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UNK: The Radha Thomas Ensemble

Jazz singer, writer and dog advocate

About Me

htt[://www.radhathomas.com http://www.facebook.com/radha.thomas http://soundcloud.com/unkensemble http://www.reverbnation.com/unktheradhathomasensemble

One of India’s leading and most widely recognized figures in jazz, vocalist Radha Thomas has been creating her unique sound for many decades. Transitioning from early rock & roll and Indian classical roots to present-day jazz as well as her own original compositions, Thomas loves bebop, especially vocalese, which she writes and sings a lot. Thomas left India in the mid 70s, having been selected by Jazz India, a leading jazz promotion organization, to perform across Europe and go to NY to learn jazz. She lived, performed and recorded for almost 20 years in NYC. Some of the musicians whith whom shes performed or recoded with include Ryo Kawasaki, Michael Brecker, Anthony Jackson, Harvey Mason, Leon Pendarvis, Alex Blake, John Abercrombie in some of NYC’s most famous jazz clubs and concert halls. It also included an experimental trio with bassist Frank Tusa and Miles Davis alum Badal Roy, where Thomas was featured soloist. When she returned to Bangalore, she was empaneled by ICCR (the Indian Council for Cultural Affairs, India’s key cultural agency) to be a jazz ambassador for India. She has performed with her own band ‘UNK The Radha Thomas Ensemble’ (I Only Have Eyes For You) and in a piano-and- voice format (Bangalore Blues) all over India. More recently, when Covid struck, from her home in Bangalore, India, Thomas turned to the internet and virtual collaboration with jazz musicians world-wide. In a single year she recorded 52 jazz videos both with her original music and jazz standards along with some of the world’s most talented musicians from Russia, Poland, Italy, USA, Germany, England, India and India. When she returned to India, she was empaneled by ICCR (the Indian Council for Cultural Affairs, India’s key cultural agency) to be a jazz ambassador for India. She has performed with her own band ‘UNK The Radha Thomas Ensemble’ (I Only Have Eyes For You) and in a piano-and-voice format (Bangalore Blues) all over India. She hosted a weekly jazz show on Radio Indigo in Bangalore. She is also the author of several books, a dog rescue activist and host of the podcast ‘The Indie Dog.’

My Jazz Story

Jazz makes my soul sing, my heart soar and my vocal chords ring. Especially when i can do something with a song that hasn't been done before. And even though a life of music may not feed the goats, a standing ovation, heck, even a little halfhearted clapping, makes it all worthwhile :)