Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “perhaps the best young straight-ahead jazz singer of a new generation,” Peoria local Brianna Thomas is poised to join the ranks of legendary jazz artists. With regular performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center, major jazz festivals worldwide, and recently acclaimed album releases, her star is definitely rising. In fact, Downbeat magazine recently gave her latest album, Everybody Knows, a four-star review!
Brianna’s talents have propelled her to many successes, including performances at the Montreux, North Sea, and Umbria Jazz Festivals and in venues ranging from the Bahamas to Geneva, Switzerland. Brianna was a resident in both the 2001 and 2002 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Programs, an international artist-in-residence program that assembles a select group of jazz musicians to perform their original compositions at the Kennedy Center. At “Jazz Ahead” she worked with a host of premier jazz educators and performers, including renowned vocalist Carmen Lundy, Winard Harper, and Nathan Davis.
Brianna’s extensive list of stateside performances includes appearances with Fred Anderson, Von Freeman, Houston Person, and the Barber Brothers. She has performed across the country from New Orleans to Washington, DC’s Kennedy Center. In 2001, Thomas was awarded “High School Jazz Vocalist of the Year” by Downbeat magazine. Notably, Brianna Thomas is the youngest person ever to be inducted into Peoria’s African-American Hall of Fame at the age of thirteen in 1996. She has also received a certificate of excellence from the State of Illinois in recognition of her musical accomplishments.
Brianna has blazed a path in the world of jazz and continues a stellar ascent. With dedication, hard work, and a sparkling personality, she is sure to become one of jazz’s most prominent voices. The words of legendary trombonist Curtis Fuller best illustrate Brianna Thomas’ abilities, hailing her as a “marvelous new artist who has all it takes to reach the top of the jazz profession and music in general.”
