Its my life Im Fighting for.... finally and for nobody - TopicsExpress



          

Its my life Im Fighting for.... finally and for nobody else... One of the many promising vocalists who followed Joe Williams in the 1960s Count Basie band (Bill Henderson, O. C. Smith, Irene Reid, and Richard Boone were others.), Leon Thomas more than lived up to his promise. He is most noted for his yodeling (He substituted it for scat and gave it deeper meaning than scat.), but he was rock solid blues at bottom. His music referenced the social upheaval of the 1960s -70s, but because of his artistry and spirituality his records survive as much more than documentation of an era. He occasionally performed and recorded in the 1980’s – 90’s. Thomas died in 1999 after years of drug problems. He is starting to be recognized as one of the premier singers of the time. This lp should help. Full Circle (Flying Dutchman, 1973) was conceived as a commercial session. It is not a sell out. The best funk session players of the time were brought in to back Thomas, particularly Richard Davis who gives the music a strong sense of forward momentum. Thomas mostly sings better pop tunes of the time, tunes with energy and personality. He puts his own stamp on them, often lifting them to the next level with his authority. Pianist Neal Creque (who likely served as musical director) and Thomas also wrote three tunes. A string section (The uncredited arranger is probably Creque.) plays fills and riffs on four numbers. The strings are rhythmically oriented and actually enhance the music. Personnel: Leon Thomas- vocals, whistling, maracas// Neil Creque - piano//Richard Davis - electric bass// Joe Beck, Lloyd Davis - guitar// Jimmy Owens - trumpet, flugelhorn//Pee Wee Ellis - soprano// Joe Farrell - tenor, flute// Bernard Purdie - drums// Herbie Lovelle, Richard Landrum, Sonny Morgan - percussion// Leo Kahn, Gene Orloff, Joe Malignaggi, Raoul Poliakin, Emmanuel Green, David Nadien -violin// Richard Dickler, Carl Fleisig, - viola// Anthony Sophos, Alan Shulman - cello;
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 17:05:25 +0000

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