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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
 Posted - 28/09/2004 : 20:29:37
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 He was a legendary jazz vocalist who recorded many great albums for the "Flying Dutchman" label in the 70s. His greatest "hit" was "The Creator Has a Master Plan" recorded w/ Pharoah Sanders. He was an amazing man. I'm biased as he was my boyfriend until his untimely death.
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Ben
Third Love
United Kingdom
58 Posts |
Posted - 28/09/2004 : 21:54:22
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| I just found an album of his with Johnny Hodges called 3 Shades Of Blue. Nice one! |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 29/09/2004 : 16:34:24
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| That was Johnny Hodges last album! |
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jazmaan
Fifth Love
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2004 : 00:22:27
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Holy Smokes! Leon Thomas was your boyfriend? Wow!
I often sing and play "The Creator Has a Master Plan". Believe it or not, I play it on the harmonica. I think I'm probably the first harp player to learn it.
I have listened VERY closely to several versions of Leon's vocal renditions of that song (and others.) While known primarily for his amazing jazz yodeling, what floors me about Leon is his incredible DICTION and PHRASING. Believe me, I've tried to imitate it so I really appreciate how deceptively simple it seems.
By the way, you may be interested to know that the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills, CA has a couple of video clips of Leon including one of him sitting in with the vocalese trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross in the early 60's where he's singing in a straight-ahead swinging context instead of the 70's fusion style he became more famous for.
Send me an e-mail Mary, I'd love to talk to you.
jazmaan@bebopradio.com |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2004 : 16:20:47
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His diction was amazing and something he found to be really important to singing. He loved that aspect of Eddie Jefferson too. Believe it or not, Leon hipped me to Eddie Jefferson (they were good friends). Unfortunately, I never got to meet Eddie.
Leon was an amazing person. He was one of the smartest and most cultured men I've ever met. I really miss him. We had so much fun here in NYC and he told me such great stories. And, of course, we really loved each other. We shared so much music together. You know he sang with Santana too. He had a gold record from that album and he's on a "Best of Santana" video.
There is so much great music by Leon. I always loved it when he sang "straighter"--the yodeling was wonderful, but I warned him against it becoming too gimmicky. I could, literally, talk all day about him.
I will e-mail you jazmaan.
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Edited by - jazzy mary on 30/09/2004 17:37:44 |
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Ben
Third Love
United Kingdom
58 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2004 : 22:24:08
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| Could you give us a flavour of what Leon would have been listening to at the time Forever Changes was first released? |
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David Potter
First Love
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2004 : 05:53:37
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Originally posted by jazzy mary[/i]
He was a legendary jazz vocalist who recorded many great albums for the "Flying Dutchman" label in the 70s. His greatest "hit" was "The Creator Has a Master Plan" recorded w/ Pharoah Sanders. He was an amazing man. I'm biased as he was my boyfriend until his untimely death.
Is this the same Leon Thomas who did a guest vocal on Santana's Welcome album? That song has always been one of my favorites. |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2004 : 20:13:42
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 Sorry to take so long to get back to this. I've been so busy at work etc. Anyway, Leon. Well, I met him quite a few years ago (not *that* long ago) in Baltimore (where I was going to school) at the Famous Ballroom. I knew his music from being a big Pharoah Sanders fan but I wasn't hip completely to Leon. Well, I went to see him at the Famous Ballroom which had the hippest music. It was sponsored by the "Left Bank Jazz Society" and they had so much good music. At any rate, I went to see Leon and his group and it was magnificent! Really amazing! During the set break I was going to the ladies' room and Leon basically jumped off the stage and ran up to me and blocked me from going into the restroom. He talked to me (I remember his conga player was laughing like crazy and later Leon told me the more he wanted a woman, the more his conga player would laugh.) He made conversation asking me what I would like him to sing. Leon must have been smitten with me because singers WILL NEVER ask you what you want them to sing--they sing WHAT THEY WANT TO SING (as it should be, imho)
I ended up giving him my number and then I had to miss the second set because I had to go back to my dorm because I had to catch the last bus back (I'm not kidding). That night, after the set, Leon called me. We talked and then we talked some more. He wanted to see me right there and then and I was like "hell no, I don't even know you!". I knew his music, but that's not the same as knowing *him*. We kept in touch and a few months later I was spending the summer in NYC. I called him and said I was in town. He told me "get over here, now!". So, I did. We spent the summer together and I loved him and it was great but I just was too young (Leon was quite a bit older) and I just didn't get it all. I didn't *understand*.
