René Thomas (guitarist)

René Thomas
Born (1927-02-25)25 February 1927
Liège, Belgium
Died 3 January 1975(1975-01-03) (aged 47)
Santander, Spain
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1940s–1975
Labels Vogue, Barclay, Polydor, Jazzland, RCA
Associated acts The Bob Shots

René Thomas (25 February 1927 – 3 January 1975) was a jazz guitarist from Belgium.[1]

He began recording in 1943 with Hubert Simplisse et Son Ensemble. After World War II, he was a member of the Bop Shots with Jacques Pelzer and Bobby Jaspar, who remained a llifelong friend.

In the early 1950s, he moved to Paris and became part of the modern jazz scene, playing in the style of Jimmy Raney[1] that was popular at the time. In 1954 and 1956, he recorded albums for Barclay and Polydor. His reputation as a virtuoso guitarist spread rapidly in the jazz world, though fame eluded him. In 1956, he moved to Canada, where he played regularly for the Montreal Jazz Society and met Sonny Rollins. Rollins invited him to a concert in Philadelphia and to record the album Sonny Rollins and the Big Brass Trio. While in the U.S., he played with Toshiko Akiyoshi and Bobby Jaspar and recorded with her on her 1958 album United Notions. In 1960, he made his American debut as a leader with the album Guitar Groove.

Returning to Europe in 1962, he toured and recorded with Chet Baker, Bobby Jaspar, Kenny Clarke, Eddy Louiss, Stan Getz, Lucky Thompson, Sonny Criss, Jacques Pelzer, Lou Bennett, Charles "Lolo" Bellonzi, and Ingfried Hoffmann.[2]

In 1971, Stan Getz saw him and his group at the Blue Note in Paris and picked the three of them up, Thomas, organist Eddy Louiss and drummer Bernard Lubat, for a quartet date at Ronnie Scott's in London. Recordings from three days of their sessions were captured by Beatles' producer George Martin for the album Dynasty.

Thomas died of a heart attack in Santander, Spain at the age of 47 on 3 January 1975.[1][3]

Discography

As leader

  • Guitar Groove (1960)
  • Meeting Mr. Thomas (Sunnyside, 1963)
  • Blue Note (Paris, 1964) (Royal, 1964)
  • Eddy Louiss-Kenny Clarke-René Thomas (RCA, 1974)
  • Hommage a René Thomas (Timeless, 2000)
  • Jazz in Paris: The Real Cat (Universal/Verve, 2001)
  • Guitaristic (2007)
  • René Thomas and His Orchestra (Barclay, 2010)[4]

As sideman

With Chet Baker

  • Chet Is Back! (1962)
  • Somewhere over the Rainbow (1962)

With others

References

  1. 1 2 3 Yanow, Scott. "René Thomas". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  2. ↑ John Wilson (13 April 1990). "Sounds Around Town". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ "Rene Thomas, 47, Guitarist, With Rollins, Getz and Baker". New York Times. 6 January 1975. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 "René Thomas | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
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