PRESS/REVIEWS
"Vocalist Michele Thomas is one of those new artists that you anxiously wait to hear more from, after their first CD has been released. Indeed, if larks could record CDs, they'd sound like Michele. She has a style that is joyful and soulful, her love for jazz music emanates through her scats and song phrasing.

This is one artist that you have no choice but to "dig" and I mean really sit up and listen. And that goes for even those who may not be hardcore jazz fanatics. Even if traditional jazz isn't your thing, Michele's seven track CD I'll Take Romance would change your mind before you could say the title of her CD.

Michele sounds like an old jazz soul on the jazz standard "I'll Take Romance" and sings it with a level of familiarity as if it were written for her.
Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile" never sounded so good and Michele shows off her skills as she adds lyrics to this jazz instrumental standard.

Delve into "My One and Only Love" and Stevie Wonder's "Where Were You When I Needed You" and see how mellow and pleasant they are. Truly gems.
Other songs on the CD include "Mamaduke", "Gentle Rain" and a unique version of Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday". It is neither straight-ahead jazz nor bordering on pop music. Just a musical oddity on a CD that more favors standard-like theme is all. Luckily for Michele, it turns out just fine."
Asha Brodie, JazzReview.com"

"(Michele has) a serious vocal gift. Stevie's "Where Were You..." took on the colors of autumn with (this) graceful unplugged unit. Patient, mature accenting; both the voice and the feeling together."
Jenny K., JuliansFlight.com - "Melody for the world"

"As Kornheiser would say, "clahhh-sic".
As debut albums go, this one is especially strong. Michele has wonderful control and excellent use of tone color. The songs are a good mix of vibrant and melancholy; mostly standard straight-ahead fare. (Although the Duke's "Come Sunday" treatment could be called smooth jazz - but not as a euphemism for elevator music).

After listening to it off and on since its debut, I have to say that my favorite cuts are "Marmaduke" and "Black Nile." Both have a nice delicate energy to them. Michele and her band keep things percolating nicely, while still never going over the top.

"I'll Take Romance" is definitely something worth listening to on a quiet night at home with that special someone. If only romance were as easy to come by as this CD."
Jelani Greenidge, Amazon.com Review

"(She) has her own vocal sound, which is beautiful by the Grace of God."
Yusef Lateef, legendary jazz artist, Grammy award winner

"Best singer by far! Great feeling! Great voice! I'm in love!"
Kevin Mahogany, Warner Bros. recording artist

"What can I say? (She's) a natural! Wonderful delivery, great scat!"
Rick Stone, jazz guitarist, educator

"(She) has a wonderful sense of what goes where, the amount and color of the voice, the amount and kind of rhythmic articulation and soul...Extraordinary!"
Horace Clarence Boyer, gospel music historian, scholar, author

DISCOGRAPHY
"Axle-man: Songs For World Domination" - 2007
Stephen Asma

"The Music Of Duke Ellington:A Fresh Look" - 2004
Barristers Big Band

"Jazz Classics" - 2003
Michele Thomas

"Awesome Man" - 2003
Hard Art Group

"I'll Take Romance" - 1999
Michele Thomas


INTERVIEWS
November 2002
"Standards in Jazz" with Ross Gentile
WSIE Jazz Radio
88.7 FM (Edwardsville, St. Louis)

September 2001
The "Jazzarena" with Tom Macek
WRRG Triton College Radio
88.9 FM (River Grove, Illinois)


RADIO
WDCB College of DuPage Public Radio
90.9 FM (DuPage , Illinois)

WBEZ Public Radio
91.5 FM (Chicago, Illinois)

WSIE Jazz Public Radio
88.7 FM (Edwardsville, St. Louis)

WRRG Triton College Radio
88.9 FM (River Grove, Illinois)

AWARDS/HONORS
"Semi-finalist" - Starbucks Coffee's "Jazz Discovery" Contest
1999

“Outstanding Individual Performance” – Elmhurst College Jazz Festival 1996, 1997

PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLES
Barristers Big Band, Chicago(Swing) - 2003
The Apollo Chorus, Chicago(Classical) - 2003
Joe Lill's "Six Of One", Chicago(Pop) - 2003-Present
Gold Coast Orchestra, Chicago(Pop) - 2004-Present

CLUBS/VENUES
Blue Water Grill - 2005
Soul Cafe - 2004
100 South Chop House & Grill - 2004
Portofino's Italian Bistro - 2003
Cafe Luna - 2003
Green Dolphin Street – 2001, 2003
Katerina’s – 2003
The Gateway Bar & Grill – 2003
Fly Me To The Moon – 2002
The Chopin Theatre – 2002
Pete Miller’s – 2002
Braxton's Seafood Bar & Grill - 2002
The Heartland Café – 2002, 2003
The California Clipper – 2002
Moonstruck Cafe (Champaign, IL) – 2002
Main Street Jazz & Blues (Belleville, IL) – 2001, 2002
Philander’s Oak Park – 2000
The Blue Point Oyster Bar – 1999 - 2002
The Green Mill –2000, 2001
Big Joe’s 2&6 – 1999-2003

FESTIVALS
River Forest Summer Festival (River Forest, IL) - 2003
Winter Delights Festival (The Shops at Northbridge - Chicago, IL) - 2003
Pearlfest 2000 (Chicago, IL) – 2000
The Edison Park Festival (Chicago, IL) – 2000
Vagsöfolk Midsummer Festival (Sweden) – 1996
“Gospel Nights” Music Festival (Sweden) – 1998