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| chronology = [[Leon Thomas]]
| chronology = [[Leon Thomas]]
| prev_title = [[Spirits Known and Unknown]]
| prev_title = [[Spirits Known and Unknown]]
| prev_year = 1969
| prev_year = 1970
| next_title = [[Leon Thomas in Berlin]]
| next_title = [[Leon Thomas in Berlin]]
| next_year = 1971
| next_year = 1971
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| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="AllMusic" />
| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="AllMusic" />
| rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
| rev2Score = A<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: T|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=T&bk=70|accessdate=March 16, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref>
}}
}}
[[AllMusic]] reviewer Thom Jurek stated: "On the follow-up to the mind-blowing ''Spirits Known and Unknown'', singer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer Leon Thomas decided to take a different track. Far from the sparely orchestrated ensembles of the previous works, Thomas loaded this set with jazz luminaries ... Side one is the up-tempo jazz ride, as Thomas and company rip through a host of his own tunes ... The real gem on the album is "Pharaoh's Tune (The Journey)," which comprises all of side two ... It's a breathtaking ride made all the more so by the long, jazzed-out setup of side one. Why this guy wasn't huge is a mystery.".<ref name="AllMusic">{{Allmusic|first=Thom |last=Jurek |class=album |id=mw0000919362 |title= Leon Thomas: ''The Leon Thomas Album'' – Review |accessdate= November 13, 2018}}</ref>
[[AllMusic]] reviewer Thom Jurek stated: "On the follow-up to the mind-blowing ''Spirits Known and Unknown'', singer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer Leon Thomas decided to take a different track. Far from the sparely orchestrated ensembles of the previous works, Thomas loaded this set with jazz luminaries ... Side one is the up-tempo jazz ride, as Thomas and company rip through a host of his own tunes ... The real gem on the album is "Pharaoh's Tune (The Journey)," which comprises all of side two ... It's a breathtaking ride made all the more so by the long, jazzed-out setup of side one. Why this guy wasn't huge is a mystery.".<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|first=Thom |last=Jurek |class=album |id=mw0000919362 |title= Leon Thomas: ''The Leon Thomas Album'' – Review |accessdate= November 13, 2018}}</ref> Critic [[Robert Christgau]] said "He has literally expanded the musical possibilities of the human voice. He is as powerful a jazz/blues singer as [[Joe Williams (jazz singer)|Joe Williams]] or [[Big Joe Turner|Joe Turner]], both of whom he occasionally resembles, as inventive a scatter as [[Ella Fitzgerald]] ... I have to suspend my disbelief and recommend this record unreservedly to anyone with the slightest fondness for jazz".<ref name="CG"/>


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
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==Personnel==
==Personnel==
*[[Leon Thomas]] − vocals, maracas, Thailand flute, Hindewe flute, Freedom flute (Equador), bells
*[[Leon Thomas]] − vocals, maracas, Thailand flute, Hindewe flute, Freedom flute (Ecuador), bells
*[[Ernie Royal]] − trumpet (tracks 1-3 & 5)
*[[Ernie Royal]] − trumpet (tracks 1-3 & 5)
*Donald Smith (tracks 1-3 & 5), [[James Spaulding]] (tracks $ & 5) − flute
*Donald Smith (tracks 1-3 & 5), [[James Spaulding]] (tracks 4 & 5) − flute
*Sonny Morgan − bongos, African oboe
*Sonny Morgan − bongos, African oboe
*[[Jerome Richardson]] − alto saxophone (tracks 1-3 & 5)
*[[Jerome Richardson]] − alto saxophone (tracks 1-3 & 5)
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*John Williams Jr. − electric bass (tracks 1-3 & 5)
*John Williams Jr. − electric bass (tracks 1-3 & 5)
*[[Bob Cunningham (musician)|Bob Cunningham]] − bass (tracks 4 & 5)
*[[Bob Cunningham (musician)|Bob Cunningham]] − bass (tracks 4 & 5)
*[[Billy Cobham]] (tracks 1-3 & 5), [[Roy Haynes]] (tracks 4 & 5)
*[[Billy Cobham]] (tracks 1-3 & 5), [[Roy Haynes]] (tracks 4 & 5) − drums
*Gene Golden − bongos (tracks 4 & 5)
*Gene Golden − bongos (tracks 4 & 5)
*Richie "Pablo" Landrum − congas
*Richie "Pablo" Landrum − congas
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{Leon Thomas}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leon Thomas Album, The}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leon Thomas Album, The}}
[[Category:Leon Thomas albums]]
[[Category:Leon Thomas albums]]

