Leon Thomas
Encyclopedia
Amos Leon Thomas Jr was an American
avant garde jazz
singer from East St. Louis, Illinois
.
Thomas studied music at Tennessee State University
. In the 1960s he was a vocalist for Count Basie
and others.
In 1969, he released his first solo album for the prestigious Flying Dutchman label. However he made an earlier album which is still unreleased even now.
He was largely forgotten until a resurgence of interest in soul jazz
. Several of his tracks have been sampled in hip-hop and downtempo records.
He changed his name to Leone in 1974 because of an interest he had in numerology at the time. He did not legally change his name and he reverted back to Leon shortly thereafter.
Thomas is best known for his work with Pharoah Sanders
, particularly the 1969 song "The Creator Has a Master Plan" from Sanders' Karma
album. Thomas's most distinctive device was that he often broke out into yodeling
in the middle of a vocal. This style has influenced singers James Moody
and Tim Buckley
, among others. He said in an interview that he developed this style after he fell and broke his teeth before an important show.
Thomas toured and recorded as a member of the band Santana
in 1973.
Thomas died of heart failure on May 8, 1999.
With Santana
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
avant garde jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer from East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
.
Thomas studied music at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
. In the 1960s he was a vocalist for Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
and others.
In 1969, he released his first solo album for the prestigious Flying Dutchman label. However he made an earlier album which is still unreleased even now.
He was largely forgotten until a resurgence of interest in soul jazz
Soul jazz
Soul jazz is a development of jazz incorporating strong influences from blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often an organ trio featuring a Hammond organ.- Overview :Soul jazz is often associated with hard bop. Mark C...
. Several of his tracks have been sampled in hip-hop and downtempo records.
He changed his name to Leone in 1974 because of an interest he had in numerology at the time. He did not legally change his name and he reverted back to Leon shortly thereafter.
Thomas is best known for his work with Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders is a Grammy Award–winning American jazz saxophonist.Saxophonist Ornette Coleman once described him as "probably the best tenor player in the world." Emerging from John Coltrane's groups of the mid-60s Sanders is known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on...
, particularly the 1969 song "The Creator Has a Master Plan" from Sanders' Karma
Karma (Pharoah Sanders album)
Karma is a 1969 jazz recording by the American tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders.-Background:The social and political upheavals of the 1960s have been cited as a major factor in the emergence of a new stylistic trend in jazz, with a very different emphasis to previous sub-genres such as swing,...
album. Thomas's most distinctive device was that he often broke out into yodeling
Yodeling
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound.The English word yodel is derived from a German word jodeln meaning "to...
in the middle of a vocal. This style has influenced singers James Moody
James Moody (saxophonist)
James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia...
and Tim Buckley
Tim Buckley
Timothy Charles Buckley III was an American vocalist, and musician. His music and style changed considerably through the years; his first album was mostly folk oriented, but over time his music incorporated jazz, psychedelia, funk, soul, avant-garde and an evolving "voice as instrument," sound...
, among others. He said in an interview that he developed this style after he fell and broke his teeth before an important show.
Thomas toured and recorded as a member of the band Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
in 1973.
Thomas died of heart failure on May 8, 1999.
As leader
- Spirits Known And Unknown (Flying Dutchman, 1969)
- The Leon Thomas Album (Flying Dutchman, 1970)
- Blues and the Soulful Truth (Flying Dutchman, 1972)
- Full Circle (Flying Dutchman, 1973)
- Gold Sunrise on Magic Mountain (live) (Flying Dutchman, 1971)
- Live in Berlin with Oliver NelsonOliver NelsonOliver Edward Nelson was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger and composer.-Early life and career:...
(Flying Dutchman, 1971) - The Leon Thomas Blues Band (Portrait, 1988)
- Facets (compilation) (Flying Dutchman)
- Anthology (compilation) (Soul Brother Records)
- A Piece of Cake (Palcoscenico RecordsPalcoscenico Records-Discography:*15001: Gaetano Liguori - Terzo Mondo*15002: George Adams & Don Pullen- All That Funk *15003: George Adams & Don Pullen - More Funk...
)
As sideman
With Pharoah SandersPharoah Sanders
Pharoah Sanders is a Grammy Award–winning American jazz saxophonist.Saxophonist Ornette Coleman once described him as "probably the best tenor player in the world." Emerging from John Coltrane's groups of the mid-60s Sanders is known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on...
- KarmaKarma (Pharoah Sanders album)Karma is a 1969 jazz recording by the American tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders.-Background:The social and political upheavals of the 1960s have been cited as a major factor in the emergence of a new stylistic trend in jazz, with a very different emphasis to previous sub-genres such as swing,...
(1969) - Jewels of Thought (1969)
- Iphizo Zam (1973)
- Shukuru (1983)
- Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong (1987)
With SantanaSantana (band)Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
- WelcomeWelcome (Santana album)Welcome is the fifth studio album by Santana, released in 1973. It followed the jazz-fusion formula that the preceding Caravanserai had inaugurated, but with an expanded and different lineup this time...
(1973) - Lotus (1974)