Jay Thomas Albums (12)
'Streams of Conciousness'
Release Date 8/14/2007
Tracks 10
Label Pony Boy
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What The Critics Say
John Coltrane is supposed to have said, "If we could all play like Stan Getz, we would." Well, Jay Thomas is one who knows the Getz style, capturing (but not copying) the inimitable tenor tone that gave Getz's playing on-the-spot recognition. Thomas goes several steps beyond Getz, as he is equally at home with flute, soprano sax, flügelhorn, and trumpet. He is one of the few who is adept on instruments with very different mouthpieces and requiring very different embouchures. Thomas brings all these powerful virtues to Song for Rita, his fifth session as a leader, here focusing on the intricacies of Latin sounds and rhythms. For a real treat, there are three relatively obscure tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The entire affair is enhanced and enlivened by Thomas' wife Becca Duran, who is attractive both as a vocalist and as composer of two of the most beguiling tunes on the set, "Song for Rita" and "Au Contraire." The former immediately brings to the ear aural images of Getz and his bossa nova collaborations with Astrud Gilberto. On the latter, Thomas noodles delicately and unobtrusively under Duran's lilting vocal, helped by good guitar by Chas Davidson. Although Thomas spends most of his time on tenor, he unpacks the hard-to-negotiate soprano for engaging rhapsodizing on "Veneet's Blues." His flute helps to impart the eerie environment and sounds of the jungle on "Amazonas," while a mellow flügelhorn comes out on the samba "Wu Wei." This tune also offers opportunities for some inventive percussion work by Mark Iverster. The one standard, "I'm Glad There Is You," is here as a reminder that the artistry of the husband and wife duo extends beyond Brazilian, as Duran puts a shiny, sensuous veneer on this classic torch song, aided and abetted by Norman Durkee's keyboards. Thomas and Duran alternate between two rhythm sections with guitar and keyboard; Miguel Garrido's bass is the only constant appearing on all tracks. The shift in personnel in no way detracts from the quality or vigor of the performances. The music was recorded in 1993 and 1996 but is just now being released. It's about time -- this is another fine effort by Seattle's Jay Thomas and is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
'Live at Tula's, Vol. 2'
Release Date 7/24/2001
Tracks 8
Label Merrimack Records
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What The Critics Say
If someone decided to compile a multi-CD compendium of jazz trumpet playing, some cuts from Jay Thomas' Live at Tula's, Vol. 2 would have to be strongly considered. Mac Waldon's watering hole for Seattle jazz fans is the scene for this session. While the ambidextrous Thomas is also highly skilled on the saxophone, which he displays on such tracks as "Belltown" (soprano sax), it's his controlled, lyrical way with the trumpet and its brother, the flügelhorn, that kicks him upstairs to the highest tier of the jazz pantheon. In the manner of Miles Davis (his jazz period) and Art Farmer, Thomas has a lyrical tone that gives each tune he plays a unique rendering -- and he does it without becoming rash or pretentious. Listen to his melodic treatment of "Without a Song," where he lingers a while about the melody line with a firm but pastel sound. Thomas doesn't have to engage in upper-register screeching to make his mark. He stays well within himself, making full use of the potential of the medium and lower registers with a looseness that befits an elite exponent of the jazz trumpet. Thomas gets a major boost from familiar faces who he's worked with before, John Hansen on piano and Jon Wikan on drums. In addition to being the mainstay of the rhythm section, Wikan contributed his original compositions to the play list. One of the album's highlights is the back and forth between Wikan and the Thomas trumpet on a lengthy exposition of "What Is This Thing Called Love." Bass player Paul Gabrielson is new to the group, but settles in very nicely. This welcome addition to the growing Thomas discography is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
'12th and Jackson Blues'
Release Date 1/1/1999
Tracks 10
Label McVouty
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What The Critics Say
As Jay Thomas explains in the liner notes, the album is dedicated to the small, now defunct, Seattle jazz club that was still in business when Thomas started playing. Performing at this venue helped Thomas learn his trade, and so he named the album after it. (There's still another dedication; the McVouty label gets its name from the time when early in his career, Thomas played with the inimitable Slim Gaillard.) Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist and gives his brass and reed instruments equal playing time. The trumpet is displayed on the title tune, "Jitterbug Waltz," and especially on a swinging, staccato-punctuated rendition of "Who Do You Love, I Hope," reminiscent of Lee Morgan's 1955 waxing of this not-too-often-recorded Irving Berlin song. The soprano and alto saxophones get workouts on Tadd Dameron's "Ladybird," played by the group in a manner remindful of Dameron's 1948 recording of his composition. Pianist John Hansen contributes two compositions for this session. One of them, "Midnight Stomp," features Thomas' tenor saxophone and Hansen's McCoy Tyner-like piano styling. Russ Botten's bass also gets a lot of exposure on this tune. The Phil Harris-popularized "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?" gets a bop-swing romp, with Hansen doing some notable solo improvising. This version is much different from the one which carried Phil Harris for years. "Monk's Mood" becomes a medium for some pensive, introspective Thomas tenor sax. "Dream Dancing" is played like what the title evokes, an unhurried seven-plus minutes exploration of the nuances of this Cole Porter tune, with the Thomas tenor again in the lead. All in all, there is a consistent treatment of most tunes on this session: the melody line is played first, followed by improvisation and a return to the melody for the last chorus. On songs like Thomas' "Upside," the playing is freer and not as concerned with structure. This session is another instance of the very good jazz extant in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Multi-instrumentalist Jay Thomas' fifth album as leader, Live at Tula's, documents a two-night stand at the esteemed Seattle jazz club. Thomas' other albums have run the gamut from bop and post-bop to acid jazz and hip-hop. On this one, he shows his true colors by staying with bop treatments of standards and a selection of bop anthems. Moreover, the group takes advantage of the inherent freedom that a live performance offers, with some extensive improvisation -- each song runs for at least eight minutes, with a couple running for more than ten. Thomas' debt to bop trumpeter Lee Morgan is recognized on Morgan's "Boy What a Night," which recalls the composer's own 1963 recording. Songs by Paul Desmond and the underrecognized Eddie Harris are also on the playlist. Desmond's lovely ballad "Wendy" is carried by Thomas' mellow flügelhorn. Harris' "7/4 Blues" opens with a bass lead, with drums, piano, and, finally, Thomas' flügelhorn coming in. The first and only taste of Thomas' tenor saxophone comes on "Sophisticated Lady," which recalls Dexter Gordon's 1979 version. J.J. Johnson's "Wee Dot" is the album's barnburner. Thomas brought in old friends for this session, and this familiarity produces some great rewards, especially on "Soon," which is a highlight of the record. While each member of the rhythm section -- John Hansen, Jon Wikan, and Chuck Bergeron -- gets significant playing time throughout, the time allowed each of them on "Soon" is particularly generous. Full of energy and long, freewheeling solos, this album recalls some of the fine performances and performers of the bop era. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Since his debut as a leader in 1989, multi-instrumentalist Jay Thomas has been a force to be reckoned with, though most of his CDs are somewhat challenging to find. Thomas alternates between flügelhorn, trumpet, tenor sax, and soprano sax on these 1994 sessions made for the Canadian label Jazz Focus, joined by a rhythm section consisting of pianist Travis Shook, bassist Phil Sparks, and drummer Jon Wikan. Thomas' conversational technique on flügelhorn in the rapid-fire treatment of John Lewis' "Afternoon in Paris" is reminiscent of Clark Terry. He doubles on trumpet and tenor sax on John Coltrane's strutting blues vehicle "Up Against the Wall," with the group augmented by the addition of baritone saxophonist John Goforth and trombonist Greg Schroeder. His tender ballad "Song for Joanne" finds him leading off with a heartfelt soprano sax solo before switching back to tenor sax. This brilliant musician is long overdue for wider recognition; this is easily one of his best efforts on CD. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Seattle's Jay Thomas is yet another fine player from the fertile Northwest jazz scene. He has decided to take on the daunting task of multi-instrumentalist, playing brass and reed instruments, following in the footsteps of Benny Carter and Ira Sullivan. The tunes selected for this session, and their arrangements, are crafted not only to highlight Thomas' instrumental virtuosity, but to show he is also at ease in a variety of jazz styles. His facility with the soprano sax is shown on Charlie Parker's infrequently played "Cheryl." On trumpet, Thomas combines lyricism with bop on Kenny Dorham's "A Waltz." There's excellent ensemble work on "Wing Span" and "Blues for McVouty," revealing Thomas' West Coast music roots. These cuts are reminiscent of the style of any number of groups prominent on the coast during the '50s and '60s. Jimmy Rowles' "Peacocks" is given a lofty, haunting reading by Thomas' flute. Thomas' approach to this tune is much different than that taken by Rowles and Stan Getz on their 1975 collaboration. The liner notes credit a Thomas vocal on this cut, but there's no vocal by anybody. Post-bop is represented by the arrangement of "Whims of Chambers," where Thomas switches to flügelhorn, followed by chamber group jazz on "My Ideal." The blues get a workout on Thomas' own "Blues for McVouty." Thomas suffers from a reed problem on "All Too Soon," but not enough to detract from some fine baritone sax work by Denny Goodhew. The supporting cast of players ranges from very good to excellent. The unusually large cast of characters on a small group disc is explained by the fact that the album compiles three sessions recorded from 1990 to 1994. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