I've grown up ALOT since then. I went off to grad school, met my (now separated from) husband and I didn't really think about Leon all that much. After grad. school I moved to NYC and saw him at the Village Vanguard one night. He came on to me so strongly, it scared me a little and I told hinm I was married. We completely lost touch for almost 20 years (a life-time for me and for him). Then about 8 years ago, I started listening to his music all the time very deeply and something told me I had to somehow reach him. I can't describe it anymore than to say it was some sort of spiritual calling for me. I don't know if it was because my marriage was in shambles or I somehow knew he needed me or what--maybe a combination of everything.
So, one night I went to the VV to hear Pharoah Sanders and I went backstage to say "hi" to John Hicks (the piano player) and I asked them if he and Pharoah if they knew how I could get a hold of Leon. The look that passed over their faces and the looks they gave one another broke my heart! I KNEW I HAD TO REACH HIM. One night, while I was doing some work for my job, I started thumbing through an old address book I had--I came across Leon's address when I knew him in NYC. I wondered if he could possibly still be there but I also knew New Yorkers don't give up their apartments. So, with a wing and a prayer I sent him a Christmas card and just wrote a note about how much his music meant to me blah, blah. Lo and behold, he had gotten the card although he didn't live there anymore (the doorman had given him the card.)
He called me a couple of weeks later, we met for dinner and knew we had to be together and the rest is history, I guess. This time I was able to understand things more clearly and we really got along on so many levels--of which music was a major connection.
I'll comment later on the music he listened to.
Yes, David, that's the same Leon Thomas. That Santana record is the one that he had the gold record for. |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 17:47:50
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I'm so upset no one has responded to my post!
Well, I'll forge ahead anyway.
Some of you asked what type of music Leon listened to. Well, he was a jazz musician so he listened to jazz. He knew everything about the music but, of course, this is a cat who started singing w/ Count Basie in '62-64, then worked with Pharoah, his own group, Randy Weston, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Joe Henderson and you name it! And, of course, Santana. Carlos Santana heard Leon singing on the radio or juke box somewhere and out of the blue asked him to join the group--it was like an answer from heaven because Leon needed a great gig like that at the time. He toured with Santana for a couple of years, playing HUGE arenas and all that but it certainly took its toll on his health and spirit. Too much of everything going on. I'm not sure Leon really listened that much to Santana before he acccepted the gig. He mainly was listening to jazz and things his contemporaries were doing--I know he dug Sun Ra, the Ayler Bros., Miles (of course), Randy Weston, Eddie Jefferson, Sarah.
When we were together we listened to a lot of different stuff (all jazz, however) but our favorite was "Clifford Brown with Strings". If you all don't know that album--I highly, highly recommend it. It is so gorgeous! Leon told me he would listen to it to listen to Brownie's phrasing and he would learn to sing from that. I can totally see this--this is a beautiful album for vocalists (and everyone) to listen to. A lot of singers do like to listen to trumpet playing for phrasing and most trumpet players (this is what I have come to see) love vocals and often like to sing themselves (and often they are pretty good!)
Most of Leon's albums are now released on CD. A fantastic one (my personal fave) is "Live In Berlin" w/ Oliver Nelson. I think I can say with pretty much certainty that the people who frequent this board would ADORE this album. It is phenomenal and the concert was the most popular of the entire jazz fest. that year. Leon told me audience applauded for half an hour (literally). His vocal and percussive work is out of this world!!! Fantastic playing by Oliver Nelson and the rest of the band too.
Soul Bros. Records of England put out a great anthology of Leon's a few years ago. I was with him when he got his copy (and an extra which he gave me)and he was very happy with it. Some of the songs I hadn't even heard before and I was amazed. I remember I was crying-- some of it was so beautiful. Check out the lyrics on a song like "Shape Your Mind to Die". The orchestrations and arrangements are fabulous too. There are so many others...but maybe it's all too much info for everyone?
