Jazz Music Series Presents: The Michele Thomas Quintet at Epiphany Center For The Arts

Gospel-infused jazz singer-songwriter Michele Thomas rounds up an A-list cast of Chicago musicians for her much-anticipated third album The Assumption (released on March 25th) which casts a light on topics of race, sexism and authority yet, ultimately, celebrates the beauty of life.

A stalwart of the Chicago music scene, both as a singer and a long-term educator, Michele Thomas is a suave innovator. With silken grace she eases in her formative background in gospel, and her love of R&B, soul, and neo-soul, into a musical language that shows a dedication and a passion for jazz, spanning all of its defining eras. Michele’s restless creativity reflects jazz’s improvisatory spirit—for jazz, like life, is a journey and not a destination. ...

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Gospel-infused jazz singer-songwriter Michele Thomas rounds up an A-list cast of Chicago musicians for her much-anticipated third album The Assumption (released on March 25th) which casts a light on topics of race, sexism and authority yet, ultimately, celebrates the beauty of life.

A stalwart of the Chicago music scene, both as a singer and a long-term educator, Michele Thomas is a suave innovator. With silken grace she eases in her formative background in gospel, and her love of R&B, soul, and neo-soul, into a musical language that shows a dedication and a passion for jazz, spanning all of its defining eras. Michele’s restless creativity reflects jazz’s improvisatory spirit—for jazz, like life, is a journey and not a destination.

“Art should be something that is life-affirming for the artist and help them reach their highest potential through expressing themselves freely,” Michele shares. “It should be risky, vulnerable, and done with love and authenticity.”

The Assumption album is her first release to feature originals alongside imaginatively-arranged jazz chestnuts done in Michele’s unmistakable way. It also features Michele’s band which includes A-list Chicago session and jazz musicians. The personnel here is Chris Mahieu, Rhodes piano; Chris Greene, saxophones; Clark Sommers, bass; Neal Alger, guitar; Jeff Hedberg, trumpet; and Darren Scorza, drums. Darren produced The Assumption; served as the album’s mixing and mastering engineer; arranged many of the non-originals; and contributed horn arrangements. He’s also Michele’s husband and the couple have been primary collaborators longer than the length of their 17-plus year marriage.

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