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Listen to Leon Thomas, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!

Leon Thomas

Jazz

View Artist

Top Songs By Leon Thomas

Listen to Cowrie Charms (feat. Leon Thomas and Barbara Hicks) by Yussef Dayes, see lyrics, music video & more!
Cowrie Charms (feat. Leon Thomas and Barbara Hicks)Yussef Dayes
Listen to The Creator Has a Master Plan by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
The Creator Has a Master PlanLeon Thomas
Listen to Balance of Life (Peace of Mind) by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
Balance of Life (Peace of Mind)Leon Thomas
Listen to China Doll by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
China DollLeon Thomas
Listen to Song for My Father by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
Song for My FatherLeon Thomas
Listen to Echoes by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
EchoesLeon Thomas
Listen to Malcolm's Gone by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
Malcolm's GoneLeon Thomas
Listen to The Creator Has a Master Plan (Peace) [Live] by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
The Creator Has a Master Plan (Peace) [Live]Leon Thomas
Listen to One by Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
OneLeon Thomas
Listen to The Creator Has a Master Plan (Peace) by Louis Armstrong & Leon Thomas, see lyrics, music video & more!
The Creator Has a Master Plan (Peace)Louis Armstrong & Leon Thomas

More albums from Leon Thomas

Listen to Full Circle by Leon Thomas
ALBUMFull CircleLeon Thomas
Listen to Blues and the Soulful Truth by Leon Thomas
ALBUMBlues and the Soulful TruthLeon Thomas
Listen to Gold Sunrise on Magic Mountain by Leon Thomas
ALBUMGold Sunrise on Magic MountainLeon Thomas
Listen to The Leon Thomas Album by Leon Thomas
ALBUMThe Leon Thomas AlbumLeon Thomas
Listen to Sncc's Rap by H. Rap Brown & Leon Thomas
ALBUMSncc's RapH. Rap Brown & Leon Thomas
Listen to Three Shades of Blue by Johnny Hodges, Oliver Nelson & Leon Thomas
ALBUMThree Shades of BlueJohnny Hodges, Oliver Nelson & Leon Thomas
Listen to Spirits Known and Unknown by Leon Thomas
ALBUMSpirits Known and UnknownLeon Thomas

About Leon Thomas

Listen to Leon Thomas, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Hometown
East St. Louis, IL, United States
Born
October 4, 1937
Genre
Jazz
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 avant-garde 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 1964-1965), 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 better-known 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 blues-oriented 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

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Leon Thomas has also released music as a member of Santana.