A journey through life and music.

VANESSA THOMAS
Soprano/Mezzo Soprano

Vanessa is an acclaimed vocalist who delights audiences everywhere. Known for her seamless span of five octaves, she has a unique musical versatility and command in jazz, blues, gospel, classical and music theater. For over a decade, she has toured nationally with Grammy-award winning trumpet-virtuoso Doc Severinsen (of The Tonight Show).

Recent performances include Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass, where she performed as the soprano, alto, AND tenor soloist at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Room in Kansas City (American Jazz Museum), and holiday pops shows with Florida Orchestra and West Virginia Symphony. During the pandemic, Thomas headlined both Kansas City Lyric Opera and the Lied Center of KS in a series of free outdoor pop-up concerts.

Past performances include opening with Doc at The Hollywood Bowl for Pink Martini, The Arizona Musicfest, and with Cincinnati Pops, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit, Dayton, Milwaukee, Utah, and Winston-Salem Symphonies, and Kansas City Symphony (Christmasfest). She also appeared in the PBS American Masters Documentary “Never Too Late: The Doc Severinsen Story” (Kevin Bright).

Vanessa’s upcoming new album release is her first solo recording as a leader! This “dream-project” has truly been a joyful collaboration between both the Lied Center and some incredibly gifted jazz musicians.

Vanessa has been an active vocal coach, mentoring hundreds of young singers over the past twenty years.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Lied Center of Kansas, May 5th, 2023