"A Whisper in the Thunder" exemplifies Tom Griesgraber's intuitive and forward thinking approach to creating music. The album's soulful exploration of sound, with its unusual instrumentation and sophisticated compositions, is artful yet accessible, complex and impressive, inspirational and melodic, further solidifying Tom's commitment to thoughtful composition and creative performance. Seeking out richly powerful supporting collaborations, Griesgraber enlisted some of the most respected instrumentalists in the world to join the project, including drummers Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Indigo Girls) and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) and The California Guitar Trio. The result is profound.

A lifetime in the making, “A Whisper in the Thunder” is Griesgraber’s greatest work so far, culminating much of his extensive musical background. As an honors graduate of the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, Tom had developed a strong foundation in the mechanics of music along with a thorough proficiency on the electric guitar. But he yearned for more: he became weary of conventional methods and was compelled to seek out a more atypical means of making music.

This soul-searching came to a new beginning when Tom discovered the Chapman Stick, taking up the unique 12-string instrument shortly after watching a performance by Tony Levin with Jerry Marotta and Steve Gorn. In a dramatic move, Tom put his creative career on hold, set aside the guitar, and focused on the fresh and still mostly unexplored territory of the often unrecognized Chapman Stick. “Logically that decision didn’t make much sense,” says Griesgraber. “It really felt like starting over, but I just knew I had to do it. I believe every one of us has a purpose in life and if we concentrate on doing what we feel called to do, no matter the risks, things work out for the best.”

Griesgraber’s dedication and eventual mastery of the Stick has led to a plethora of career advancing opportunities. As a Stick player, Tom has opened for several national tours with the California Guitar Trio as well as shows with Al Dimeola, Stanley Jordan, The Tony Levin Band, Bill Bruford's Earthworks, Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather, Tower of Power, Michael Manring, Jazz Mandolin Project, The League of Crafty Guitarists, The Steve Morse Band, The Dixie Dregs, Asia, Adrian Belew and Steve Hackett. At the request of Recording Academy president Neil Portnow, he performed for the Academy’s Board of Trustees as well as the Academy’s Holiday Party and the 2004 Grammy Awards Show Post Party. In addition to his solo performances, Tom also plays regularly with drummer Jerry Marotta as the duo Marotta/Griesgraber as well as his own group Agent 22.

“I feel like ‘Whisper’ is just the beginning,” says Griesgraber, “but I feel that way about every project I do. I don’t think I’ll ever be done looking for new ways to make music. It’s the search itself that keeps me in the game.”