Biography
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Born
22 February 1934 (age 90)
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Born In
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States
Boise, Idaho based composer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Thomas Paul is adept in a diverse range of genres including swing, funk, country, indie, bluegrass, lounge jazz, blues, psychedelia, bedroom folk and Latin music. Thomas joined his first band at age fourteen and since then has lent his talents to over three-dozen bands and music projects, including Bill Coffey Big Band, Mystery Date and Clock. Cellar Notes recently dubbed him to be “one of the premier performers in the Northwest.”
2006 to 2010 has found Thomas performing extensively, both locally and countrywide, as well as writing and rehearsing new material. In spring and fall of 2010, Thomas participated in two U.S. coast-to-coast tours with Nick Jaina. These were completed in-between his own regional tours promoting House of Fire: a ten-song, 42-minute tour-de-force released in March 2009 and while recording Paul’s second full-length album, Goodbye, Waterloo….
This newest release features Paul’s elaborate instrumentation, stunning vocals, excellent song-craftsmanship and incredible versatility. As an explosion of bastard-soul-indie-jazz-rock with arrangements of Fender Rhodes, grand piano, vocals, drums, strings and horns, “…the funk doesn’t let up.” (Johnny Vinyl—East Oregonian) With contributions from Bob Nagel, Dave Manion, Louis McFarland, and many more, Goodbye, Waterloo… features “a variety of sounds and textures–and his spot-on falsetto–to give Waterloo a heavily layered sound that differs from one song to the next.” (Amy Atkins—Boise Weekly)
Paul has shared the stage with notables John Hammond, Curtis Stigers, Ned Evett and several other heavyweight luminaries. Though he enjoys the role of sideman, he is moreover an independent artist. In September 2007, he began performing weekly at Boise’s Red Feather Lounge, an invaluable opportunity to consistently refine his craft. Numerous full band and solo sets also pack his schedule at music hot spots throughout the Boise region and beyond.
His primary band consists of Bob Nagel (stand-up bass), Louis McFarland (drums) and includes other collaborators who frequently step in and out. Thanks in part to Paul’s immense range, he has played with a wide variety of bands like Red Jacket Mine, New Transit, J.D. Kindle and the East Oregon Playboys, Gizzard Stone, Me + My Ego, Mayer Force One, Hillfolk Noir and eL Dopamine. He mixes and matches his instruments in these projects from guitar, bass, keyboard, mandolin, accordion to vocals and has played everything from garage rock to lounge blues to folk.
“Singer and multi-instrumentalist Thomas Paul is a talented dude…He’s also eccentric. Can music be funky and ominous? Paul’s can.”
–Michael Deeds—The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID
“…seriously high-energy, Boise-based band.”
–John Pluntze—Sun Valley Online, Sun Valley, ID
“…as long as Paul is in there, it definitely has promise.”
–Amy Atkins—Boise Weekly, Boise, ID
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