It is almost unfair to simply call Jordan Thomas a singer-songwriter. From the moment he steps on stage, it becomes clear that Thomas is first and foremost both a student and purveyor of American roots music. Although certainly influenced by the big, horn-driven soul sounds of Stax Records, Atlantic Records, or Muscle Shoals, Thomas couples his brand of southern soul with the understated simplicity of an acoustic guitar. His playing is raw and fierce yet at times refined and subdued – perfectly paired with a full, emotion-soaked voice and an obvious passion for lyricism. With every song, Thomas pours out his heart and soul, losing himself in the song and inviting the listener to do the same.

As his hands wander across well-worn acoustic guitar strings, it's not hard to imagine the musical upbringing he had: winters spent blowing the dust off old records and setting the needle to forgotten grooves, or summers spent almost entirely with an acoustic guitar, serenading cows from atop a fence in rural Missouri. Listen carefully, and you'll hear a musical vocabulary rooted in those humble, honest sounds: pre-war fingerstyle blues, early gospel, even traces of traditional country and down-home bluegrass. Thomas' delivery is full of fire and an energy all his own, undoubtedly harnessed in his years fronting the regionally popular electric blues band, The Mojo Roots. Now equipped with a singing acoustic guitar, a shining resonator, and a throaty harmonica, Jordan Thomas is carving his own new path through the classic sounds of American roots music.

-Matt Marshall
American Blues Scene