Quick Facts
Biography
Keith Thomas is an English saxophonist.
Career
Keith Thomas started playing saxophone with a South London based Funk Band called the 'Brothers of Funk' who resided and played in and around London's 'Old Kent Road'. Playing with Goldsmiths College's big band run by Herman Wilson is amongst the many 'wood shedding' places where he improved his 'chops', and met with various South London session saxophonists including (Ray Carless and Roger Thomas).
Keith making his first album at 'FreeRange Studios', with notable sound engineer and producer Marc Frank, was introduced to Robbie Vincent who managed the R&B band Second Image. Keith became a member of the band touring and playing on recordings from the 'Pinpoint the feeling' era. During this time he met with John & Paul Weller to talk about collaborations on The Jam's musical project and the upcoming European gigs. Initially this was collaborating on existing Jam songs with Second Image trumpeter Frank. When Frank was no longer able to continue, Keith introduced Steve Nichol of Loose Ends to Paul, and Keith and Steve became part of The Jam working on 'The Gift' album.
In February 1982, the first single from the Gift, the double A-sided "Town Called Malice"/"Precious" became a number one single and the band became the first group since the Beatles to play two songs on BBC's Top of the Pops. The Gift, released in March 1982, showcased the band's soul and became the group's first number one album in the U.K.
Keith worked on other singles 'Who's The Five O'clock Hero', and EP's 'The Jam Extras', playing both saxophone and flute with background vocals on a number of songs until their dissolution, late in 1982.
Bands
- Second Image
- Pressure Point
- Legacy
- Homeboys
- Dr Blackstein
Session work
- Loose Ends
- Heaven 17
- Julian Lennon
- Bananarama
- "The Jam". The Jam. Retrieved 20 November 2010.