Jazz |

Before reading anything about this album, from the very first listen, I thought, “An Unmissable Album.” Then I read what some great artists had written on the subject…
“Griot Songs firmly plants Omar Thomas in the pantheon of distinguished and exceptional writers. He blurs the lines stylistically in the best of ways with a texturally compelling ‘heart and soul’ sonic story all his own.” – Grammy-winning drummer/composer Terri Lyne Carrington
“Omar Thomas… proves himself a modern-day griot – summoning influences, traditions, and narratives from both past and present, framing them in a manner that is at varying times tender, dramatic, mystical, and joyful – but always absolutely captivating!” – Grammy-nominated composer/bandleader Chuck Owen
The magnificence of this work is evident from the outset, beginning with its masterful compositions. An innate understanding of orchestral form and musical arrangements radiates throughout. This double album is a feast from the first to the last track.
The Story Behind the Album
In the West African tradition, the griot is a storyteller, poet, and musician whose songs embody a living memory of a community’s history and traditions. Griot Songs—the stunning third album by the Omar Thomas Large Ensemble, the result of sixteen years of work—offers a deeply personal and emotionally resonant interpretation of the modern griot’s role. Through visionary compositions and arrangements, Omar Thomas weaves captivating narratives inspired by his own experiences, heritage, and sources of artistic inspiration.
This is the story. The rest speaks to your heart, your soul, your poetic, wandering spirit. Unless one is wholly impervious to beauty and art, one cannot help but succumb to the originality of this work.
A Long-Awaited Masterpiece
Over a decade has passed since the release of the Omar Thomas Large Ensemble’s last album, We Will Know: An LGBT Civil Rights Piece in Four Movements, which Grammy-winning drummer and composer Terri Lyne Carrington described as a “provocative and multi-layered masterpiece.” The band made a promising debut in 2013 with I Am, which reached number one on the iTunes jazz charts. But Griot Songs, set to be released on February 7, 2025, is the project Omar Thomas has dreamed of bringing to life since forming this ensemble during his composition recital at the New England Conservatory in 2008. Early versions of three tracks from the album date back to that time, while the rest has unfolded over years of composition, revision, and artistic evolution.
A Work to Stir the Soul
One could speak for hours about this album. The instruments become storytellers, weaving tales that carry the soul across cultures, far from familiar paths. They demand that we feel rather than see or touch—an invitation, perhaps, to engage with the very essence of art itself, whether fleeting or eternal. And isn’t this the purpose of all art? Beyond its originality, the grandeur of this album compels us to recognize it as nothing less than essential for any thinking person.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 21st 2025
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