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Beatboxer Bio

Hawaii Beatbox King Jason Tom, a fifth-generation Hawaiian Chinese American, has opened for national acts Jake Shimabukuro, Blue Scholars, Michael Winslow, Quest Crew and the Jabbawockeez and have been beatboxing for fun on audio cassette tapes since the age of five to Michael Jackson's "Bad" song. He has been perpetuating the beatboxing art, the 5th element of hip hop, since 2004 through performances, collaborations, beatbox battles, workshops, classes and is known to fuse it with dance.

He has collaborated live with notable acts Jake Shimabukuro, Kamuela Kahoano, PIMPBOT, Kealoha (HawaiiSlam), Makana, Taimane Gardner, Bruce Shimabukuro, Sheila Marie, Skillroy (Rock Steady Crew), Hawaiian Ryan, Willow Chang, Anasma (of Paris), Missing Dave, Kings of Spade, and more. He is the founder of the Human Beatbox Academy and is a co-founder of the ArtSmith. He has been on tour with Music With A Message and the American Lung Association since 2009.

Jason, influenced by the legendary song and dance men Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Michael Jackson, dazzled audiences with his beatbox rendition of Billie Jean by fusing the moonwalk popping dance and the art of vocal percussion known as beatboxing. He is also known for his creativity with his teaching, showmanship and vocal performance ability with music genres of dance, dubstep, house, heavy metal, rock, reggaeton, drum and bass, improvisation, and more to uplift others.

Jason is the "Best Solo Performer" award recipient of the 2011 Scene Choice. He is a "Musician Deserving of a Wider Audience" in the Best of Honolulu Weekly 2009 issue voted by its readers. Jason presented "Vocal Groove" ,video launched on November 21st, 2011, at TEDxHonolulu 2011, with his beatbox blend of Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train and collaboration with surprise guest popper Philosophy, which landed on the front page of HumanBeatbox.com. Interviewed by Angela Keen, his quote "successful people fail more" resonated with conference attendees of TEDxHonolulu 2009 and is what he lives by through faith in Christ Jesus and perseverance.

In 2010, Jason launched his "On The Beat" shirt with an R. Crumb 1970's "Keep On Truckin" feel customarily hand illustrated by artist JKS, perpetuating an optimistic and persevering message of following through life with passion, creativity, ideas, hopes, vision, and dreams. His video dubbed "Jason Tom From Hawaii" ranked number one on the BEATBOX BATTLE network. Jason took first place in the November and December 2011 First Thursdays Poetry Slam and advanced to the 2012 First Thursdays Grand Slam Finals hosted by Hawaii Slam.

Traveling coast to coast he performed at the 2011 Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle Finals in Oakland, California and the 2010 International Human Beatbox Convention in Brooklyn, New York. Jason is also featured beatboxing on Faioso's "I'm Movin' On" track in the 2010 Na Hoku Hanohano (Hawaii's Grammy Awards) "Best Hip-Hop/R&B" award nominated album "Nobody Owns Me."

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About JasonTom.com

JasonTom.com founded in 2008 serves as the number one global source and voice of Hawaii's human beatbox Jason Tom, the Human Beatbox Academy, and Hawaii beatbox community. This site is also a resource to further perpetuate the art, element, and culture of vocal percussion with the world featured with articles, interviews, blog features, and more updated on a regular basis.

Dates

1/14 Chinese NY Festival
1/14 Chinese NY Festival
1/20 Chinatown Cultural Plaza
1/25 Human Beatbox Academy
2/3 The ARTSmith
2/10 TBA
2/17 The Venue
2/19 Fresh Cafe
2/24 Hawaiian Brian's 

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Beatboxer Biography

"Jason Tom is a walking, talking instrument; an energetic combination of drums, snare, vocals and synthesizer, all replicated using his voice." -Tracy Chan (Metromix Honolulu)

Based in Honolulu's Chinatown, Jason beatboxed since the age of 4. He has been perpetuating the beatboxing art since 2004 through performances, workshops and is also known to fuse it with dance.

