Lizzie Thomas - This Christmas (2024)

Acclaimed jazz vocalist Lizzie Thomas rings in the holiday season with This Christmas. This is a radiant collection of holiday classics and originals that blend jazz, Neo-soul, and R&B with her signature sound.

Released via Dot Time Records, the album features a stellar lineup of musicians, including John di Martino (piano), Wayne Escoffery (saxophone), Dezron Douglas and Noriko Ueda (bass), Kevin Sibley (B3 Hammond), Leandro Pellegrino (acoustic guitar), and Neal Smith (drums).

The lead single is a sultry rendition of Donny Hathaway’s iconic This Christmas, released on November 1st, which brings a soulful groove to this holiday season.

“It’s one of the most timeless holiday songs, blending hip vibes and heartfelt warmth,” Thomas shares. “It’s an honor to pay tribute to this cornerstone of Black American music.”

As well as Hathaway’s classic, This Christmas explores Thomas’s inventive takes on seasonal staples.

Highlights include a bossa nova re-imagining of Christmas Time Is Here with Brazilian guitarist Leandro Pellegrino, a lush romantic It’s Magic featuring Antoine Drye on flugelhorn, and a big-band revival of Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime powered by Thomas’s agile scat improvisations.

The album concludes with Terry Roche’s Star of Wonder, a hauntingly intimate arrangement that spotlights Di Martino’s piano and Smith’s sensitive drumming.

With a limited-edition, 10-inch green sparkle vinyl available alongside digital formats, This Christmas is poised to be a standout in holiday jazz collections worldwide.

Lizzie Thomas is a celebrated jazz vocalist whose journey began in Pittsburgh and took root in Nashville, where she earned a BA in Commercial Vocal Jazz Performance from Belmont University and pursued graduate studies in Music Education with a focus on piano pedagogy.

Mentored by Sandra Dudley, Thomas developed her gift for storytelling through the Great American Songbook, finding endless inspiration in its timeless lyrics and melodies. After honing her skills in Nashville, performing gigs and running a piano studio, she moved to New York City, quickly establishing herself as a premier vocalist with a decade-long residency in Soho and performances at iconic venues like Birdland and Blues Alley.

Thomas’s discography showcases her evolution as an artist, beginning with her 2010 debut More Than You Know and culminating in acclaimed releases like New Sounds From The Jazz Age and Duo Encounters. Her work highlights collaborations with jazz luminaries such as Ron Carter, Russell Malone, and Helio Alves, blending complex arrangements with her distinctive warmth and artistry.

Whether scatting through up-tempo tunes, caressing tender ballads, or exploring innovative duo settings, Thomas’s performances captivate audiences worldwide. She launched the Jazz Diva Collection, celebrating women in jazz through art and merchandise, and is an advocate for the genre.

When asked what qualities a song needs to have for her to want to perform it, Lizzie replied, “I'm a lover of melody and lyrics. I love uncovering tunes that are unknown, but I also love reimagining standards with a great arrangement. Within my live show, surprising my audience with folk and nontraditional jazz selections is a must, and I have a special love for Brazilian music. If I have someone come up after my set and say, “I was transformed—it was as if I was in another space and time,” then, I know I did it right.”