Either you like the music of Gordon Thomas, or you don?t!

Four decades of handing out music to strangers on the streets of New York and Bermuda-born musician, Gordon Thomas is still waiting for his big break. It comes in the form of a documentary, made by directors Stacy DeWolfe and Malcolm Fraser who travel to New York, Montreal and Berlin in search of the man behind the music.

What they find is a vivacious, energetic 88-year-old fabric salesman who was a trombonist in several big bands, culminating in a stint with Dizzy Gillespie in the 1940s.

The thing is, while his music is amazing, unique and has the ability to make your foot tap, even if you don?t like jazz, when you first hear Gordon Thomas sing you find yourself thinking that it must be a joke, the man sounds tone-deaf.

Yet he has a following which includes both the older and the younger generation. Bands in Berlin made up of expat Canadians who are no older than 26 who jam to the sounds of Gordon Thomas and describe him as ?absolutely amazing?.

The more you listen to him, the more you like him. He has the ability to sing not only about his life ? a diary in the form of song ?- but his pure, innocent spirituality comes through to the audience in a BIG way. It?s the story of one man?s journey through song.

There are the women he?s loved ? and its obvious even at the age of 88 he is still very much a ladies? man ? and the friends he?s had that along the way have made their way into his music ? like ?Brown Brown Baby?.

But be warned, there?s an age limit to this one ? I recommend the older Bermudian generation go out of their way to see it, while the younger music lovers might have the same reaction I did in the first five minutes ?what the hell is this?

I must hand it to DeWolfe and Fraser though, while the camera-work is sometimes a little shaky and amateurish, it does improve as the documentary progresses and the black and white photography, depicting Gordon Thomas over the period of three years in New York, are truly amazing and worthy of mention.

Suggestion that they perhaps be on exhibit in Bermuda at some stage ? it?s truly the record of one man?s struggle against all odds to fulfil his dream of dream of being heard and being loved.

?When you look at yourself, really look at yourself, you will see that you are beautiful,? he says and then it hits you. He has seen himself and his spirituality shines through in not only his music, but also his eyes. Sunday, March 20, 6.30 BUEI Auditorium

Wednesday, March 23, 9 at Little Theatre Ah... go ahead