Joe Thomas (flautist)

This article is about the jazz flute player and saxophonist. For other musicians named Joe Thomas, see Joe Thomas.

Joseph Samuel Thomas (May 31, 1933 - July 26, 2017) was an American jazz flutist and occasional saxophonist.^[1]

Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Samuel Thomas
Born	(1933-05-31)May 31, 1933 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	July 26, 2017(2017-07-26) (aged 84) Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, soul-jazz, disco
Occupation(s)	Musician, bandleader
Instrument(s)	Flute, Tenor Saxophone
Years active	1960–1980
Labels	Groove Merchant, Sue, Chiaroscuro, Cobblestone, LRC

Biography

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 during combat in the Korean War he returned to the US and performed with Specks Williams and joined Rhoda Scott's Trio in the early 1960s.^[2][3][4]

Thomas recorded with organist Jimmy McGriff and released several albums under his own name in the late 1970s and early 1980s.^[1]

Discography

As leader

• Speak Your Piece (Sue, 1964)
• Comin' Home (Cobblestone, 1968)
• Is the Ebony Godfather (Today, 1971)
• Joy of Cookin' (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

• 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, Walter T. Smith (Gee Street/Island, 1996)
• Beck, The New Pollution (DGC/Bong Load, 1997)
• Jimmy McGriff, Stump Juice (Groove Merchant, 1975)
• Jimmy McGriff, The Mean Machine (Groove Merchant, 1976)
• Buddy Terry, Natural Soul (Prestige, 1968)
• Joe Tex, Rub Down (Epic, 1978)