Brian Thomas Trombone Boston Brian Thomas - Trombonist/Composer/Educator/Band Leader Brian Thomas has been a member of the Boston music scene since graduating from Ithaca College in 1998. He gained much of his “postgraduate” music experience at the legendary Wally’s Jazz Cafe co-hosting the weekly funk jam session and touring with reggae giants John Brown’s Body. During this time, Brian co-founded jazz/funk powerhouse Akashic Record who has served as crusaders for organ driven soul-jazz and have been performing throughout the Northeast for over a decade. They have produced four studio albums (Ropeadope Records) to date. Brian earned a masters degree in Jazz Composition from UMASS Amherst where he met trumpet player and fellow composer Alex Lee-Clark. Together they formed the BT ALC Big Band and began to bring their brand of big band funk to listeners and dance floors. Since the group's formation in 2011, they have gained a reputation for featuring some of the best players in Boston, great compositions, and being undeniably unique. By taking the tradition of the big bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Thad Jones and infusing it with funk music of their idols like Parliament Funkadelic, The Meters, James Brown and many more, they have created a sound that pushes the art of big band forward, while still being pure entertainment for both the band and the audience. They have produced four albums, including their most recent effort “The Search For Peace” (Ropeadope) released in May 2019. Their newest single “Bring Forth Change” is set to be released on Vintage League Music on May 29, 2020. In addition to leading his own bands, Brian is a busy freelance musician in Boston. He performs as a guest with national touring acts such as Lettuce, Soulive, and Ryan Montbleau. You can catch him with local groups including King’s Highway, Dela & Steady Rock Easy, The A-Beez, Jesse Dee, and Pressure Cooker. Brian loves being in the studio and can often be found laying down tracks for various artists and commercial projects. Teaching and sharing his musical experiences has always been something Brian is passionate about. He serves as a clinician and guest artist for schools throughout New England and believes in the power of personal connections in music making at all levels. Brian is currently a faculty member at Canton High School in Canton, MA and directs all of the instrumental ensembles including the Band, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble and Pit Orchestra. Brian Thomas’s tracks March Of The Maroons by Brian Thomas published on 2022-02-05T02:02:17Z Check Your Intentions by Brian Thomas published on 2022-02-05T02:00:24Z
