Ed "Sax Thomas"
Ed Thomas is an accomplished inspirational saxophonist, whose soul-stirring mixture of Gospel and Jazz sound has been delighting audiences in his hometown, Cincinnati, Ohio, and in other cities across the nation. He is a versatile musician with nearly 40 years experience playing solo, with large Gospel choirs, and small ensembles.
Ed has been playing the saxophone since he was 13 years old, when the late Pastor J.W. McKenzie put him in front of the congregation at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church to play "Precious Lord." He continued to play the saxophone during his school years, joining the Hughes High School marching band. It was there he was nicknamed "Grover Washington Jr. Jr." because of his love for the recording artist and his tireless dedication to music. Since then, Ed has embraced his gift, performing at weddings, banquets, music festivals, corporate functions, and other events across the tri-state area.
Being a sought-after artist, Ed has ministered in many Cincinnati churches, including James Temple COGIC, New Prospect Baptist, Jerriel Baptist, The House of Joy and others. For over 20 years he has accompanied the Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church Choir. He also plays with The Muzic Company, a Cincinnati-based Gospel Jazz band specializing in inspirational music for all occasions.
In 2004, Ed released his debut album, In HIS Will, which features a wonderful mixture of upbeat and smooth Jazz arrangements of Gospel classics and other well known tunes. Old favorites such as "I Surrender All," "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," and "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" come alive in a fresh, new way. Infused with both R&B and jazz influences, the project pleased fans of both traditional and contemporary Gospel music. Ed's highly anticipated second album is set to release March 2016.
Ed is a Procter & Gamble retiree , where he has worked for 35+ years in Research and Development. He teaches saxophone to young people, encouraging them to use their talents to glorify God. Ed has been happily married for 34 years to his wife Ingrid, and they have two beautiful daughters Kiera and Kaela.