Tom Wolf: The researcher who loves his violin

For many, when the name Tom Wolf is mentioned, their minds immediately go to poll research. This is expected, as Wolf has, over the years, become the face of poll research in the country.

What few people know is that the man has another passion: music. So, when Ipsos Synovate axed him five years ago, the researcher immersed himself in his other love—music.

Wolf is the leader of Elephant Grass Musical Chairs, a band he formed after leaving Ipsos in 2019.

“That sacking taught me a few things in life. I learned that I don’t have to stay in the office for 60 hours a week doing research. I had to find time for musical activities and balance the two,” he says.

We caught up with him during a three-week concert tour in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru.

“We hope to come back to Nakuru again, either by ourselves or with the same embassy sponsoring us for the same cause,” he said.

After the band’s formation, Wolf spent years nurturing it. “We had to nurture the young band and let its members mature for steady growth before we could go public,” said the 80-year-old.

Why the name Elephant Grass Musical Chairs?

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“We called it that because our membership keeps changing, even from one performance to the next. Some people are often busy or unavailable, and others have left the country since we started,” he explains.

The band has 10 members, including Wolf (band leader, who plays the mandolin, violin, and guitar), Tom Mac (mandolin), Paul Muellar (bass guitar), Brad Eugene (guitar), Scott Mwangi (violin), and Stefany Mwaura (violin).

“Music is in my DNA. I started singing as a teenager, from high school up to college, and I’ve kept the fire burning to this day,” says Wolf.

Asked how he manages his research work alongside composing, rehearsing, and playing music, he emphasized time management.

“Time management is essential for any success. Seriousness and diligence are also key. Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night to practice,” said the professional research consultant, who works for Tiva International.

Although most of his songs are composed and sung in English, poll researcher Tom Wolf is a lover of Zilizopendwa.

He admires the music of Daudi Kabaka, John Nzenze, Jamhuri Jazz Band, Morogoro Jazz Band, Mbaraka Mwinshehe, and DDC Milimani Park Orchestra.

Initially, music was just for entertainment for Wolf, but now it’s also a business. “We are open to being hired by anyone who might need our services,” Wolf says.

He sings with the precision of a natural musician, which has made him a favourite among music lovers in Kenya and Tanzania, the two countries where he has spent most of his life.

His favourite song is Life of Sorrows by the Stanley Brothers, recorded in 1957 in South Tennessee, USA.

Wolf is particularly proud of his violin, an instrument he bought while studying at an underground university in the United Kingdom in the 1960s.

While Wolf admits to being too old for certain genres of music, he favours traditional tunes.

“There are some kinds of music that don’t resonate with me because of my age. But Nyatiti and Taarab music, I love,” says the octogenarian.

As for his personal life, Wolf acknowledges that he had tried marriage, but it didn’t work out. “I’m still open to the idea of marriage,” he adds.

Wolf visits his home city of Detroit, in Wayne County, Michigan, USA, when he needs to catch up with immediate family and relatives.