Lynne Milgram is a long-time jazz music fan, a JAZZ.FM91 volunteer, and Professor Emerit at OCAD University.
Thompson Egbo-Egbo, one of Canada’s most acclaimed jazz pianists and composers, is set to release
his new album, Just A Thought, on October 23, 2026.
As evidenced in his earlier compositions, Thompson Egbo-Egbo’s artistic voice is rooted in storytelling
and community as well as in a deep sensitivity to collaboration and the human experience. Over the
past several years he has nurtured this focus across multiple projects by maintaining a core trio and a
trusted creative team both of which have facilitated more intense and cohesive musical interplay among
group members and the development of their distinct sonic identity. With Just A Thought, Egbo-
Egbo expands this scope by exploring new collaborations and adopting a more cinematic approach to
arrangement and texture. This is seen through the three lead singles, “Requiem,” “Time and Space,” and “Out of Nowhere.”
Original works that speak of time, space, and legacy, for example, sit alongside the inclusion of
compositions from the Odin Quartet to introduce a wider tonal palette without forfeiting the intimacy at
the core of the trio’s sound and intent. These pieces, in turn, are in the company of Egbo-Egbo’s nod to
jazz history through his interpretation of Oscar Peterson’s renowned piece, “Requiem” –- a performance
for which he received the Peterson family’s public endorsement.
“Time and Space,” inspired by Radiohead’s “Reckoner,” explores the idea of time travel and the process through which we might understand that the things we make can enable our spirit to exist across multiple spheres. In this light, the cinematic piece, Out of Nowhere then takes listeners on a journey. Featuring the Odin Quartet, this composition moves from a classical format to a more edgy contemporary expression.
We experience a similar trajectory listening to the album’s title track, “Just a Thought.” In this original piece, initially written in 2024 for the Gracemoon Theatre Arts Company in Brooklyn, NY, Egbo-Egbo builds on and expands selections from the work in groundbreaking improvisations. The innovative music evolution expressed in this album is also accompanied by the group’s new partnership with the boutique record label and media company, Outside in Music (OiM). Primarily dedicated to jazz and imaginative improvisational music, this firm enables Just A Thought’s release to be positioned within an international context expanding the music’s reach to broader audiences. As Thompson Egbo-Egbo explains about the album’s production: “It’s been quite a journey bringing this record to life. From the first ideas and sessions to the final touches, Just A Thought, has taken me places I did not expect. And now there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel.”
At its core, Just A Thought represents both a continuation of Egbo-Egbo’s earlier expressive goals
and an innovative development of artistic clarity and creative possibilities. The project’s compositions
reflect on presence and permanence but also on the ephemeral. At the centre of Thompson Egbo-
Egbo’s work is a commitment to creating meaningful artistic experiences driven by emotional honesty
and connections with life’s daily rhythms. Anyone who has personally heard Egbo-Egbo’s dynamic and
mesmerizing piano playing will discover this same intensity and purpose in Just A Thought as the
album blends contemporary jazz composition with richly human storytelling, history, and
improvisation.
To support the release of the album, Thompson Egbo-Egbo will be performing in a Live To Air concert
in the Long & McQuade Performance Hall at JAZZ.FM91 on Thursday October 22 at 8PM EST. Listen Live on air or watch it live on the JAZZ.FM91 YouTube channel.
