Pat Thomas was born in Oxford in 1960 and began playing piano at the age of eight. He studied classical music and reggae was an early interest. Thomas was inspired to take up jazz after seeing legendary pianist Oscar Peterson on television at 16. By 1979, Thomas was performing seriously as an improviser and has played with Mike Cooper, Geoff Hawkins, Lol Coxhill, Tony Oxley, Steve Beresford, Alex Ward, Derek Bailey, and many more musicians. Current activities include solo piano, Black Top with Orphy Robinson, Scatter with Phil Minton, Roger Turner, Dave Tucker, and more. Thomas received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award For Composers in 2014.