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Artist
Leon Thomas
12+ albums
jazzsoulfunkspiritual jazzfree jazz
about
There is more than one person with Leon Thomas as their name: 1) American avant-garde jazz singer 2) American singer/producer/actor 3) Australian blues/folk 4) funk/soul 1. Leon Thomas (born Amos Leon Thomas Jr. on October 4, 1937, died May 8, 1999) was an American avant garde jazz singer from East St. Louis, Illinois. He changed his name to Leone in 1974. Thomas is best known for his work with Pharoah Sanders, particularly the 1969 song "The Creator Has a Master Plan" from Sanders' Karma album. Thomas's most distinctive device was that he often broke out into yodeling in the middle of a vocal. This style has influenced singers James Moody and Tim Buckley,among others. Thomas studied music at Tennessee State University. He also worked with Grant Green, Jimmy Forrest, and Hank Crawford, Count Basie, Mary Lou Williams, Randy Weston, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Louis Armstrong, Carlos Santana, Freddie Hubbard and Oliver Nelson. Thomas died of heart failure on May 8, 1999. 2. Leon Thomas (born Leon G. Thomas III on August 1, 1993 in Brooklyn) is an American actor, singer, songwriter and record producer, known for his performances in the Broadway productions The Lion King, Caroline, or Change, The Color Purple and for his character Andre Harris on the Nickelodeon series Victorious. He appeared in the film August Rush as Arthur performing the song "La Bamba" and was the singing voice for Tyrone in The Backyardigans. Thomas has also guest starred on Jack's Big Music Show and Just Jord