I was lucky to get to hear him perform many, many times. His shows were a spiritual experience. Fans were rapturous about him.
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otis robb
Third Love
50 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 02:34:54
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Yes yours truly is a leon Thomas fan and highly recommend for anyone who MAY NOT be familar with Leon (who sadly passed away some time ago) to pick on his "FACETS THE LEGEND OF LEON THOMAS" Anthology which of course has the classic,' The Creator has a Master Plan' with its stellar line up of Roy Haynes-drums, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Cecil McBee-bass and of course 'Little Rock' aka FARRELL SAUNDERS aka Pharoah Sanders on tenor! Incidentally Leon composed a track called 'L-o-v-e' (was he thinking about King Arthure Porter Taylor Lee?) which is included here. Also standouts are: 'Song For My Father' 'Duke's Place' 'Welcome to New York' and just about every other track here!!!
Also reccommend his live recording from MONTREUX SWITZERLAND June 1971 entitled ,"Gold Sunrise on Magic Mountain' featuring the renowned OLIVER NELSON on Alto Sax and VICTOR GASKIN on bass.
Also 1987 Pharoah Sanders, 'Oh Lord Let Me Do No Wrong' has 3 Leon Thomas vocals on there along with another stellar lineup of WILLIAM HENDERSON on piano (who has been with Pharoah for quite some time now!) and DONALD SMITH on electric piano! Very good comapanions to any ARTHUR LEE and Love recordings. Till the next... Peace |
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otis robb
Third Love
50 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 02:36:37
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Yes yours truly is a leon Thomas fan and highly recommend for anyone who MAY NOT be familar with Leon (who sadly passed away some time ago) to pick on his "FACETS THE LEGEND OF LEON THOMAS" Anthology which of course has the classic,' The Creator has a Master Plan' with its stellar line up of Roy Haynes-drums, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Cecil McBee-bass and of course 'Little Rock' aka FARRELL SAUNDERS aka Pharoah Sanders on tenor! Incidentally Leon composed a track called 'L-o-v-e' (was he thinking about King Arthure Porter Taylor Lee?) which is included here. Also standouts are: 'Song For My Father' 'Duke's Place' 'Welcome to New York' and just about every other track here!!!
Also reccommend his live recording from MONTREUX SWITZERLAND June 1971 entitled ,"Gold Sunrise on Magic Mountain' featuring the renowned OLIVER NELSON on Alto Sax and VICTOR GASKIN on bass.
Also 1987 Pharoah Sanders, 'Oh Lord Let Me Do No Wrong' has 3 Leon Thomas vocals on there along with another stellar lineup of WILLIAM HENDERSON on piano (who has been with Pharoah for quite some time now!) and DONALD SMITH on electric piano! Very good comapanions to any ARTHUR LEE and Love recordings. Till the next... Peace |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 05:54:03
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Wow, Otis, you really are a Leon Thomas fan! I second all your recommendations! William Henderson is a hell of a piano player and
he still plays with Pharoah! I love "Oh, Lord Don't Let me DO no Wrong". And , no he wasn't thinking of AL when he sang L-O-V-E! LOL! I can't tell you how much I wish I could ask Leon if he was hip to AL!! |
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otis robb
Third Love
50 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 06:23:28
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Jazzy Mary;Oh yes Im a big fan of jazz and INTO just about all of the 3000 plus vinyl lps and near 1000 cd's in our record library. Im from New Jersey originally and my wife and I used to go into New York all the time for some of the best jazz around. Here in Nashville and can just about forget that! For example, McCoy Tyner, performed here last April where there was too be two shows. The 2nd was cancelled and the first one just about 'sold'. The Belcourt Theatre only seats 400 people! I mean if we want to see jazz, we have to go to St. Louis or Atlanta, even thats questionable at best too! Atlanta has their free 3 event on the Memorial Day weekend. This year they had Shirley Horn Jimmy Scott Ahmad Jamal The HEath Brothers and a bunch of others. Free Too! The last time we saw Pharoah was at the Variety Playhouse 10 years ago and JEAN CARN sang the lead on 'Creator' and did a great job too I might add. As for Arthur Lee, Ive been a fan since 1967/1968. WNEW-FM when they were still cool and werent inundated with being a part of the commercial overkill of the 70's was playing a lot of LOVE back then. Forever Changes=You Set the Scene was played quite frequently. Leon Thomas was a gem! Dont think too many people understood his delivery.
