Bancroft was born in London on 29 January 1967. He began drumming aged seven and started off playing with his father and twin brother, Phil. The family moved to Scotland when Tom was nine and he had gigs in Edinburgh from his mid-teens. While studying medicine at Cambridge University, he composed music and continued playing gigs. For nine months during 1988–89, Bancroft studied composition and arranging at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Back in Scotland in 1990, Bancroft wrote for his big band. Qualifying as a doctor in 1992, he then worked as a jazz musician and composer, in addition to doing some medical work, including in Russia. The big band toured the UK in 1996. He has toured extensively in various bands and has written for radio and television.
In 1998, along with New Zealander Suzy Melhuish, Bancroft co-founded Caber Music. The first release was Bancroft's Pieology, a selection of concert and broadcast performances.

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