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Began piano lessons at age 5. Switched to voice at 8. First guitar lessons at age 11. Played in high school bands around the Chicago area. First professional job in 1972 as a member of the JIMMY McGRIFF QUARTET. Joined the JOE HENDERSON QUARTET in1973. 1974 Chicago Musical College and HAROLD OUSLEY QUARTET. 1974 concerts with AACM BIG BAND. 1975-77 studied guitar and composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. 1977 went to Europe with the STEPHAN HOUBEN SEXTET. Since then has played with ANDREW CYRILLE, ART TAYLOR, SONNY STITT, CHET BAKER, DIZZY GILLESPIE, KENNY DREW, CARTER JEFFERSON, CHARLES TOLLIVER, MALACHI THOMPSON, STANTON DAVIS, TONY SCOTT, JOHN LEWIS, DEBRA BROWN, GENE CONNERS, CHARLES EARLAND, JOANNE BRACKEEN, and many others. Toured with his own groups such as JOHN THOMAS & LIFEFORCE, SERIOUS BUSINESS, EXTREMELY SERIOUS BUSINESS, and the JOHN THOMAS-CHRISTIAN ESCOUDE GUITAR DUO throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Faculty member at the University of Duisburg and the Robert Schumann Conservatory in D�sseldorf, Germany from 1977 to 1991.
Former participant in the National Endowment's Arts America program. Fluently speaks 3 languages. His hobbies are photography and alpine ice climbing.
Clinician in the following workshops:
National Academy in Dworp, Belgium,1977-79
Jazz Seminar Braunschweig, Germany,1980
Academy for Music and Media Education, Remscheid,Germany,1980-83
Jazz Seminar P�ttlingen, Germany,1981
Jazz Seminar Burghausen, Germany,1981-85
Jazz Seminar Weikersheim, Germany,1982
Jazz Seminar Erlangen, Germany,1983-88
Discography:
1971"Seventh Son": Malachi Thompson (Ind.)
1973"Fly Dude": Jimmy McGriff (Groove Merchant)
1974"Multiple": Joe Henderson (Milestone)
1977"Solstice": Stephan Houben (Ind.)
1977"SST": SST (Unk.)
1978"Go Ahead Clarinette": Theo Joergensmann(CMP)
1979"Tri Nam": Mr.Circle (Stockfish)
1983"Dreams,Illusions,Nightmares and Other Realities": John Thomas (Nabel)