Jason have guest judged for the Worldwide Ventrilo Beatbox Battle network, facilitates human beatbox workshops, performs on the Music With A Message® tour and has opened shows for national acts Jake Shimabukuro, Blue Scholars, Michael Winslow, Quest Crew and the Jabbawockeez. He has also collaborated live with notable acts Kamuela Kahoano, PIMPBOT, Taimane Gardner, Bruce Shimabukuro, Makana, Kealoha (HawaiiSlam), Sheila Marie, Skillroy (Rock Steady Crew), Willow Chang, Anasma (of Paris), Lapwing, Bridget Gray, Lovechile, Missing Dave, Kings of Spade, Hawaiian Ryan, and more.

In 2010 Jason teamed with Freelance Clothing and launched the Jason Tom beatbox "On The Beat" shirt. That sent him to New York City to represent Hawaii, Mighty4 and Freelance Clothing at the 6th International Human Beatbox Convention and 1st American Beatbox Championships. The video dubbed "Jason Tom from Hawaii" skyrocketed to number one on the BEATBOX BATTLE® TV network and Jason is the first beatbox artist from around the globe to be featured on the BeatboxSpot.com Showcase and to have performed for TEDxHonolulu conferences in 2009 and 2011.

Voted by the people as the "musician deserving of a wider audience" in the Best of Honolulu Weekly.

Na Hoku Award Nominated: Jason is featured in the "I'm Movin' On" track on Faioso's 2010 Nā Hōkū Award nominated "Nobody Owns Me." Veteran entertainment journalist John Berger, of the Star Advertiser, in his album review wrote, "'I'm Movin' On' stands out musically in combining stream-of-consciousness lyrics with the human beat box percussion of Jason Tom." You can download the song and album on iTunes, CDBaby, Amazon and more! "I'm Movin' On" was written by Faioso, music by Jason Tom (ASCAP), produced and mixed by Osna (Angry Locals) and mastered by DJ Packo.

Jason is a part of the FREELANCE FAM and is affiliated with VentBBX. For inquiries about bookings, shows, recording projects, human beatbox workshops, interviews, conferences, photoshoots, videoshoots or other contact Jason Tom at http://www.jasontom.com/.

Jason Tom "On The Beat" T-Shirt featured in:
- PIMPBOT's "Used To Have Fun" music video (w/ footage from their East Coast Tour)
- TTYM's "Hawaiian Girls" music video (#1 hit on Island 98.5)
- Honolulu Weekly
- Midweek
- Elysia Grae's tumblr
- Shaka Zine

Events performed for....
- Aloha For Haiti
- American Beatbox Championships (NYC)
- Apex
- Art After Dark
- Children & Youth Day
- Chinatown Open House
- Chinese New Year Festival
- First Thursdays HawaiiSlam
- First Fridays Hawaii
- Fringe Bites
- Global Dance Cafe
- International Human Beatbox Convention (NYC)
- Hawaii-Aloha Travel
- Hawaii Book & Music Festival
- Hawaii International Film Festival/HIFF
- Hawaii Theatre Slam
- Live From The Lawn @ HiSAM
- Mighty4 Arts Hawaii
- Night In Chinatown
- Oahu Fringe Festival Launch
- Pakele LIVE
- Puja Dance Concert & Festival
- Rethink Hawaii
- TEDxHonolulu
- WTFHawaii Launch
- and more...

Venues performed at:
- Ala Moana Hotel
- Anna Banana's
- Anna O'Brien's
- Arts at Marks Garage
- Bar 35
- Cafe Che Pasta
- Chinatown Cultural Plaza
- Dole Ballrooms
- Don Ho's
- the Dragon Upstairs
- Fresh Cafe
- Hawaii Convention Center
- Hawaii Okinawa Center
- Hawaii State Art Museum (HiSAM)
- Hawaii Theatre
- Hawaiian Hut
- Higher Ground
- Honolulu Academy of Arts
- Honolulu Design Center
- Jazz Minds
- Kahikoluamea Center
- Kimmie's Cantina
- Laughtrack Theater
- Legend Seafood Restaurant
- Level 4 Waikiki
- The Loft
- Maddog Saloon Waikiki
- McKinley High School Auditorium
- Mercury Bar
- Next Door
- Oceans 808
- Old Spaghetti Factory
- Ong King Art Center
- Paparazzi
- Paliku Theatre
- Pearl Ultralounge
- Pearl City Cultural Center
- Pipeline Cafe
- Ilikai Hotel
- Red Lion University
- Red Lion Waikiki
- Regal Dole Cannery
- Rock Bottom
- Royal Garden
- Rumfire Waikiki (Sheraton Waikiki)
- Sandbox Waikiki
- SoHo Mixed Media Bar
- Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel
- thirtyninehotel
- Tropics
- The Venue
- Waikiki Elk's Club
- Ward Warehouse
- Word of Life Christian Center
- and more...

