Gary Thomas
Gary Thomas (born June 6, 1961 in Baltimore , Maryland ) is an American jazz musician ( tenor and soprano saxophone , flute , composition ) and music teacher .
Live and act
Thomas had piano lessons as a child and began to play woodwind instruments in addition to guitar and organ - first oboe and flute, then also clarinet, through which he found jazz at the age of 17. His training at the local Peabody Conservatory was followed by a year of study at Howard University . During his studies he played with fellow students like Greg Osby and Geri Allen . In 1985 Jack DeJohnette brought him into his Special Edition , of which he was a permanent member until 1993 (with which he also recorded later). In 1986 and 1987 he was also part of Miles Davis' band and also played with Cecil Brooks III , Wallace Roney and Tony Reedus, among others .
From 1987 he led his own group The Seventh Quadrant , which at times included Kevin Eubanks , Anthony Cox and Dave Holland and drummers such as Dennis Chambers and Jeff Watts . In 1994 Thomas dealt with hip-hop in his Overkill project . As a companion, he was involved recordings of Gabrielle Goodman , Cassandra Wilson , Michele Rosewoman , Uri Caine , Christy Doran , the WDR - Bigband or Peter Herborn with (all artists who were also at JMT under contract). Between 1997 and 1999 he was part of John McLaughlin's group . In 2001 he was involved in Terri Lyne Carrington's album Jazz Is a Spirit ; since 2002 he has been a member of Herbie Hancock's quartet .
Thomas heads the jazz department at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. According to Martin Kunzler , he is next to Steve Coleman as “the most independent voice that tills the broad field between bebop tradition, M-Base achievements and the successful grooves of funky music ”, especially on the tenor saxophone he airy, but very individual with a hard contour, while he remains a successor to Rahsaan Roland Kirk on the flute .
Discography (selection)
- The Seventh Quadrant ( Enja , 1987)
- Code Violations (Enja, 1988)
- By Any Means Necessary ( JMT , 1989) with John Scofield , Dennis Chambers
- Kold Kage ( JMT , 1991) with Greg Osby , Dennis Chambers , Anthony Cox
- Christy Doran , Mark Helias , Bobby Previte , Gary Thomas Corporate Art (JMT, 1991)
- Till We Have Faces (JMT, 1992) with Pat Metheny , Prize of the German Record Critics 1993
- Overkill (JMT, 1995) with Jovanotti
- Found on Sordid Streets ( Winter & Winter , 1997)
- Pariah's Pariah (Winter & Winter, 1998)
- Jazz Unit with Gary Thomas Yaqui (Pama 2000)
- Corpulent Wolfwalk (Umlaut 2005), with Joel Grip, Devin Gray
literature
- Martin Kunzler : Jazz Lexicon. Volume 2: M – Z (= rororo-Sachbuch. Vol. 16513). 2nd Edition. Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 2004, ISBN 3-499-16513-9 (keyword Gary Thomas ).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ In contrast to Kunzler, June 10, 1961 can be found at Gary Thomas on Allmusic (English)
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Thomas, Gary |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz musician |
DATE OF BIRTH | June 6, 1961 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Baltimore , Maryland |