Hymns Music For The Soul is a beautiful instrumental inspirational saxophone album of popular hymns and praise and worship songs performed with a mix of traditional and contemporary styles.

10 MP3 Songs
GOSPEL: Contemporary Gospel, JAZZ: Smooth Jazz



Details:
Publication:DestinLog; Date:May 27, 2006; Section:Faith Today; Page Number:21


Saxophonist Michael J Thomas honors God with his gift of music
By Pam Griffin


Michael J Thomas

A passion for music and a deep love for rhythm and blues/soul and jazz. And as his love for music has grown, so has saxophonist Michael J Thomasâ love for the Lord.

âI really think saxophone translates well into almost any style of music,â the young man said in an interview. âI feel that I should honor God for blessing me with the gift of music, and that is my main purpose for playing at church.â

Thomas says Christian music can be a variety of styles â blues, jazz, soul, pop, hip-hop and more.

âIt can cross all of these styles of music with the purpose of drawing attention to Jesus Christ and worshiping God,â he said. âIt reads in Psalm 33:3, âSing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.â I believe that anyone who has been blessed with the talent of music should worship God with their instrument.â

Thomas, born in Elizabethtown, Ky., in 1978, began playing the saxophone at the age of 12 at West Hardin Middle School in Kentucky.

âThe band director tested the students on musical skills a year before they were eligible to join the school band,â he said. âAt that time, I did very well on the rhythm segment of the test, so he urged me to play percussion.â

But God had other plans â and during an evening of trying out several instruments, Thomas was drawn to the saxophone. He began on the alto saxophone and later added tenor and soprano sax.

âAlmost every night while I am playing my soprano sax, an audience member asks me what that straight thing is,â he said. âUsually they think it is a clarinet. The soprano sax has a straight shape, unlike the other members of the saxophone family.â

Thomas also plays the piano to write his songs and record demos.

âFrom my music theory background and some knowledge of piano, it really comes in handy to do these jobs in my studio,â he said. âWhenever an idea pops up in my mind, I record them and then I give my scratch ideas to a professional pianist to bring those ideas to life.â

Thomas credits his parents, Larry and Theresa, who were teenagers in the 1970s, with influencing his music by exposing him to some favorites such as Earth Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder.

âI remember my dad buying a brand new home stereo system and it came with a demonstration CD that was used to show off the quality of the system,â Thomas said. âThis CD featured some popular smooth jazz artists such as The Rippingtons, The Crusaders, and David Benoit. I was hooked.â

Thomasâ career began at the age of 19, when he toured with a band named Jive Rockets. He also opened for a variety of known acts, including Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy and Bill Haleyâs Original Comets.

âThese were all bands that fit the style of music that we were doing at that time,â Thomas said. âWe wore the zoot suits with the chains and two-tone colored shoes and fedora hats. It was a great time in my life. I actually ended up performing with the Comets because their saxophonist was sick one night. The only song I knew of theirs was âRock Around The Clock.â The Comets were very comical and reminded me of the movie Grumpy Old Men â and thatâs all Iâll tell you.â

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Thomas is living and pursuing his dream. A dream to perform his music and minister through the use of his God-given talent. In September 2005, while performing at Destiny Worship Centerâs Night of Compassion, he shared the stage with award-winning vocalist Sandi Patty.

âShe was very complimentary about me to the audience for both shows we did,â he said. âAfter the concert, we were playing the card game Rook and she looked across the table at me in the middle of her hand and asked me what the second song was that I performed. I told her itâs a song I wrote titled âLast Dance.â She said she loved it and expected to hear great things from me in the future. That was confirmation for me that I should do a Christian album.â

That new album, âHymns Music For The Soul,â is a mix of smooth jazz, funk and traditional styles with contemporary arrangements of well-known hymns and praise and worship songs, including âRock of Ages,â âThere Is a Fountain/Power In the Bloodâ and âAmazing Grace.â

âI hope that Christians can listen to the music and get a refreshing from it,â he said. âIâve been listening to the master tracks quite a bit and these songs give me a peaceful, calm, relaxing feeling. It helps a lot while driving in the local traffic.

âSeriously, Iâve never recorded anything before that I can listen to over and over again that makes me feel this much at ease. I think the music is so special on this CD because every musician that performed on it is a believer in Christ.

âI pray that for non-Christians, it can give them this same sense and peak their interest into the church.â

The album will be distributed at a number of venues via the Web and in stores, or visit www.michaeljthomasmusic.com.

Thomas can be found from 6â10 p.m., TuesdayâSaturday, at the new Ruthâs Chris Steak House in Destin. Diners are requesting a wide variety of songs, ranging from the classic songs of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong, to original music or songs by Kenny G and David Sanborn.

âBelieve it or not, I get requests for Lynrd Skynrd and Iâll play âSweet Home Alabama,ââ Thomas said. âI also get requests for spiritual music and will play those songs at the restaurant too.â

Thomas said he enjoys his work at the restaurant and considers it another blessing from God.

âThere were three other restaurants in town that I was scheduled to be performing in and none of them materialized,â he said. âIt was a test of faith, but God pulled me through like he always has in the past and placed me in the best possible venue that fits me. It doesnât hurt that the owner, Bill Parker, is a man of faith. He respects what I do and I love that he goes out of his way to make his customers a priority.â

Thomas will also perform from noonâ2 p.m. June 10, 17 and 24 and July 2 in the Center Plaza at Destin Commons and from 5:30â8:30 p.m. June 12 at the Market Shops at Sandestinâs Cypress Green Concert Series.

Thomas ministers in music at local churches, including Destiny Worship Center, Grace Lutheran Church and his home church, Faith Assembly Christian Church.

âMy ministry is unique because the saxophone appeals not only to Christians but also to the secular world,â Thomas said. âThere is something about the sound of a saxophone that people love. It seems to lift peopleâs spirits. And if I can draw someone closer to God because of the saxophone, then I have done what I believe God has called me to do.â