The Creswell Club
- New York City, NY
- Jazz Band
- 32 Verified Bookings
Jordan G. said “The Creswell Club made our wedding night so incredibly special. We contracted them for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour music, and everything went…”
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Michele Thomas – one of Chicago’s top contemporary jazz singers. This talented vocalist performing with a group of Chicago’s finest musicians has penetrated this city’s music scene, and with her unique blend of vocals, guitar, bass, keys and drums, has made her group, "SoulMeme" the band of choice for special events all over the Chicagoland area, including corporate events, weddings, charity galas, private parties and more.
Michele Thomas and SoulMeme have the style to stay on top of what’s current and hip in contemporary jazz music while maintaining old favorites and the talent to accommodate any special requests that you may have.
This bands energy and synergies will fill you up. I had the honor of experiencing them at the Uncommon Ground in Chicago last year. Definitely recommend seeing them.
Response from Michele Thomas Music:
Cassy thank you so, so much! :) So happy to hear this and we absolutely loved playing that venue! Hope to be doing it again really soon!
Price Range: $600 - $8000
Gig Length: 60 - 180 minutes
Languages: English
If you are a lover of contemporary jazz, R&B or adult contemporary - expect that with even more flair from "Michele Thomas and SoulMeme". Any event where sophistication and class is called for, they are a perfect fit. It's like bringing the jazz club experience into your very own event!
We pride ourselves on having some of Chicago's finest up and coming musicians who are versatile and cover a wide variety of contemporary music styles. And Michele Thomas continues to move audiences with rich, velvety vocals and the essence of jazz improvisation. If you truly love good music, you will appreciate this group!
About SoulMeme...
SoulMeme is a contemporary jazz-, R&B-, and pop-influenced ensemble featuring the talents of singer/songwriter Michele Thomas, drummer Darren Scorza, guitarist Neal Alger, keyboardist Matt Nelson and bassist Bob Lovecchio.
It’s often been said that the sum is greater than its parts and in the case of rising jazz fusion outfit SoulMeme, that’s certainly the case. A collective formed by a longtime collection of musical friends who’ve become family, sharing their love of music together in the Chicago area for years, they now seek to harness their individual talents together in order to create something even greater.
The ties that bind SoulMeme together run long and deep, formed over years of performing across the Chicago club scene.
“Darren Scorza and Neal Alger started out playing together as the house band for a jam session at an old northside dive bar called ‘Big Joe’s 2&6 Pub’,” shares lead vocalist and visionary behind the group, Michele Thomas. “We were all fresh out of college and Darren hosted this jam every Sunday night. A mutual musician friend of ours told me about the session which I then started going out to sing at every week…After coming out to sing for a few months, they invited me to be a member of the house band as their resident vocalist.”
A few years on down the line, bassist Bob Lovecchio would join the troupe, joining the “Big Joe’s” house band while keyboardist Matt Nelson, who is the core group’s most recent addition, was added over the past few years. Yet, Nelson has been a quick fit, his musical chops seasoned with plenty of steady gigging and segueing seamlessly into the group’s familial dynamic with ease.
Individually these artists all bring strong resumes to the table. Michele Thomas’ career has led her to bring music across the world, her honeyed vocals earning her comparisons to acts like Ella Fitzgerald and Dianne Reeves while her husband and drummer Darren Scorza boasts a laundry list of gigs behind him, sharing the stage with artists like Bobby Enriquez and Richie Cole while serving as the house drummer for Chicago’s heralded Pump Room with singer Jim Rollins. Matt Nelson has had the opportunity to play alongside Grammy-nominated artist Matthew Santos and Graham Czach while Neal Alger and Bob Lovecchio have explored their inner muses, taking on a variety of genres and playing alongside almost innumerable acts along the way including Blue Note artist Patricia Barber and grammy nominated Angel Melendez & The 911 Mambo Orchestra.
Yet when these individuals come together as SoulMeme, they fuse together into a stunning act, one that takes their music to another level. And while the members of SoulMeme share a long history, it feels as though they’re embarking on a whole new journey together, as family, friends, and creative cohorts. And they invite you to journey along with them.
Expect the kind unapologetic and joyous grooves inspired by artists like Jon Batiste & Stay Human, thinly veiled in the jazz-funk of Herbie Hancock and fortified with the soulful lyricism of Bill Withers.
For more about SoulMeme go to: (link hidden)
About Michele Thomas...
Michele Thomas and her talents have carried her through a fantastic array of experiences within the massive world that is, music. By combining her gospel background with her deep love of jazz and appreciation for contemporary soul and R&B, Michele has crafted a sound that doesn’t conform to one genre, but instead evokes the elements that make these genres so dynamic.
Michele’s life and career began and grew in Chicago, Illinois. Born the daughter of a Pentecostal preacher in the Church of God In Christ, Michele grew up on a steady diet of gospel music. The impact it had on her, even at a young age was profound. These feelings, along with her innate talents, led to Michele arranging and conducting her church’s choir while she was still in her preteen years. Michele would eventually attend North Park University, graduating with a B.A. in music, and establishing their gospel choir.
The development of her love and talent for jazz began at a local tavern named Big Joe’s 2 & 6 Pub and would later extend to the Green Mill amongst other choice Chicago venues. These extremely well regarded performances would help her to found her own vocal studio, where Michele has the wonderful opportunity to help mentor and train young voices to reach their individual heights.
Michele’s performances, like her music itself, are deep and emotional. Not only does she blend the genres of jazz and soul together with elements of folk, but she uses her voice and songwriting to stir something deeper within people, causing them to engage the lyric and the beat simultaneously. Michele has been compared to other powerful African-American singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, and Anita Baker, but she also draws inspiration from Kurt Elling, James Taylor, and Sting...
For more about Michele Thomas got to (link hidden)
November 17, 2018 • 8:00pm - 11:55pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Pete Miller's Evanston |
November 16, 2018 • 8:00pm - 11:55pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Pete Miller's Evanston |
March 24, 2018 • 6:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Pete Miller's Naperville |
March 23, 2018 • 6:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Pete Miller's Naperville |
March 17, 2018 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Pete Miller's Evanston |
March 16, 2018 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Pete Miller's Evanston |
December 29, 2017 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at performing at The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant |
December 27, 2017 • 9:30pm - 11:30pm | Michele Thomas at Speakeasy Wednesdays at Bordel |
December 23, 2017 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at performing at The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant |
December 22, 2017 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at performing at The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant |
December 16, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Evanston |
December 15, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Evanston |
December 12, 2017 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Michele Thomas performing at Parker's Restaurant & Bar |
December 09, 2017 • 6:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Naperville |
December 08, 2017 • 6:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Naperville |
December 04, 2017–December 05, 2017 • 10:30pm - 12:00am | Michele Thomas at Prohibition Repeal Celebration at Bordel |
December 02, 2017 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant |
November 18, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Evanston |
November 17, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Evanston |
November 15, 2017 • 7:30pm - 11:00pm | Winter's Jazz Club One Year Anniversary |
November 11, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Naperville |
November 10, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas and SoulMeme Performing at Pete Miller's Naperville |
October 07, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's Evanston |
October 06, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's Evanston |
October 04, 2017 • 9:30pm - 11:30pm | Speakeasy at Bordel Chicago |
September 29, 2017 • 7:30pm - 11:00pm | Michele Thomas Quartet at Winter's Jazz Club |
September 27, 2017 • 8:00pm - 11:55pm | Jeff Hedberg & C11 with guest Michele Thomas |
September 16, 2017 • 2:00pm - 3:00pm | Park Forest Art Fair |
September 03, 2017 • 12:30pm - 1:30pm | 39th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival |
August 16, 2017 • 9:30pm - 11:30pm | Michele Thomas at Speakeasy Wednesday at Bordel |
August 12, 2017–August 13, 2017 • 9:30pm - 12:00am | Andy's Jazz Club |
August 05, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's Evanston |
August 04, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's Evanston |
July 26, 2017 • 7:00pm - 8:30pm | Concerts in the Park - Edgerton, WI |
