René Thomas (guitarist)

René Thomas ( born February 25, 1927 in Liege, † January 3, 1975 in Santander) was a Belgian jazz guitarist.

Life

Thomas learned his instrument as an autodidact. In the late 1940s he began to play with the Bob Shots by Bobby Jaspar, Jacques Pelzer and Francy Boland. He then in 1950 went to Paris with Jaspar. There he played with Chet Baker and played 1954 first recordings for Barclay Records an (LP René Thomas And His Orchestra ). In 1956 he moved to North America where he played with Al Haig, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Zoot Sims and Jackie McLean. Under his own name he recorded the album " Guitar Groove " (1960). In 1962 he returned to Paris and recorded with Chet Baker, John Lewis, Lucky Thompson, Lee Konitz, Jack Diéval and Stéphane Grappelli.

Between 1969 and 1972 he was a member of the band of Stan Getz. He continued to play in the organ trios of Lou Bennett and Eddy Louis's (often with Kenny Clarke), but also with Ingfried Hoffmann, with Claude Nougaro and with Sonny Criss. Together with Jacques Pelzer he took shortly before his death on another plate. One of his better known compositions, " Ballad for Leo " was recorded by Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin ( as " Rene 's Theme ").