​January 5, 2020

Jay Thomas’ Organic Quartet
Jay Thomas-trumpet, saxophone, flute; Scott Lytle,-organ; Steve Griggs-Saxophone; Milo Petersen-Drums

Jay Thomas, a native of Seattle, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist (trumpet, flugelhorn, alto, tenor, soprano and flutes). His music could be described as earthy and lyrical with the blues and swing always in evidence. Jay grew up in the fertile atmosphere of Seattle’s 60’s jazz scene.

As a sideman, Thomas is a veteran of more than 60 albums and has supported the likes of Zoot Sims, Sonny Stitt and Chet Baker. In recent years he’s focused on sessions with his quartet, serving up four first-rate albums reminiscent of the spare West Coast sound at its coolest. “On his Quartet’s latest, Live at Tula’s, Volume 2, (as the title suggests, his second outing at the popular Seattle nitery), Thomas divides his time between inspired interpretations of dusty standards-including a lively reworking of Victor Youman’s “Without a Song” that ranks among the most imaginative I’ve heard-and original compositions…“ —Christopher Loudon

Today Jay is a member of one of Japan’s leading big bands, CUG (Continued in the Underground Jazz Orchestra), and co-leads a sextet with Kohama Yasuhiro and Atsushi Ikeda. Jay tours in Japan, recording and performing, several times a year. Jay is also a member of SRJO (Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra) and also has a Neo- Boogaloo Hard Bop band called “The Cantaloupes”.

Jay is also involved with passing the music on to future generations. He is an adjunct professor at Cornish College of the Arts, and works at the renowned Garfield High School, tutoring kids in improvisation. Jay often does clinics and workshops at universities in the US and Japan and is an instructor in several prominent jazz camps each summer.