Following hard on the heels of BBE delving into the archives of Detroits Strata Records and delivering their widely acclaimed and hugely in-demand exploration of J-Jazz, comes another crate diggers delight- Ralph Thomas Eastern Standard Time, which dropped in the USA back in in 1980, on the obscure Zebra Jazz imprint.

This is the is the kind of spiritual jazz gem that appears on You Tube and upon checking it out on Discogs reveals a price well in excess of 150.00. To have it widely available in its original vinyl format, as well as digitally and on CD, is a real treat. So, who is Ralph Thomas?

The self-produced Eastern Standard Time features Thomas on baritone, alto and tenor saxophones as well as flute and percussion. He describes himself as a practicing ethno- musicologist whos musical vision evolved during the Sixties and its Thomas multifaceted, global approach that gives the music on Eastern Standard Time an engaging and distinct flavour.

My music has always been open to different cultures and sounds Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Mexican, Peruvian, American, Hebrew, Turkish, African, Indian and Japanese, declares the Chicago born musician. While attending the Chicago conservatory of music in 1969 he became a member of the Chicago A.A.C.M, studying withmaster musicians Phil Cohran and Richard Muhal Abrams. He also recorded with well-known blues legends, Howlin Wolf and Mighty Joe Young for the Cadet imprint of Chess records.

Eastern Standard Time by Ralph Thomas