Latest revision as of 00:18, 31 March 2024

The Leon Thomas Album
Studio album by
Leon Thomas
Released1970
Recorded1970
StudioNew York City
GenreJazz
Length39:08
LabelFlying Dutchman
FD/FDS 10132
ProducerBob Thiele
Leon Thomas chronology
Spirits Known and Unknown
(1970) 		The Leon Thomas Album
(1970) 		Leon Thomas in Berlin
(1971)

The Leon Thomas Album is the second album by American jazz vocalist and percussionist Leon Thomas recorded in 1970 and released by the Flying Dutchman label.[1][2][3]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Christgau's Record GuideA[5]

AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek stated: "On the follow-up to the mind-blowing Spirits Known and Unknown, singer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer Leon Thomas decided to take a different track. Far from the sparely orchestrated ensembles of the previous works, Thomas loaded this set with jazz luminaries ... Side one is the up-tempo jazz ride, as Thomas and company rip through a host of his own tunes ... The real gem on the album is "Pharaoh's Tune (The Journey)," which comprises all of side two ... It's a breathtaking ride made all the more so by the long, jazzed-out setup of side one. Why this guy wasn't huge is a mystery.".[4] Critic Robert Christgau said "He has literally expanded the musical possibilities of the human voice. He is as powerful a jazz/blues singer as Joe Williams or Joe Turner, both of whom he occasionally resembles, as inventive a scatter as Ella Fitzgerald ... I have to suspend my disbelief and recommend this record unreservedly to anyone with the slightest fondness for jazz".[5]

Track listing

[edit]

All compositions by Leon Thomas except where noted

  1. "Come Along" (Leon Thomas, Neal Creque) − 3:02
  2. "I Am" − 3:17
  3. "Bag's Groove" (Milt Jackson, Ellen May Shashoyan) − 3:19
  4. "Um, Um, Um" − 11:35
  5. "Pharoah's Tune (The Journey)" (Leon Thomas, Pharoah Sanders) − 17:55

Personnel

[edit]
  • Leon Thomas − vocals, maracas, Thailand flute, Hindewe flute, Freedom flute (Ecuador), bells
  • Ernie Royal − trumpet (tracks 1-3 & 5)
  • Donald Smith (tracks 1-3 & 5), James Spaulding (tracks 4 & 5) − flute
  • Sonny Morgan − bongos, African oboe
  • Jerome Richardson − alto saxophone (tracks 1-3 & 5)
  • Billy Harper − tenor saxophone (tracks 1-3 & 5)
  • Howard Johnson − baritone saxophone (tracks 1-3 & 5)
  • Arthur Sterling - piano
  • John Williams Jr. − electric bass (tracks 1-3 & 5)
  • Bob Cunningham − bass (tracks 4 & 5)
  • Billy Cobham (tracks 1-3 & 5), Roy Haynes (tracks 4 & 5) − drums
  • Gene Golden − bongos (tracks 4 & 5)
  • Richie "Pablo" Landrum − congas
  • Oliver Nelson − arranger, conductor (tracks 1-3 & 5)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jazzlists: Flying Dutchman 10100 series discography, accessed November 18, 2019
  2. ^ Both Sides Now: Flying Dutchman Label Discography, accessed November 18, 2019
  3. ^ Leon Thomas Select Discography 1: Recordings as a Leader, accessed November 18, 2019
  4. ^ a b Jurek, Thom. Leon Thomas: The Leon Thomas Album – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 16, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
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