Thomas Reimer

by Dr. Iain Corness

Thomas Reimer said, “The job I have is the best. I live in the city of my dreams and have a job I like doing.” Thomas is one of the jazz musicians at the Jazz Pit on Soi 5 and has followed a family tradition, but in a reverse way. His father wanted to be an opera singer, but ended up studying law and becoming an enforcement officer. Thomas studied law but ended up becoming a professional musician.
He was born in Graz in Austria, where his musical father was the police chief. His mother, who stayed at home to look after her three daughters and one son, was also musical, playing the violin and the piano, so it was no surprise that young Thomas began to play a musical instrument when he was three years old in kindergarten.
He played the flute for three years, but by the time he was old enough to hold a violin correctly, he took it up. The family moved to Linz, and when Thomas was eight years old he began studying the violin seriously at the Linz Conservatorium.
The violin was not to be his forte. At age 15 he put it down and picked up a Fender Stratocaster, the instrument that was the backbone of rock and roll, the genre that was sweeping the world in the 1970’s.
Like all young hopefuls, Thomas studied in high school during the day, but later, he and his Fender guitar could be seen and heard in the night spots, thumping out the rock and roll music. Some of the night spots should have been off-limits for the young teenager, but with the bandleader signing to take responsibility, and Police Chief Reimer turning a ‘blind eye’, Thomas continued his musical career.
However, when he finished high school, parental pressure was brought to bear and Thomas entered university to study law. He stuck it out for two years, but it was not his career. “I didn’t like it,” said Thomas simply. He changed courses to then study to be a teacher of mathematics and music, from which he graduated after three years.
But while he was studying, he and his Stratocaster were hitting the clubs and pubs. The emphasis changed from rock and roll to Jazz (I have put the capital on Jazz, because it has been the one all-consuming constant driving force in Thomas’ life). During this time, he also knew that he did not want to be a teacher. “I wanted to be a performer,” said Thomas.
Another driving force was also becoming apparent. “Girls,” said Thomas with a grin. His girlfriend (of the day) moved to Frankfurt, and Thomas and guitar followed. More moves followed, first to Nurnberg and then to Munich. This was the epicenter of Jazz in Europe. “It was paradise for Jazz musicians. I stayed there for 25 years.” He had also been offered a position with the Jazz school in Munich which he took, after the head of the school had heard Thomas play in one of the clubs.
By that stage the Stratocaster was gone (probably worn out) and Thomas had found a new avenue for his musical expression. This was with computers and their application to Jazz music. This was the age of the synthesizer. Thomas had already been composing his own music, but now began to write new music for this new medium. As I have only a very basic understanding of musical instruments, Thomas did his best to explain the intricacies in playing synthesizer to me, a person who plays as if he only has four fingers, of which three are thumbs. “It’s a completely new instrument,” said Thomas, “you have to deal in milliseconds.” Since the computer is involved after the instrument, the sound is processed digitally in the computer, after being generated by the synthesizer, and this is where Thomas’ milliseconds come in. I think I understand, but Thomas certainly does.
Despite teaching and playing and recording and nightclubs, Thomas did have time for other things. One thing in particular was a female singer from Poland. It was an all-consuming passion in the grand manner, but when it fizzled out after four years, Thomas was shattered. To help him forget he took a holiday and came to Thailand, and hence to Pattaya. It did not take him long to find the Jazz Pit, and like all traveling musicians, stood in for a few jam sessions. He became friendly with the leader of the group playing there, Ramil Mediarov (featured in this column around six years ago). Ramil began to take a very important place in Thomas’ life. “It was like we had played 10 years together. Ramil has a very big repertoire and he is a very good musician. When Ramil suggested I come over and join them, I thought, why not?” Thomas also said that all this helped him to get over the heartbreak from the singer from Poland (though he will never forget her).
In many ways, Thomas has changed his lifestyle, not just in coming to live and work in Pattaya. He is now a non-smoker and does not drink, two problems that he once had. He is also now a vegetarian, so he is looking like a very fit 50 year old. Some of this change in personal direction he puts down to an aura reader in Germany who taught him the power of positive thinking. “Application of that has changed my life,” said Thomas.
Undoubtedly Thomas has found his true niche in life. His spare time pursuit does not surprise, “Playing guitar is my hobby.” He is also well known in Jazz music circles internationally, enough to have a few CD’s cut and the EYB company in Germany make custom guitars for him. Occasionally he will take his EYB and play in Bangkok, but he does not want to live there. “Pattaya really is my home,” said the man living in “the city of my dreams.”