Award-winning saxophonist and composer Michael Thomas is quickly becoming an important part of the New York jazz scene. Michael comes from a family of musicians – his father is a saxophonist, and his mother a clarinetist. At the age of 5, Michael began piano lessons, then started saxophone at age 10. His focus quickly shifted to saxophone, and he continued his studies on this instrument throughout middle and high school. While in high school, Michael started concentrating on jazz, and began studying flute and clarinet as well. During his senior year, he was awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music as a Studio Music and Jazz major. In addition to studying improvisation, Michael’s experiences at UM gave him the opportunity to focus extensively on woodwind doubling. He regularly performs on alto, soprano, and tenor saxophones, as well as flute, piccolo, alto flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet. While at UM, Michael performed with the DownBeat Award winning Studio Jazz Band and Concert Jazz Band, as well as the Frost Jazz Sextet, the premiere combo.

In May 2008, Michael completed his B.M. degree at the University of Miami. Two years later, he earned a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance at New England Conservatory. While at NEC he was the recipient of the Jazz Department’s Presidential Scholarship, a merit-based full tuition scholarship. During his time there, Michael studied with Miguel Zenón, Fred Hersch, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Frank Carlberg, and Ken Schaphorst. Michael is currently living in New York City, where he is a member of the Artist Diploma Ensemble at The Juilliard School, and studying privately with saxophonist Steve Wilson.

Michael’s career has taken him to many great venues in the United States and abroad, including Gusman Concert Hall, Jordan Hall, The Berklee Performance Center, Alice Tully Hall, Small’s Jazz Club, Zinc Bar, The Jazz Gallery, and Birdland. Michael performed at the 2008 IAJE and IASJ meetings in Toronto, Canada, and Riga, Latvia, and was a featured performer and clinician at the 2010 Panama Jazz Festival. In 2008, he was a member of Betty Carter’s “Jazz Ahead” workshop at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and in 2009 he was chosen as a finalist in the live auditions for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance. In May 2010, DownBeat Magazine recognized Michael in the 33rd Annual Student Music Awards as the winner of “Best Original Song” for his composition ‘Refract.’

From 2009-2011, Michael performed weekly at Wally’s Jazz Café in Boston with trumpeter Jason Palmer. He is featured on Jason’s release, Nothing to Hide (SteepleChase, SCCD 31699). More recently, Michael performed on alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet for the upcoming D-Clef Records release Black Périgord by German saxophonist and composer Max von Mosch. Additionally, since forming in September 2011, the Artist Diploma Ensemble at The Juilliard School has already recorded and released its debut CD entitled Here and Now. This project featured guest artist Wycliffe Gordon, and includes two of Michael’s original compositions for septet.

Michael’s debut album, The Long Way, was released independently in April 2011. This recording features Greg Duncan, Pascal Le Boeuf, Ben Street, and Lee Fish, and showcases eight of Michael’s original compositions.

Michael has been privileged to play with many incredible musicians while a student and as a professional. These artists include Wayne Shorter, Maria Schneider, John Hollenbeck, Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade, Dave Liebman, Bob Brookmeyer, John Patitucci, Ambrose Akinmusire, Don Byron, Danilo Perez, Sam Rivers, Tim Hagans, Randy Brecker, Shelly Berg, Adonis Rose, Ron Miller, Dennis Mackrel, Nat Reeves, Jason Marsalis, Kevin Mahogany, Alex Norris, Ed Calle, and The Four Tops.

Michael plays exclusively on mouthpieces handcrafted by John Thomas. Please visit www.thomaswoodwinds.com for more information.