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Justin "Justefan" Thomas

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"Justin "Justefan" Thomas was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He started out on piano, violin, and steeldrums at the age of 6. He was introduced to the vibraphone at the age of 8 by Mr. Wendell Hairston. Soon after, Justin has made two appearances on the nationally televised show, Showtime at the Apollo, achieving 2nd place in their final competition. He graduated from Baltimore School for Arts (BSA) where he studied with Mr. John Locke, percussionist of the Baltimore Synphony Orchestra. He moved to Chicago and received his B.M. in Jazz Studies at DePaul University. Justin has shared the stage with many artists such as: Lionel Hampton, Hank Jones, Cyrus Chestnut, Max Roach, and Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz Orchestra. He has played with Dana Hall, Ryan Cohan, Corey Wilkes, Ernest Dawkins, Jarrard Harris, Charles Heath IV, Maggie Brown, Milton Suggs, Justin Dillard Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and many others. Because of his accomplishments thus far, Justin has received a citizen's citation from Baltimore's former Mayor, Martin O'Malley. He has also been featured in the October issue of Ebony Magazine (2006).

Lizzie Thomas Redefines Holiday Jazz With 'This Christmas'

Source: Cyber PR
November 20, 2024

Acclaimed jazz vocalist Lizzie Thomas rings in the holiday season with This Christmas. This is a radiant collection of holiday classics and originals that blend jazz, Neo-soul, and R&B with her signature sound. Released via Dot Time Records, the album features a stellar lineup of musicians, including John Di Martino (piano), Wayne Escoffery (saxophone), Dezron Douglas and Noriko Ueda (bass), Kevin Sibley (B3 Hammond), Leandro Pellegrino (acoustic guitar), and Neal Smith (drums). The lead single is a sultry rendition of ...
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Recording

Washington D.c. Based Jazz Pianist Geoffrey Dean Releases His New Quartet Album 'Foundations' Featuring Harish Raghavan, Justin Copeland, Eric Binder

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
March 8, 2024

Dr. Geoffrey Dean is a jazz pianist, composer, author and educator currently performing in the Washington D.C. area. Dean has recorded and performed with notable jazz musicians across the globe including Terell Stafford, Steve Turre, Greg Tardy, and many others. Dr. Dean recently published an educational book on jazz harmony titled Kenny Kirkland's Harmonic and Rhythmic Language: A Model For The Modern Jazz Pianist. Dean has also contributed as an author on modern jazz piano approaches for the Masterclass series ...
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Recording

Steel Pan Jazz Virtuoso Leon Foster Thomas Releases Uplifting New Album 'Calasanitus'

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
March 18, 2023

March 2023 marks the release of Calasanitus, the new album by Leon Foster Thomas. As one of the leading steel pan jazz virtuosos in the world, Foster has gained global recognition via a plethora of accolades including winning both the solo and duet competitions at the World Steelband Music Festival, as well as releasing a series of critically acclaimed albums, most recently Metamorphosis on respected label Ropadope Records. Now he is set to showcase his inimitable talent once again, with ...
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Recording

Composer / Guitarist Justin Morell To Release 'Exit Music For Intelligent Life On Earth'

Source: Justin Morell
January 6, 2022

Guitarist and composer Justin Morell is releasing his newest album, Exit Music for Intelligent Life on Earth, a collection of twenty-one short works for multiple guitars and drums. This is the follow-up to the much acclaimed All Without Words: Variations Inspired by Loren (2021) by the John Daversa Jazz Orchestra featuring Justin Morell, on which Morell was the composer and guitarist. This unusual collection of mostly short pieces, the majority lasting little more than a minute or two, depicts a ...
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Award / Grant

G. Thomas Allen Is The Winner Of The 10th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition as part of NJPAC��s TD James Moody Jazz Festival

Source: AMT Public Relations
November 16, 2021

At a star-studded, sold-out performance held yesterday afternoon on the NJPAC stage, G. Thomas Allen (Chicago, IL) was announced the winner of the 10th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. This marks the first time a male vocalist won the contest. Hosted by NJPAC��s Jazz Advisor and multi-Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride, ��The SASSY Awards�� featured performances by the competition��s five finalists as well as a special appearance by one of today��s top jazz vocalists, Dianne Reeves. The contenders took ...
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Recording

Multi-Grammy Winner John Daversa Releases 'All Without Words: Variations Inspired By Loren' With Justin Morell

Source: Mouthpiece Music
March 31, 2021

Trumpet master John Daversa is releasing his newest CD, All Without Words: Variations Inspired by Loren, a lush, orchestral jazz trumpet concerto composed by his lifelong friend and collaborator Justin Morell. Daversa is a prolific performing and recording artist whose projects often reflect important social themes, like his three-time Grammy-winning release, American Dreamers, Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom (2019), which gave voice to young undocumented people known as ��Dreamers,�� or his most recent project, Cuarentena: With Family at Home ...
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Recording

Ren�� Thomas: Rare and New

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
September 15, 2020

Born in Li��ge, Belgium, guitarist Ren�� Thomas moved to Paris in the early 1950s and became part of the active jazz scene there. Paris back then was similar to 52nd Street in New York, where musicians could engage in steady gigging with leading musicians from Europe and from America. What most of the European jazz musicians in Paris had in common was a pronounced sense of melody, swing and beauty. Thomas had a way of picking that was instantly engaging. ...
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Recording

Multi-Genre Singer/Songwriter G. Thomas Allen Takes Rank In The Modern Post-Bop/Jazz Space With His Self-Titled Debut Album. Drops July 3, 2020!

Source: G. Thomas Allen
June 23, 2020

Not too many male singers have a high C6, well at least not to be heard in public, but G. Thomas Allen's stratospheric range and pleasantly smooth tone is the next wave of sound in the modern jazz space. Native of Danville, VA, by way of Chicago, where he is currently based and accessible to the jazz scene; whether it's jamming at Andy's Jazz Club or sitting in at The Green Mill with the trumpeter Pharez Whitted or saxophonist Eric ...
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Video / DVD

Ren�� Thomas in 7 Clips

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 22, 2020

For some strange reason yesterday, I had a craving for guitarist Ren�� Thomas. I love the way he swings unevenly and the hip quality of his picking and sound of his guitar. Born in Belgium in 1927, Thomas moved to Paris and was deeply influenced by guitarist Jimmy Raney. In the 1960s, he often was featured as part of a trio with organist Eddy Louiss and Kenny Clarke. Ren�� Thomas died in 1975. Here are seven Thomas video and audio ...
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Recording

Frost Concert Jazz Band Under The Direction Of John Daversa Releases Concerto For Guitar And Jazz Orchestra By Justin Morell, Featuring Adam Rogers

Source: Mouthpiece Music
December 7, 2018

Jazz is an art form that allows musicians to drawn upon an endless array of stylistic and cultural traditions. While a number of jazz artists have incorporated the sophisticated forms of classical music in their writing and performances, there are few true concerto works for a jazz orchestra and fewer still composed for guitar. On Concerto for Guitar and Jazz Orchestra, three master musicians have joined forces to create a project of great beauty and depth. The music is composed ...
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