Leon Thomas: Biography

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• King Pleasure
• Jeanne Lee
• Joe Lee Wilson
• Eddie Jefferson
• Jimmy Rushing
• Joe Williams
• Jimmy Witherspoon

• Betty Carter
• John Coltrane
• Duke Ellington
• Milton Nascimento
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Thelonious Monk

• Theo Bleckmann
• Terry Callier

• Pharoah Sanders
• Carlos Santana
• Jeri Brown
• Dave Martin

• Santana

• Al Green
• Bob Thiele
• Sonny Morgan
• Pharoah Sanders
• Pee Wee Ellis
• Oliver Nelson
• Lonnie Liston Smith

Born:

Oct 4, 1937 in East St. Louis, IL

Died:

May 8, 1999 in New York, NY

Genres:

Classical Music, Jazz Music, Avant Garde Jazz Music, Bop Jazz Music, Vocal Jazz Music, Free Jazz Music

Decades Active:

1960's|1970's|1980's

Artistic Quality

Low

Cultural Impact

Low

Popularity

Low

Ratings Guide

Leon Thomas (who changed his name to Leone in 1974) made his mark in 1969, singing "The Creator Has a Master Plan" with Pharoah Sanders and showing that even avantgarde jazz can become popular under some circumstances. A fairly conventional singer, the most unusual aspect to Thomas was that he often broke out into yodelling in the middle of a vocal, a device since utilized occasionally by James Moody. Thomas, whose early associates included Grant Green, Jimmy Forrest, and Hank Crawford, studied music for two years at Tennessee State University. He moved to New York in 1958, toured with a show sponsored by the Apollo Theater, had two largely unrecorded stints with Count Basie (1961 and 19641965), and performed with such jazz artists as Mary Lou Williams, Randy Weston, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and later on Oliver Nelson. After recording "The Creator Has a Master Plan" in 1969 (once under his own name, with the betterknown version being on Sanders' Karma), Thomas seemed on the verge of stardom. However, his career faltered and he remained an underground figure. As a leader, Leon Thomas recorded for Flying Dutchman, Blues Time, Mega, the Italian Palcoscenico label (in 1979 with Freddie Hubbard's group); as the leader of a bluesoriented band for Portrait (1988); and for Mapleshade. He also appeared as a sideman in many situations, including on a Louis Armstrong 1970 record and with Carlos Santana (who he worked with in 1971). Thomas died of heart failure on May 8, 1999.

- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide