He won a 1996 Grammy competition with the collaborative group Skizm and as a result worked with legendary producer Phil Ramone. His music received "Honorable Mention" status at The Village Voice, and has been given 5 Stars by many national publications such as Primetime Magazine and Premier Magazine. About.Com put his music on the Top 10 Best Jazz Artists list and the Jazz Journalists Association of America ranked Tobias in the Top 10 Artists of 2008. He has a bachelors degree in composition.