Jazz musician Adam Robert Thomas gets down with motown soul sound on first solo album
'Right out of the gate, I wanted to create music that was fun'
Musician Adam Robert Thomas has spent his career collaborating with jazz artists, but for his first solo album of original music, listeners can look forward to a funky, feel-good affair that's reminiscent of Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway, Al Green and Steely Dan.
"Right out of the gate, I wanted to create music that was fun, that my kids would want to listen to, would feel good listening to," Thomas told Hot Air's Margaret Gallagher.
Bassists were the epitome of cool in the eyes of Thomas when he was 12. His trumpet wasn't any match for the groovy, low tones that resonated from an electric bass he said.
When he was 18, Thomas was gifted a large sum of money from his grandfather to put toward music, so he took the opportunity to switch instruments and bought an upright bass.
Since then he's honed his craft and worked with people like jazz singer Kate Hammett-Vaughan and contributed vocal and bass work to the Dan Brubeck Quartet.
Now, with his solo work he's stepping into the spotlight as a singer and handing off the bass to his bandmates.
"When I go back to playing with the Dan Brubeck Quartet, and I have to play bass and sing, I'm reminded this is really hard. It's like patting your belly and rubbing your head scenario," he said.
The official album release celebration and concert is on Apr 10 at Guilt and Co. in Vancouver's Gastown.
To hear the full interview with Adam Robert Thomas and a few tracks from his new album, listen to the media in the player below:
With files from the CBC's Hot Air