Draft:John D. Thomas (musician)

John D. Thomas (born February 25, 1954 in Chicago; † October 12, 2023 in Sallanches, France) was an American fusion and jazz musician (guitar, composer).

Life and Career
At age 19, Thomas was enlisted as a sideman by both Jimmy McGriff and Joe Henderson for recordings and concerts. In the following years he worked with AACM Big Band, Stanton Davis, Carter Jefferson, Andrew Cyrille, Kenny Drew, John Lewis, Harold Ousley, and Chet Baker. After moving to Germany in 1977, he collaborated with Theo Jörgensmann and founded his own groups such as Lifeforce, with which he performed throughout Europe and released several albums under Nabel Records. In 1978, he joined the Art Taylor Quartet and performed with it until 1984. Over the following years he also toured the Middle East, Africa and the Far East performing extensively with Charles Tolliver (1980–90), Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Malachi Thompson, Sonny Stitt, Tony Scott and Mike Zwerin. Trombonist Mike Zwerin enlisted Thomas for two tours in Africa in 1980 and 81. He also toured and performed at festivals, concerts and clubs throughout Europe and Africa with his own bands: John Thomas and Lifeforce, Serious Business, John Thomas Quartet, and Extremely Serious Business.

In 1980 he received the endorsement of the National Endowments' "Arts America" program, on whose active list he remained for ten years. In 1986 he toured sub-Saharan Africa with his group Extremely Serious Business, which included Markus Becker and Sal La Rocca under the auspices of this U.S. State Department program. Returning to the United States in 1991, he appeared with his own quartet, trio, and an updated version of Extremely Serious Business that performed his own compositions. It was also at this time that he began a two-year stint with organist Charles Earland. Thomas moved to Boston in 1994, where he performed regularly with different formations, including Kenwood Dennard’s ''Real Thing''. He can also be heard on albums with Steve Houben and the German band Bläck Fööss.

Thomas taught as guitar professor at Berklee College of Music from 1994 to 2012 and wrote the book Voice Leading for Guitar: Moving through the Changes. After retiring from Berklee, he moved to Hudson, New York, and then spent his final years in Cluses, in the French Alps. He died of cancer.

Discography

 * Devil Dance (1980/92)
 * 3000 Worlds (1981/94)
 * Dreams, Illusions, Nightmares and other realities (1981/ 2004)
 * Headwall (2015)
 * Serious Business (1985/ 2015)