Tom's got more soul than any ONE person should be allowed! This cd proves that technology in the right hands can be an amazing tool. An awesome cat musically and personally, and thank you for decades of joy!

Tom had touch my heart whith his new CD... thanks for make the music as magic...

“Find a Way,” the opening track on “Into Your Heart,” is my early favorite. Jones’ sultry vocal and Tom’s melodic piano/keyboard performance marry the old and the new — contemporary jazz with old-school. On “Past Stories,” Tom pushes the envelope, mixing rapid-fire keyboard sequences with a driving bass track. Usually, there’s a tell-tale airiness that lets you know certain sounds are done by a synthesizer or computer. Percussion and bass rhythms rarely change — taboo in the improvisational world of jazz. Yet Tom pulls it off. Taking high-tech samples and groundbreaking software, he makes the bass, drums and other instruments sound authentic. Another 3 songs that really stand out are "Mysterious Ways," "Samba for Two," and "Shunjuku."

It’s a rare day when this writer is first in line for anything. So when I checked an online bulletin board last Thursday and saw that I was the first person in the USA to order Tom Schuman’s new CD on the Internet, it was a great feeling — especially since it was the man himself who posted the message. An even greater feeling came when I received “Into Your Heart” (JazzBridge Music) the following day and played it for the first time — and the second, and the fifth, etc. “Into Your Heart” is an hour’s worth of music for all occasions. Tom composed and produced all 12 tracks, with much of the work done at his Bethesda, Md., home. He is joined by some relative unknowns: Dottie Jones, vocals on “Find a Way” and “Past Stories”; David Charles, additional percussion on “Quality Time,” “Shinjuku” and “Third Spirit”; and Tom’s grandson, Jacob Garcia, baby vocals on “Third Spirit.” Better than half the songs on the CD are motivated by love for people who have inspired the 44-year-old Buffalo, N.Y. native. “Find a Way,” the opening track, is my early favorite. Jones’ sultry vocal and Tom’s melodic piano/keyboard performance marry the old and the new — contemporary jazz with old-school. “Portrait of My Father,” a slow, quiet piece reminiscent of old-style jazz, is dedicated to Tom’s late father, Walter J. Schuman, himself an accomplished jazz bassist. On that track and on “Past Stories,” a spin on the name of legendary jazzman Jaco Pastorius, Tom’s mastery of modern technology really comes through. He pushes the envelope, mixing rapid-fire keyboard sequences with a driving bass track. Usually, there’s a tell-tale airiness that lets you know certain sounds are done by a synthesizer or computer. Percussion and bass rhythms rare change — taboo in the improvisational world of jazz. Yet Tom pulls it off. Taking high-tech samples and groundbreaking software, he makes the bass, drums and other instruments sound authentic. Another three songs that really stand out are “Mysterious Ways,” Tom’s expression of reverence to God, “Samba for Two” and the Japanese-themed “Shinjuku,” named for an area of Tokyo. Tom has said was jammed at home with his parents when he was a child. I am one who is very grateful that those jams paid off. Woodrow Wilkins Jr. Greenville, Miss.