Daily Inspiration: Meet Lizzie Thomas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzie Thomas.

Hi Lizzie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I have loved music all my life. I’m a seeker, a creator, and a very optimistic person. I started playing piano at age 8, which was my way of communicating my emotions and expressing all my moods.  I began singing around 12 and have been professionally singing for the last twenty years. Based in NYC, I’ve enjoyed many opportunities to play with incredible musicians. I’ve been blown away by their generosity in sharing their love of jazz with me. My latest news? I’m delighted to share that I signed with Dot Time Records and will be releasing my 5th album, DUO Encounters in March of 2023.  Lizzie shares the spotlight with pianists Helio Alves, John Di Martino, and Rossano Sportiello, guitarists Russell Malone, Ron Affif, and Guilherme Monteiro, bassists Ron Carter (“Willow Weep For Me”), Noriko Ueda, and Dezron Douglas (a version of “Have You Met Miss Jones” that includes the rarely heard verse), percussionist Café (“Nature Boy”), tenor-saxophonist Wayne Escoffery (“Lush Life”), and cellist Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf (a haunting version of “’Round Midnight”).  Rather than sing a conventional set in front of an accompanying pianist or guitarist, the interpretations are adventurous, filled with close interplay between the artists, and contain plenty of variety in instrumentation, mood, and tempos.

The covid lockdown opened a new path for my creativity, and I created a jazz lifestyle brand called the Jazz Diva Collection. I designed a fashion line with original contour drawings of the Jazz Divas: Billie, Nina, Ella, and even yours truly. The collection includes loungewear, cinched bags, and scented candles. Imagine this, you come home, put on your Nina loungewear, light the candle “Evening Jazz,” sit back and enjoy the aromas of clove & palo santo while listening to Billie Holiday. The Jazz Diva collection is fashionable, comfortable, and pays homage to the great female artists who shaped the sound we call jazz. Visit LizzietheJazzSinger.com to view the collection, embrace your inner diva, and live your best jazz life.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest obstacle in all of this, frankly, is myself. I’ve had a lot of losses in my life, so I needed a lot of healing to get to the other side and accept who I am and what I bring to the world. I have a big heart and love to share what I’ve been given. When I perform, I want the listener to feel this essence of creativity and healing for themself.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

The upcoming release of Lizzie Thomas’ fifth CD, DUO Encounters on Dot Time, is a major event. The inventive jazz singer, who has a beautiful voice and a swinging style, teams up with a dozen of her favorite artists to perform a set of intimate and adventurous duets. As usual, she digs deep into the lyrics and uplifts each song, but these performances also convey a sense of happiness and joy at finally having the opportunity to interact with other musicians after the worst days of the pandemic.

“This singer takes risks that others wouldn’t dare try” states Ann Alex from Bebop Spoken Here.   “She is immediately captivating in style and natural beauty, as unforgettable as she is talented, unique unto herself” Michael Nastos, HotHouse.   An entrepreneur at heart, Lizzie curated and released (June’ 21) a Jazz Lifestyle brand called the Jazz Diva Collection. Creating candles, loungewear, and bags that honor the tradition of Jazz: the music, the cool vibes, and the women of Jazz. Please view the full collection on her website LizzietheJazzSinger.com

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lizziethejazzsinger.com
• Instagram: @Lizziethejazzsinger
• Facebook: @LizzieThomas
• Twitter: @LizzieJazzDiva
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/lizziethejazzsinger/videos
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/LizzietheJazzSinger

Image Credits
Theik Smith & Black Pixel Productions