Joseph Samuel Thomas (May 31, 1933 - July 26, 2017) was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
As a child, Thomas learned to play alto and soprano saxophone, trombone, flute and piano, and also taught himself how to write music. Encouraged by his older brother, he began performing in clubs from the age of fifteen and was noticed by James Moody. After enlisting in the United States Army he received a
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...
during combat in the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
he returned to the US and performed with Specks Williams and joined
Rhoda Scott
Rhoda Scott (born July 3, 1938) is an American soul jazz organist.
Scott was first attracted to the organ in her father’s church at age seven. "It's really the most beautiful instrument in the world", she stated in a 2002 interview. "The firs ...
's Trio in the early 1960s.Jazz Promo Services accessed April 16, 2018
Thomas recorded with organist
Jimmy McGriff
James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader.
Biography Early years and influences
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, United States, McGriff started playing pi ...
and released several albums under his own name in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Discography
As leader
* ''Speak Your Piece'' (Sue, 1964)
* ''Comin' Home'' (Cobblestone, 1968)
* ''Is the Ebony Godfather'' (Today, 1971)
* ''
Joy of Cookin'
''Joy of Cookin is an album by American jazz flautist Joe Thomas recorded in 1972 and released on the Groove Merchant label.
'' (Groove Merchant, 1972)
* ''Moog Fluting'' (GRC, 1974)
* ''Masada'' (Groove Merchant, 1975)
* ''Feelin's from Within'' (Groove Merchant, 1976)
* ''Here I Come'' (LRC, 1977)
* ''Get in the Wind'' (LRC, 1978)
* ''Make Your Move'' (LRC, 1979)
* ''Flash'' (Chiaroscuro, 1980)
* ''Sweet Cocoa'' (51 West, 1980)
As sideman
With
Rhoda Scott
Rhoda Scott (born July 3, 1938) is an American soul jazz organist.
Scott was first attracted to the organ in her father’s church at age seven. "It's really the most beautiful instrument in the world", she stated in a 2002 interview. "The firs ...
* ''Hey, Hey, Hey'' (Tru-Sound, 1962)
* ''Live!! at the Key Club'' (Tru-Sound, 1962)
* ''Live at the Olympia'' (Barclay, 1971)
* ''A L'Orgue Hammond Vol. 4'' (Barclay, 1974)
* ''Take Five'' (Verve, 1991)
With others
*
Ambersunshower
Ambersunshower (born Ambersunshower Nadine Miligros Villenuevo Smith)) is an American R&B singer and former member of the hip hop duo, Groove Garden.
Career
Ambersunshower has been writing poetry since the age of ten. She was one half of h ...
, ''Walter T. Smith'' (Gee Street/Island, 1996)
* Beck, ''The New Pollution'' (DGC/Bong Load, 1997)
*
Jimmy McGriff
James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader.
Biography Early years and influences
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, United States, McGriff started playing pi ...
, ''
Stump Juice
''Stump Juice'' is an album by American jazz organist Jimmy McGriff recorded in 1975 and released on the Groove Merchant label.The Mean Machine'' (Groove Merchant, 1976)
*
Buddy Terry
Edlin "Buddy" Terry (January 30, 1941 - November 29, 2019) was an American jazz musician and alto/tenor sax player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey. In the 1960s and 1970s Terry made albums for Prestige Records and Mainstream Records. He played w ...
Joe Tex
Yusuf Hazziez (born Joseph Arrington Jr.; August 8, 1935 – August 13, 1982), known professionally as Joe Tex, was an American singer and musician who gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of Southern soul, which mixed the styl ...