Endgame

Tom Mitchell decided to be a drummer at a young age. He began taking lessons in school at age 10 and has been playing ever since. His first influences were Ringo Star of the Beatles and drummers like session players Hal Blaine and Bernard Purdie who played on the popular AM hits of the late 60s and early 70s. As Tom progressed, he was also influenced by rock, jazz and big band drummers such as Danny Seraphine, John Bonham, Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich and many more. Tom was fortunate to study with excellent teachers and in high school was selected for many regional and All State bands for classical as well as jazz ensembles.  

In 1979, Tom met Lou Di Falco while playing his first “professional” gig with a wedding orchestra. Lou, who was much more experienced, showed Tom the ropes and they went on to play hundreds of gigs with various bands over the next ten years.  

Tom met guitarist Mike Carlone in 1982 after replying to an ad in the Aquarian for an original band called Risqué. Despite a shady audition that required him to meet Carlone on McCarter Highway in Belleville, New Jersey and then follow him to a “rehearsal studio” that turned out to be a warehouse on the Passaic river, Tom clicked with the band instantly. He enjoyed performing with Risqué in NY/NJ venues including Great Gildersleeves, CBGBs, Dirt Club, Showplace and more for a number of years. 

Throughout the next ten years, Tom played with multiple rock, progressive, and jazz groups. After that, family took priority, and outside of the occasional fill-ins for other drummers, he mostly performed in his basement for very small crowds.  

As time went on, Tom started playing out again and was excited to reconnect with Carlone (and to meet Hank Kaneshige) to record some new original tunes in Bayonne, New Jersey. When Lou Di Falco agreed to add his keyboard and composing skills, it quickly became a group that Tom wanted to continue playing and recording with! 

Tom is thrilled to be part of Endgame with his friends of 40 years, and his niece Chelsea Rose. Mike, Hank and Lou challenge him constantly with their wide variety of original rock, R&B, funk, reggae, country, latin, and shuffle tunes! It's an experience that Tom hopes lasts for a long time.