July 01, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Winter's Jazz Club |
June 24, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's- Evanston |
June 23, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's- Evanston |
June 17, 2017 • 4:15pm - 5:30pm | Artists of the Wall Festival |
May 28, 2017 • 5:30pm - 8:00pm | Miller Lite Beer Garden at Navy Pier |
May 27, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston |
May 26, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston |
May 03, 2017 • 9:30pm - 11:30pm | Speakeasy Wednesdays @ Bordel |
April 22, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston |
April 21, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston |
February 27, 2017 • 7:30pm - 9:30pm | City Winery - Chicago, IL |
January 14, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston, IL |
January 13, 2017 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston, IL |
December 28, 2016 • 10:00pm - 11:00pm | Bordel - Chicago, IL |
December 17, 2016 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston, IL |
December 16, 2016 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Pete Miller's - Evanston, IL |
December 09, 2016 • 7:00pm - 11:00pm | Morton Arboretum - Lisle, IL (Private Event) |
December 07, 2016 • 3:00pm - 6:00pm | Hyatt Regency - Chicago, IL (Private Event) |
April 30, 2016 • 8:00pm - 11:55pm | deca RESTAURANT + BAR | Ritz-Carlton |
March 12, 2016 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | PJ's Courthouse Tavern & Grille - Sycamore, IL |
January 23, 2016 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Adler Planetarium | Café Galileo - Chicago, IL |
January 15, 2016 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Columbia College - Chicago, IL |
January 08, 2016 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Mid-America Club - Chicago, IL |
January 03, 2016 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Union Church Of Hinsdale - Hinsdale, IL |
December 09, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Hyatt Regency Chicago - Chicago, IL |
November 24, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Mid America Club - Chicago, IL |
October 30, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | JW Marriott Chicago - Chicago, IL |
October 24, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Adler Planetarium | Café Galileo - Chicago, IL |
October 23, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Athletic Club at the Hilton Hotel - Chicago, IL |
October 10, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago, IL |
October 07, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Saint Mary's Episcopal Church - Park Ridge, IL |
October 02, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Pier 290 - Lake Geneva, WI |
September 12, 2015 • 7:00pm - 8:00pm | Chicago Hilton - Chicago,IL |
Sample Set List:
(A full song list can be provided to the client)
Set #1
- Pick It Up, Lay It In The Cut (Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings)
- Angel (Anita Baker)
- Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding)
- Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly (Lizz Wright/Chick Corea)
- My Cherie Amour (Stevie Wonder)
- I Can't Help It (Michael Jackson/Stevie Wonder)
- Love Never Felt So Good (Michael Jackson)
- Come Rain Or Come Shine (Ray Charles)
Set #2
- This Masquerade (George Benson)
- Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You? (Nat King Cole)
- Bye Bye Blackbird (Various artists)
- Baby I Love You (Aretha Franklin)
- Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing (Stevie Wonder)
- Come Away With Me (Norah Jones)
- Hallelujah I Love Him So (Ray Charles)
- Golden Lady (Stevie Wonder)
- That's It, I Quit, I'm Moving On (Sam Cooke/Adele)
Set #3
- What's Going On (Marvin Gaye/Donny Hathaway)
- Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder)
- Let's Stay Together (Al Green)
- Sunshine (Raul Midon)
- The Bed I Made (Bonnie Raitt)
- Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder)
- Superstition (Stevie Wonder)
- I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt)
Set #4
- Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder)
- Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles)
- What You Won't Do For Love (Bobby Caldwell)
- Creepin' (Stevie Wonder)
- Like A Star (Corrine Rae Bailey)
- People Make The World Go 'Round (The Stylistics)
- Crazy Love (Van Morrison/Brian McKnight)
Darren Scorza | Drums |
Nela Alger | Guitar |
Bob Lovecchio | Bass |
Matt Nelson | Piano |
Michele Thomas | Band Leader/Lead Vocals |
Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Cassandra Willson, Sarah Vaughan, Anita Baker, Ray Charles, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, James Taylor, Donny Hathaway, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Carmen McRae, Sting, Al Green, and much, much more...
Jordan G. said “The Creswell Club made our wedding night so incredibly special. We contracted them for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour music, and everything went…”
Jeff N. said “Cecy was a great addition to our small choir and helped our Easter service be filled with amazing music”
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