Raphael Thomas Jr (Keyboards, Turntables)
Raphael “Ray” Thomas Jr, aka “RTjman” (born Sep 12, 1986) is the keyboard player, co-producer, and live DJ for Pure Star Movement. Born in South Bend,IN, Raphael showed interest in music at a very young age. At age 5 he was often found using plastic buckets, empty soup cans, and toys as drums. By age 8 he began showing serious interest in the piano. He took private keyboard lessons for a year. Throughout his teenage years he also played the electric bass, trumpet, and guitar. During his early High School years he was introduced to digital multitrack recording. He then began to make recordings and learn the fundamentals of creating and structuring songs.
Upon graduating from High School, Raphael joined the US Marines. After 1 year of active orders he returned home and continued with his passion for music, while continuing to serve in the Marines Reserve. During this time, he traveled the midwest playing for different artists, groups, and for many events. In December of 2007 while playing keyboards for the Notre Dame Gospel choir, Raphael met Lwan Easton who also played keyboards and was a solo artist at the time. They exchanged business information, and later partnered to create the production company, Pure Star Production and Media. Shortly after, they hired Lwan’s brother, Brent Easton (drummer) and Raphael’s friend, Adrian Taylor (bassist), to perform gigs with the production company. It was a mix of gospel chops, rock influenced drive, and melodic progressions. The group soon decided to traverse into a live performing band. Banking off the production company’s name, it was then that Pure Star Movement was officially formed!
With years of self-taught experience in music, Raphael brings a style that is soulful, yet edgy and modern. His turntables skills can be heard in various tracks on the album “Arrival To Earth”, which he co-produced, mixed and mastered at his studio in South Bend, IN. Through RTjman, crazy synths, gnarly effects, rich chords, and even DJ solo sets can be heard in the live shows of Pure Star Movement.
“I’ve been introduced to a lot of different genres and styles of music over the years. So it’s fun being able to take bits and pieces from each genre, utilizing my own gift, along with my band mates’, to create something new that many people can appreciate and feel. Music creates feelings. Excitement, anger, sadness, fun, sorrow, thankfulness… I want to create music to reach ALL people, and deliver my gift in a way that can give them a feeling of contentment!”~RTjman
