Leon Thomas

Leon Thomas (who changed his name to Leone in 1974) made his mark in 1969, singing "The Creator Has a Master Plan" with <a href="spotify:artist:3JLUCojZaHrX2LaUkSj7Ud">Pharoah Sanders</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:4aEpM8RuVFDhH7ry8TUn4M">James Moody</a>. Thomas, whose early associates included <a href="spotify:artist:6dAtGAnHCQ1ujMUZ9Ep82k">Grant Green</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2AdOGwpXiwCctV1n9sJaub">Jimmy Forrest</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:543js1lXeFxJKXqxC6XgT7">Hank Crawford</a>, 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 <a href="spotify:artist:2jFZlvIea42ZvcCw4OeEdA">Count Basie</a> (1961 and 1964-1965), and performed with such jazz artists as <a href="spotify:artist:6hrEc1XqVcGLK0Di6zVADR">Mary Lou Williams</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Cx6WhEWHJWPeiFspDCwDR">Randy Weston</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7De2eIqeHTw091YeAkkYXV">Rahsaan Roland Kirk</a>, and later on <a href="spotify:artist:2nQKUeZeleLGNsJj6WLUXN">Oliver Nelson</a>. After recording "The Creator Has a Master Plan" in 1969 (once under his own name, with the better-known version being on <a href="spotify:artist:3JLUCojZaHrX2LaUkSj7Ud">Sanders</a>' 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 <a href="spotify:artist:0fTHKjepK5HWOrb2rkS5Em">Freddie Hubbard</a>'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 <a href="spotify:artist:19eLuQmk9aCobbVDHc6eek">Louis Armstrong</a> 1970 record and with <a href="spotify:artist:7yGQgQiiKpg2k00JXf8hJk">Carlos Santana</a> (who he worked with in 1971). Thomas died of heart failure on May 8, 1999. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi