By: Marie Gullard
If the unspoken
tenet among jazz and blues artists -- to write what they know and deliver what
they feel -- continues paramount to the music, then Rhonda Thomas is easily
traveling the right track.
An entry in her journal is revealing: "A
reporter asked me to describe my style of music ... and I told him, 'Most of
the lyrics come from my experiences and this makes the vocal delivery honest.
My signature is the percussive element that I bring to my music. I try to be
creative in my vocals by always trying to think of different ways to sing my
songs.'"
Thomas will be performing many of those life
experiences in concert at the Bohemian Caverns Thursday evening. This visit
follows her debut there last November, where she recalls "a great
atmosphere and vibe, with [her show] very well received."
Three independently produced albums are now under
her belt and she will sing selections from all of them, including her most
recent release, "Listen." A trio of performers accompany her; John
Lampkin on drums, Dexter Whitaker on bass and Samir Moulay playing guitar.
"These core people are my musical muses,"
said Thomas, whose personal style was most influenced by her idol, Sarah Vaughn.
"My music has an element of jazz, R&B and soul [with] real progressive
chord changes, verses and hooks. You really must have a certain proficiency. I
feed off the other band members; we're up there as a unit [and] we respect each
other as artists."
While Thomas will not reveal the repertoire for her
show, she will concede to a few standards, such as the Nancy Wilson cover,
"Guess Who I Saw Today?" As the title of Thomas' first album, this
song, and other jazz standards, is a tribute to Wilson.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/music/2011/08/rhonda-thomas-sings-mosaic-memories-bohemian-caverns#ixzz1UHbyeSIb
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