Listen on:
Oluyemi & Ijeoma Thomas of Positive Knowledge has recorded & performed together for the past two decades, composing and sharing their joyful Creative World Music Systems with lovers of music and poetry around the world.
Ijeoma Thomas – Wordsmith, spoken word artist, poet vocalist and teacher believes “all art is a gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Composer, teacher & multi-reed musician (bass clarinet, saxophones) Oluyemi Thomas brings elements of life and work to the flow & he believes:
“The musician’s art is among those arts worthy of the highest praise…”
As a great enhancement to their compositional approaches, Positive Knowledge continues to perform throughout the United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, Israel, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands which has resulted in a rich multifaceted vocabulary to date.
They have recorded or performed with such artists as Cecil Taylor, Wadada Leo Smith, Roscoe Mitchell, Alan Silva, Peter Kowald, Henry Kaiser,William Parker, Miya Masaoka & Gino Robair, “Kidd” Edward Jordan.
- Oluyemi Thomas - bass clarinet, c-melody sax, flute, musette, percussion
- Ijeoma Thomas - spoken word, percussion
- Wilber Morris - double bass
- Michael Wimberly - drums
Whether you’re intrigued by the boundless possibilities
of improvisational jazz or just hate felines, Live in New
York is a testimonial to the limitless possibilities of jazz.
Andrew Magilow, Splendid
If anyone doesn’t remember that some of the major
new thing figures such as Eric Dolphy, Dewey Redman
and Pharoah Sanders were either Californians or spent considerable time there, Thomas’ playing will prompt you.
Ken Waxman, Jazz Weekly
…one of those rare occasions where the mix of poetry
and jazz succeeds on so many levels; setting an example for the genre.
Steven Loewy, All Music Guide
POSITIVE KNOWLEDGE LIVE IN NEW YORK is a sleeper of an unadulterated avant garde free jazz disc.
POSITIVE KNOWLEDGE LIVE IN NEW YORK is a sleeper
of an unadulterated avant garde free jazz disc.”
– Christopher, Blog to Comm
The most exciting moments are when Oluyemi is
wailing on the bass clarinet or sax while Ijeoma is
embroiled in a nearly possessed rant that is in perfect harmony with the soaring free-jazz style of the music.
Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations
This is a particularly spirited and powerful set throughout and will certainly take us a great journey
of timelessness and communion.
Downtown Music Gallery, New York
Oluyemi softly supported Ijeomi’s recitation, leading to another stratospheric improvisation.
You don’t get more soulful than this! … it’s a classic that you’ll have to have!
Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
Thomas shows a distinct flair for heady improvisations constantly stoking the fire of changes. This is a top notch performance.