As a pianist and keyboardist Tom Cleary has appeared on recordings by artists including bassist Mike Gordon (available at livephish.com) and trombonist Rick Davies (Siempre Salsa and Salsa Nortena). In 2019 his work as a composer, pianist and arranger was featured on You Are Here, the debut album by the jazz quartet Birdcode, which he co-leads with vocalist Amber deLaurentis, and on deLaurentis' solo album Innocent Road. He has accompanied artists including Judi Silvano, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Ray Vega, Chris Vidala, Lester Bowie, Fontella Bass, Ernie Watts, Joan Rivers and Steve Earle.
As a composer, his work has been commissioned and recorded by groups including Social Band (Those Stars, Vermont Composers Project) and Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble. His song Twists and Bends was featured on a 2014 Mallets Bay Records compilation. Recent musical collaborations include a series of duo concerts with mandolinist Jamie Masefield. He also has music directed many shows including Big River, Young Frankenstein and Spamalot for Saint Michael's Playhouse and Cabaret and Godspell for UVM Theater. The musical Mill Girls, for which he composed the score, was mostly recently produced by the Saint Michael's College Fine Arts Department in an online production now available on YouTube.
He teaches in the jazz studies program of the UVM Music Department, coordinates the Flynn Arts jazz program and teaches private lessons in his home studio. Please visit Birdcode and Birdfeed