BIOGRAPHY
Short Bio
Since 1973 John has lived in Los Angeles, touring and/or recording as lead trumpet for Count Basie, Chick Corea, Woody Herman, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach, Joe Williams and many others. His playing is featured on hundreds of albums, television series and motion pictures such as the movie Ray.
Thomas is a Full Professor at the University of Southern California and is a Senior Specialist for the Fulbright Scholarship Board, traveling to Peru, Thailand, Croatia, Italy, Austria and South Africa presenting trumpet workshops and music seminars. His newly released instructional trumpet DVD, Trumpet Secrets Revealed, is the best selling DVD on the subject and is distributed by Hal Leonard, Inc.
Selected Collaborative Performances
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Louie Bellson
Bob Mintzer
Bob Sheppard
Peter Erskine
Steve Davis
Herbie Hancock
Maria Schneider
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Count Basie
Woody Herman
Clark Terry
Maynard Ferguson
Bill Holman
Bob Florence
Joe Farrell
Curtis Fuller
Eddie Gomez
Steve Gadd
Frank Sinatra
Lionel Hampton
Benny Green
Lewis Nash
Lou Rawls
Ray Charles
Ray Brown
Ella Fitzgerald
Milt Jackson
John Faddis
James Moody
Blue Mitchell
Cat Anderson
Kenny Burrell
Helen Merrill
Harry „Sweets“ Edison
Ken Peplowski
Marshall Royal
Burt Bacharach
Doc‘ Severinson
Herbie Hancock
Stan Getz
Chick Corea
Toshiko Akioshi
Scott Hamilton
Mel Tormè
Nancy Wilson
James Brown
Tony Bennett
Stevie Wonder
Don Ellis
Dionne Warwick
Elvis Costello
Cheryl Crow
Luther Vandross
David Sanborn
The Supremes
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Selected recordings
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My Spanish Heart-- Chick Corea (Grammy)
Music Magic-- Chick Corea (Grammy)
King of the Blues--BB King (Grammy)
Mad Hatter-- Chick Corea (Grammy Nomination
A Tribute to Ethel Waters—Duke Ellington Orchestra, (Grammy Nominee)
The Raven Speaks --Woody Herman Orchestra
The Best of Count Basie--Count Basie Orchestra
The Best of the Count Basie Big Band—Count Basie Orchestra
I Told You So--Count Basie Orchestra
Dynamite!--Louie Bellson Orchestra
Live At Ronnie Scott’s in London—Louie Bellson Orchestra
The Best of Return to Forever-- Chick Corea
Return to Forever Live-- Chick Corea
RTF The Complete Concert-- Chick Corea
Larger Than Life--Freddie King
Switch—Claire Fischer
True To Life—Ray Charles
Weekly Television Shows
According to Jim
Coach
Perfect Strangers
Hawaii Five-O
Roseanne
B.J. and the Bear
Remington Steele
Murder She Wrote
Love Boat
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Battlestar Galactica
Knotts Landing
Dallas
Lavern and Shirley
Motion Picture
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“Ray”, The story of Ray Charles, featured trumpet artist
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Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
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Swing Shift
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Howard the Duck
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The Burbs
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Benji
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Oh Heavenly Dog
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The Spirit
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Pay Dirt
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Golden Child
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A Table for Five
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Winnie the Pooh
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Killing At Hells Gate
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Bustin’ Loose
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There Goes the Neighborhood
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The Double McGuffin
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Smorgasbord
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Within A Lifetime
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Sweet Scent of Coopersmith
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Midnight Madness