A highlight in David’s musical career was when at the age of 17, he was called on stage to play with Wallace Roney, a world-renowned, Grammy-award winning trumpet player mentored by Miles Davis. David says it was a thrill of a lifetime and a privilege to play on the same stage as Wallace Roney, as well as Ralphe Armstrong, who played bass.

David was in the jazz studies program at Michigan State University. He studied with Etienne Charles, Rodney Whitaker, Randy Gelispie, Wessell Anderson, Diego Rivera, and Rick Roe. He played in the MSU Jazz Orchestras and Octets and led an MSU Jazz Combo.

David was the leader of DTQ (David Thomas Quartet) and the Funtet while at MSU. He and his groups performed around the East Lansing area playing primarily original jazz compositions written by David, as well as standards from The Great American Songbook. The members have included Taylor Herron on alto saxophone and flute, Alex Krausman on piano, Sam Copperman on bass, Jordan Otto on drums, Griffin Vacheron on trombone, and the late Nate Woodring on drums, who is sorely missed.

While at MSU, David also played trumpet with the Bard Owls, an Appalachian folk group based in East Lansing. He is the featured artist on the song, “Blue Rail Line,” off of their album, “No Tracks.”

David is also a certified teacher in grades K – 8. He graduated from Michigan State University with his Elementary Education degree and a minor in music.

David currently leads his jazz trio, David Thomas & Co., in which he plays piano, Rhodes electric piano, trumpet, melodica, piccolo, and flute. He plays with Planet D Nonet, run by drummer, RJ Spangler, and trumpeter, James O’Donnell. David plays solo piano at the Rochester Chop House and Kabin Kruser’s Oyster Bar in Rochester, Michigan. Currently in his second year, he is the piano accompanist for the Rochester Community Schools Elementary District Choir and has arranged jazz tunes for the children’s choir to perform at their concerts throughout the school year. David can be found playing either solo or with his jazz duo or trio at restaurants, clubs, wedding ceremonies and receptions, fundraisers, churches, private events, and other various functions. Other than aforementioned, David also plays with several other bands and artists in the Detroit area.

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DISCOGRAPHY: TRUST YOUR HEART (2016), IN OUR OWN WAY (2014), KINDRED SPIRITS (04), HEART (01) SWING As You Are (’99), Parisian Protocol (’97), Mercy! (’95), Variations (’92), Lavendar Blue (w/Paul Sihon ’89) Whispers in the Wind (w/Paul Sihon ’88) and Enlightened Sector (w/Stefan Kukurugya ’87).

PERFORMANCES: When performing in jazz clubs and concerts, Paul usually is accompanied by piano, bass and drums. Paul has performed in concert halls, Jazz Clubs, Libraries, Civic Music Series, music festivals and more in Chicago, San Francisco Bay area, Hollywood, CA, Oklahoma, New York City, New Jersey, Ohio, Canada, Paris and Marseilles, France and throughout Michigan.

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A highlight in David’s musical career was when at the age of 17, he was called on stage to play with Wallace Roney, a world-renowned, Grammy-award winning trumpet player mentored by Miles Davis. David says it was a thrill of a lifetime and a privilege to play on the same stage as Wallace Roney, as well as Ralphe Armstrong, who played bass.

David was in the jazz studies program at Michigan State University. He studied with Etienne Charles, Rodney Whitaker, Randy Gelispie, Wessell Anderson, Diego Rivera, and Rick Roe. He played in the MSU Jazz Orchestras and Octets and led an MSU Jazz Combo.

David was the leader of DTQ (David Thomas Quartet) and the Funtet while at MSU. He and his groups performed around the East Lansing area playing primarily original jazz compositions written by David, as well as standards from The Great American Songbook. The members have included Taylor Herron on alto saxophone and flute, Alex Krausman on piano, Sam Copperman on bass, Jordan Otto on drums, Griffin Vacheron on trombone, and the late Nate Woodring on drums, who is sorely missed.

While at MSU, David also played trumpet with the Bard Owls, an Appalachian folk group based in East Lansing. He is the featured artist on the song, “Blue Rail Line,” off of their album, “No Tracks.”

David is also a certified teacher in grades K – 8. He graduated from Michigan State University with his Elementary Education degree and a minor in music.

David currently leads his jazz trio, David Thomas & Co., in which he plays piano, Rhodes electric piano, trumpet, melodica, piccolo, and flute. He plays with Planet D Nonet, run by drummer, RJ Spangler, and trumpeter, James O’Donnell. David plays solo piano at the Rochester Chop House and Kabin Kruser’s Oyster Bar in Rochester, Michigan. Currently in his second year, he is the piano accompanist for the Rochester Community Schools Elementary District Choir and has arranged jazz tunes for the children’s choir to perform at their concerts throughout the school year. David can be found playing either solo or with his jazz duo or trio at restaurants, clubs, wedding ceremonies and receptions, fundraisers, churches, private events, and other various functions. Other than aforementioned, David also plays with several other bands and artists in the Detroit area.

davidthomasjazz.com/

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Soundcloud link:
soundcloud.com/jam313

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Soundcloud link:
soundcloud.com/jam313

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Turning down scholarships from other universities, he was hopeful to study with the legendary Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University and was delighted when he was accepted into their Jazz Studies Program. It was there that David formed his first jazz groups, DTQ (David Thomas Quartet) and The Funtet. He graduated from MSU with his Elementary Education Degree and his Minor in Music. With a desire to learn other instruments, he taught himself to play the piccolo and the flute. While the piccolo can be an uncommon instrument to hear in a jazz group, David has found a way to incorporate its sound into his jazz renderings.

Currently, David entertains his audiences with his variety of instruments and vocals while performing solo, with his own jazz group, DAVID THOMAS & CO., and with other stellar musicians such as RJ Spangler, James O’Donnell, Sheila Landis and Rick Matle. He has a deep passion and love for jazz history and is a bit of a jazz nut, always hungry to learn more.

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Meg Brennan is a flutist and saxophonist from Northville, Michigan. She first fell in love with the flute in the 5th grade. In high school, she was a three time winner of the MSBOA soloist competition. At age 15 she was accepted into the Interlochen Arts Academy where she studied under classical and jazz flutist, Nancy Stagnitta. After graduating in 2011, she went on to graduate from MSU and now reaches and performs around town, often with her friend Haddash Greensky, an up-and-coming vocalist.

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