Gary Thomas (musician)

Gary Thomas ( born June 6, 1961 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American jazz musician ( tenor and soprano saxophone, flute, composition) and music teacher.

Thomas had as a child piano lessons and began to play woodwind instruments besides guitar and organ - first oboe and flute, then clarinet, which he took 17 years to jazz. His training at the local Peabody Conservatory followed by a year's study at Howard University. During his studies he played with fellow students as Greg Osby and Geri Allen. 1985 brought him into his Jack DeJohnette Special Edition, he ( with whom he also later recorded ) to 1993 firmly belonged. In 1986 and 1987 he also belonged to the band by Miles Davis and also has performed with Cecil Brooks III, Wallace Roney and Tony Reedus.

From 1987 he led his own group The Seventh Quadrant, which included temporarily Kevin Eubanks, Anthony Cox and Dave Holland and drummer Dennis Chambers or as Jeff Watts. In 1994, Thomas worked in his overkill project with hip-hop. As a companion, he was involved recordings of Gabrielle Goodman, Cassandra Wilson, Michele Rose Woman, Uri Caine, Christy Doran, the WDR Big Band or Peter Herborn with (all artists who were under contract even if JMT ). Between 1997 and 1999 he belonged to the group of John McLaughlin. In 2001 he was involved in Terri Lyne Carrington's album Jazz Is a Spirit; Since 2002 he is part of the quartet of Herbie Hancock.

Thomas heads the jazz department of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Martin Kunzler according to which he applies with Steve Coleman as " most original voice that the wide field between bebop tradition, M -Base achievements and success -oriented grooves of funky music plowed in the combination of acoustic and electronic music. " Especially playing on the tenor saxophone he air- rich, but very customizable with hard contour while Rahsaan Roland Kirk's successor remains on the flute.

Discography (selection)

Albums under his own name

  • The Seventh Quadrant ( Enja, 1987)
  • Code Violations ( Enja, 1988)
  • By Any Means Necessary ( JMT, 1989) with John Scofield, Dennis Chambers
  • Till We Have Faces ( JMT, 1992) with Pat Metheny, Prize of the German Record Critics' Award 1993
  • Overkill ( JMT, 1995) with Jovanotti
  • Found on Sordid Streets ( Winter & Winter, 1997)
  • Pariah 's Pariah ( Winter & Winter, 1998)

With Jack DeJohnette

  • Irresistible Forces ( Impulse! / MCA, 1987)
  • Audio - Visual Landscapes ( Impulse! / MCA, 1988)
  • Earth Walk ( Blue Note, 1991)

With Wallace Roney

  • Verse ( Muse, 1987)
  • Intuition ( Muse, 1988)
  • The Standard Bearer ( Muse, 1989)
  • Obsession ( Muse, 1990)

With Tony Reedus

  • Incognito ( Enja, 1989)

With Cassandra Wilson

  • Jump World ( JMT, 1990)

With Christy Doran, Mark Helias and Bobby Previte

  • Corporate Art ( JMT, 1991)

With Peter Herborn

  • One large (1997)
  • Large Two (2002)

With Gabrielle Goodman

  • Travelin ' Light ( JMT, 1993)
  • Until We Love ( JMT, 1994)

With Uri Caine

  • Sphere Music ( JMT, 1993)
  • Toys ( JMT, 1995)

With Sam Rivers ' Rivbea All-star Orchestra

  • Inspiration ( BMG France, 1999)
  • Culmination (BMG France, 1999)

With Greg Osby

  • The Invisible Hand ( Blue Note, 1999)

With Ingrid Jensen

  • Higher Grounds ( Enja, 1999)

Terri Lyne Carrington with

  • Jazz Is a Spirit (ACT, 2002)

With Lonnie Plaxico

  • So Alive ( Eighty-Eight 's, 2004)
  • West Side Stories ( Forthcoming, 2006)

External links and sources

  • Entry at the Peabody Conservatory
  • Findings on the website of the newspaper from Baltimore City Paper
  • Martin Kunzler, Jazz Encyclopedia, vol 2, 2002. ISBN 3-499-16513-9 keyword " Gary Thomas"
  • Jazz saxophonist
  • Jazz flutist
  • Composer (Jazz)
  • Fusion musicians
  • Music teacher
  • American musician
  • Born in 1961
  • Man
Hip hop music Westdeutscher Rundfunk John McLaughlin (musician) M-Base Enja Records JMT Records Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik Impulse! Records Blue Note Records Muse Records BMG Rights Management Name Authority File
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