Saxophonist Jacob K. Thomas is an active teacher and performer in classical and jazz. Formerly from the Detroit-metro area, Mr. Thomas’ experiences in music have colored his musical life for many years. He was the saxophone instructor at Southfield-Lathrup High School (S-L). At S-L he worked intensively on an individual and group level with up and coming musicians. He has performed with the Detroit Wind Symphony, Birmingham Concert Band, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Philharmonia, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Jazz Orchestra. He was a guess soloist at Wayne State Universities African American Composers concert. He also has performed at the Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, National Association for Music Education, Michigan Music Educators Association, and Nebraska Music Educators Association.
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In the jazz idiom, he has been taught by and worked with some of the finest jazz players in the world. He has been a part of master classes with former and present Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra members; Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Victor Goines, Andre Hayward, Wycliffe Gordon , and Joe Temperley. Along with those, he been apart of master classes with Herbie Hancock, and Joseph Lulloff. Also in the jazz idiom Matt Michaels, Diego Rivera, and David Vandepit, Rodney Whitaker have taught him.
Mr. Thomas attended Wayne State University, where he received his B.M, and studied with Prof. Russell Miller. He was principal of the Wayne State University Wind Symphony all four years he attend the school, where Douglas Bianchi was his director. He performed in jazz combos at Wayne State as well. Currently he is attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), working on his M.M. in saxophone performance, studying with Dr. Paul Haar. There he has performed in the Symphonic band, Jazz Ensemble II, saxophone quartets, and saxophone choir. He is also a member of the Capital Jazz Society Monday Night Big Band, where he performs regularly.
He is a member of the College Music Society, North American Saxophone Alliance, the International Association for Jazz Education, and he is president of UNL’s Graduate Musicians Organization.
Outside of Music, Mr. Thomas is also an awarded cook/baker. In August of 2006, he won a spot on the Food Networks Emeril Live, for Emeril’s chocolate contest. His winning recipe was Jake’s Explosive Double Chocolate Chip Turtle Cheesecake. The show was aired on February 11, 2007.