Schools performed at:
- Word of Life Academy
- Central Middle School
- Kaimuki Middle School
- Waipahu Middle School
- Kalaheo High School
- McKinley High School
- Pearl City High School
- Roosevelt High School
- Waiau Elementary School
- Waikiki Community Center Preschool
- University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa
- Honolulu Community College
- Kapiʻolani Community College
- Windward Community College
- Hawaiʻi Pacific University
- Tokai University

Tours:
- Music With A Message® Tour (2009-current)
- China Beatbox Tour (2008)

Album Release Parties
- Busekrus "This Is Real" (2011)
- Family Dinner "Now Serving" (2011)
- Kamuela Kahoano's "Stream Dreams" (2010)
- Stillborn Skies' "A High-Heeled Deception" (2009)
- Makana's "Venus, and the Sky Turns to Clay" (2009)
- iNTREPiD's "Dreamcatcher" (2007)

Quotes from the press:
"What sets Jason Tom apart is the incorporation of dance into beatboxing, especially during his trademark Michael Jackson routine."
-Ryan Senaga, Honolulu Weekly, July 2010

"Jason Tom has parlayed his natural showmanship flair, love of music, and business sense into a thriving career in the local arts and entertainment scene."
-Andrea DeCosta, Ka Lamakua, June 2010

Review of Faioso's "Nobody Owns Me (2010 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominated album)":
"'I'm Movin On' stands out musically in combining stream-of-consciousness lyrics with the human beat box percussion of Jason Tom."
John Berger, Star-Bulletin, April 2010

"Jason Tom has become an artist to watch. His unusual talent won a perfect score from all the judges during last month's Hawaii's Got Talent competition; Tom's rendition of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' is a spectacle of showmanship."
-Tracy Chan, Metromix Honolulu, October 2009

Best local musician deserving of a wider audience - Jason Tom
"Not a lot of opportunities for a human beat box to make his mark in Honolulu, so you’ll have to catch Jason Tom and his freaky noise machine at talent shows, community events like Chinese New Year and at surprise appearances here and there. Until he gains a wider audience or splits for the mainland, check Tom out. Pretty sick."
Honolulu Weekly, Best of Honolulu, August 2009

JASON TOM BEAT BOX DEMO REEL

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Hawaii Beat Box History

Hawaii hip hop culture have pioneers in the art of writing (aerosol art), deejaying, b-boying/b-girling (break dancing), and emceeing. And Hawaii also had beatboxers in the early 1980's influenced by beatboxers Darren Robinson also known as Buffy (R.I.P) of the Fat Boys, Doug E. Fresh (who later influenced the Dougie dance), Biz Markie, the Godfather of Noyze Rahzel and the Human Orchestra Kenny Muhammad. There were Hawaii beatboxers who would perform at Hawaii hip hop jams and events, but the presence of Hawaii beatboxers remained unknown to most on the Hawaiian islands.

In 2004, beatboxer Jason Tom came into the performance scene, influenced by Bay Area California's Asian American beatboxer Elaine Chao after he caught her 2003 television appearance on the Showtime At the Apollo, and then he felt inspired with a vision of perpetuating the art, the fifth element of hip-hop and culture of beatboxing throughout the Hawaiian islands. He started with Oahu and helped to put Hawaii on the map with beatboxing on Kauai, Inner Mongolia, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Zhongshan, Guangdong, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Nyack, and New York City, etc.

In 2006, Jason began teaching beatboxing to the Honolulu youth and communities throughout the Hawaiian islands at Hawaii's public and private schools, community events and more. Then he began facilitating weekly human beatbox workshops at the Diverse Art Center and worked with teenagers, college students, professionals and working adults.  Most recently Jason founded the Human Beatbox Academy with a weekly beatboxing class curriculum at the ArtSmith. Students of the Human Beatbox Academy have ranged from ages 4 to 40 something years old reaching out to the youth and community. He has also performed at many venues, entered various competitions, poetry slams and events throughout the island of Oahu and have influenced many of the youth to pick up or start beatboxing in finding his or her own unique voice. "Beat" is the rhythm, "box" is our "voice" of the vocal box or voice box, vocal percussion.

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