Jay's latest recording, Streams of Consciousness, was co-produced with John Stowell on guitar. Chuck Kistler on bass and Adam Kessler on drums make the other half of this new quartet click here to download an entire track and purchase the new CD.“ Streams of Consciousness ” is now on sale and avialable online. ›››

Jay's long awaited new studio recording, “Accidentally Yours” is now on sale and avialable online. ›››

Jay toured in Japan from April 6th through the 20th with his good friends from Nagoya. They went all the way to the top of Japan to Chitose and then back down to Tokyo. Check out the photo gallery for pictures and commentary from Jay.

Some teaching promo

Sep , 22:02:38

Jay Thomas is a jazz multi instrumentalist specializing in trumpet and saxophone.
In 1969 Jay first emerged on the jazz scene in NY recording with James Moody and playing with Machito’s world famous Cuban jazz band led by Mario Bauza. Gigs and recordings with various jazz luminaries have continued through the years. Please visit jaythomasjazz.com which bears witness to a life lived fully in jazz.
Renowned jazz critics, Nat Hentoff, Leonard Feather and Doug Ramsey have all waxed effusive regarding Thomas’s performances on both saxophone and trumpet.
Over the past decade or so an important contribution to jazz has been Jay’s ability and experience in working with and inspiring young jazz musicians. For over a decade Jay has worked with the Garfield jazz program in Seattle. Garfield is the top High School jazz band in the USA having won the prestigious Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival Competition in New York City more times than any other band in history; first place in 2009 and 2010 and second in 2008. The best bands compete from all over the United States and it is a great honor to even be a finalist in the competition. Garfield has won a total of 4 times.
In addition to coaching young musicians at Garfield many of Jay’s students have won top prizes on both trumpet and saxophone at the Ellington festival. His influence is felt at other schools in Seattle such as Roosevelt High School Jazz Band which is the number two band in the US. Recently Jay has worked the past five summers with a newcomer on the national jazz scene, the Mountlake Terrace High School Jazz Band.
Jay feels that an important part of being a jazz musician is passing jazz knowledge on to the younger generation. “I get so much joy and satisfaction working with young players who are eager to learn about the craft and history of this great music called jazz”.
Jay also teaches at Centrum Jazz camp held in Port Townsend, Washington every summer. With Jay’s contacts from performing in Japan he has been instrumental in bringing kids from Japan to study at the camp for the last 12 years. In addition, Jay has taught at the University of Washington Jazz Camp for the past 10 years. Recently, Jay accepted a position at Cornish College of the Arts and has been asked to develop and lead a big band at Cornish in the fall of 2011.
If you have any questions about studying from Jay Thomas he can be contacted at jaythomasjazz@aol.com