world gaining fame as a writer, presenter, award-winning broadcaster, as well as an advocate for the genre. Showing a similar passion for supporting his alma mater, he has served on a number of ECU support organizations, including his current position as Chair of the Robert Wright Student Government President’s Society. The East Carolina Alumni Association recognized his dedication to the university with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 1998.

Jazz lovers can view the collection online at http://catalog.lib.ecu.edu/ then search for “TomtheJazzman.”