Im also a teacher's assistant down here and get to teach music and its REALLY HARD trying to get these kids as early as 2nd grade to appreciate other artists beside the RAP that is shoved down their throats. I'll never forget when I brought an Art Blakey documentary video in, that went over like a lead balloon and a half!!!
Till the next... |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 17:14:29
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Oh Leon had a real cadre of fans. He was "Downbeat's" vocalist of the year for year after year. Leon died May 8, 1999.
Do you like Jimmy Scott? He's a good friend of mine. I traveled in Japan for two weeks with him about 4 years ago. It was so much fun!! He is an extraordinary man. Truly one of the kindest, wisest cats I've ever met!
Otis, you should come up to New York for some weekends--we have tons of jazz here! |
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otis robb
Third Love
50 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 20:42:05
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Youre probably on the same wavelength as I am. As for JIMMY SCOTT, oh yes. When we lived in ATLANTA, we went to the LABOR DAY SAVANNAH JAZZ FEST in Sept 1992. We met Jimmy and had asked him about the time he and LOU REED did the ARSENIO HALL SHOW the night of the RODNEY KING verdict. He told us there was so much security around the studio it was unbelieveable. I took many photos of that show. There was a documentary shown on JIMMY some time ago here on NPT TV that talked about his career, quite good I might add. I have a copy of his 'THE SOURCE' on vinyl. Thats quite a rarity since I believe it was shelved by ATLANTIC very quickly. Jimmy's phrasing is quite unique. Also have in our library 'Dream'' Heaven' and 'Mood Indigo'
Glad somebody besides me knows about these folks. Since There are national treasures like ARTHUR LEE.
As for coming up to NEW YORK, it will be sometime. My wife is in her second year of nursing here. Plus besides being involved with music, have a studio and doing live interviews on a radio station(WVOL 1470am) Speaking of, we played LOVE/Arthur Lee some time back and got some good response to it. Not many people in Nashville know about him either. and VOL is an urban station(classic R&B) too.
Its interesting on this site how the ARTHUR LEE CAMPS are split up.
For some, anything after FOREVER CHANGES is rubbish. Some others like myself see the REEDEMPTIVE MUSICAL VALUES in ALL OF HIS WORKS from a strict musical perspective. Everybody cant be an expert and I guess Im not one of them! (no having over 3000 lps and near 1000 cd's means nothing!) Till the next.... |
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jazzy mary
Third Love
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 03:14:38
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Hey Otis, the most recent documentary on Jimmy was on the "Independent Lens' show on PBS. I saw it a few months ago. The cool thing is that much of the various concert footage (for example Jimmy's breathtaking, gorgeous rendition of ?Motherless Child") were at venues in Japan and I was there! It was very interesting being followed around by this camera guy and director. Nice guy, we had sushi with him one night. And no, I'm not in the film--but it was a great film and I urge everyone to see it if it is on re runs.
Otis, I fell in love with jazz when I was 14 and heard Charlie Parker the first time on a Louis Malle film soundtrack. The moment I heard those beautiful, soaring notes I was hooked. The next day I ran with my little allowance and got my first Bird album on Verve "Night & Day", chosen because I like that Cole Porter song so much! I still have that LP--from there I discovered them all--from Trane to Miles to Sonny to Gene to Art to Freddie to Herbie to Wayne and so on and so on. It didn't hurt that I cut my teeth to Ella, Nat and Sarah. I was such (still am) an Ella freak as a child, that I asked Santa Claus for her albums!! He brought them to me too---Santa was swingin'! I thik that is why I know almost every song in the GAS--all those Ella sonbook albums I had!!! I loved singing to them--I still do. I used to sing for Leon sometimes! That took some nerve, but he knew I knew so many songs and he liked to hear me sing them. I used to sign "Precious Energy" for him too! LOL!! |
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Is Anyone Hip to Leon Thomas??
