jerome thomas: that secret sauce
Francisco Espregueira
Crossing through sonic textures that could’ve been made in the ‘70s, the ‘90s, or the early 00’s, Jerome Thomas presents an incredible EP that may mark the dawn of a new age in British soul music. That Secret Sauce is his debut on the reputable Rhythm Section International, containing a sound that traces back to the likes of Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, D’Angelo Soul II Soul or Omar. Working with a live 6 piece band of assorted ages and musical backgrounds from rock to classical jazz, Jerome’s sound is a 180 degree turn from the direction of travel of UK R&B, which has trended towards a computer-oriented type of production. Jerome composes the pieces, then allows space for interaction with his long term musical collaborators. These ‘organic decisions’ opened up the scope of his music as they jammed and recorded That Secret Sauce.
Jerome Thomas’ voice flows with ease, exploring falsettos that can read as masculine or feminine, adding to a groovy story that is told without specifying a gender point of view. Describing his sound using the acronym FOE, standing for “Freedom of Expression” and “Fusion Of Everything”, his music is a space for him to dissolve boundaries and binaries. Like many of the great soul records, a close listen to That Secret Sauce reveals it’s romantic narrative; from first meeting to sexual infatuation to the dissolution of the affair, the breaking up and the moving forward - keeping the energy clear. It’s a tale as old as time, retold by the incredible voice, composition, and collaborators of Jerome Thomas. Available on vinyl.
“A lot of my songs are like diary entries addressed to people I haven’t been able to talk to or speaking about desires I am too embarrassed to talk about”