René Thomas

[Alon Marcus]

An Israeli web shop named Jazzis has a sale (each cd 6$) and they have EDDY LOUISS TRIO with Thomas.

LOUISS, EDDY ~ EDDY LOUISS TRIO

DREYFUS 36501

French organ player Eddy Louiss should be as famous as the brightest stars on the Jazz firmanent, but the fact that he chose to remain in his native country and not tour worldwide made him almost unknown outside France. Nevertheless he is a brilliant player and this 1968 recording is ample evidence of that. His trio includes US drummer Kenny Clarke and Belgian virtuoso guitarist Rene Thomas (another superb player little known outside his native country). The material includes both modern Jazz standard by Davis, Silver and Gillespie and original tunes by Clarke and Thomas. Great stuff!

The link to the web shop is - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/shop_frames.asp

If interested look in sale items.

Just mentioned it, no commercial purposes, don't earn anything out of that thing.

[birdanddizzy]

René Thomas is one of my all-time favorite jazz guitarist (and I'm just 19!).

He is one of the few who could tell you (with his guitar!) a story on a theme during 5 or 10 minutes. Listen to the live at Comblain-la-Tour in 1962 when Thomas played "All morning long" : just amazing !

His sound is very special, not similar to the one of other jazz guitarists (even if he also had the classic bar pickup Charlie Christian).

At the very beginning, René Thomas played like Django (in the 40s). When he discovered Jimmy Raney's style listening to Jimmy Gourley in Paris, he found his own way. Musicians said that R+R=T (understand Reinhardt+Raney=Thomas). I have exactly the same point of view : René Thomas gave a new life to Raney's technique and went beyond.

From left to right : Jimmy Gourley, René Thomas, Sacha Distel and Jimmy Raney.

I also apreciate the last recordings of René Thomas, more free-jazz. This album is a must have for all jazz guitar lovers (click on the cover for further details) :

[Jim R]

I've always liked that photo. First saw it when I got Norman Mongan's "The History Of The Guitar In Jazz" back in the early 80's. Haven't seen it anywhere else since!

I'm sure Thomas was heavily influenced by Django early on, but I hear much less of Django in Thomas' style and sound, as compared to Raney. I think of Thomas' sound as being somewhat similar to Raney's (especially the 50's recordings), but with an added "bite" that became more evident as time went on.

[Guest]

United Notions on MetroJazz (I think)

Interesting album because of the personal.

[Jim R]

United Notions on MetroJazz (I think)

Interesting album because of the personal.

MetroJazz it was. I haven't pulled out my LP in a long time. It is an interesting album... interesting personnel... too bad it hasn't been out on CD.

[montg]

I picked up 'Guitar Groove' from Newbury Comics recently...very nice session! Tootie Heath really kicks things up a notch, very swinging. This CD, unfortunately, seems to be the victim of Concord's senseless reissue policy (i.e. going oop), so heads up if you haven't gotten it yet. There still appear to be some copies left from Newbury at the amazon site.

[EKE BBB]

I picked up 'Guitar Groove' from Newbury Comics recently...very nice session! Tootie Heath really kicks things up a notch, very swinging. This CD, unfortunately, seems to be the victim of Concord's senseless reissue policy (i.e. going oop), so heads up if you haven't gotten it yet. There still appear to be some copies left from Newbury at the amazon site.

Yep, I'm afraid is going OOP: backordered on cduniverse.

[Jim R]

I picked up 'Guitar Groove' from Newbury Comics recently...very nice session! Tootie Heath really kicks things up a notch, very swinging. This CD, unfortunately, seems to be the victim of Concord's senseless reissue policy (i.e. going oop), so heads up if you haven't gotten it yet. There still appear to be some copies left from Newbury at the amazon site.

For those who may not be big guitar fans (and not inclined to buy a lot of guitar recordings), but want something representative by the greatest players... this is THE disc to get by Rene Thomas, imo.

[brownie]

I picked up 'Guitar Groove' from Newbury Comics recently...very nice session! Tootie Heath really kicks things up a notch, very swinging. This CD, unfortunately, seems to be the victim of Concord's senseless reissue policy (i.e. going oop), so heads up if you haven't gotten it yet. There still appear to be some copies left from Newbury at the amazon site.

For those who may not be big guitar fans (and not inclined to buy a lot of guitar recordings), but want something representative by the greatest players... this is THE disc to get by Rene Thomas, imo.

One to get not only for the superb playing by René Thomas but for J.R. Monterose in one of his best sideman appearance!

[Jim R]

I picked up 'Guitar Groove' from Newbury Comics recently...very nice session! Tootie Heath really kicks things up a notch, very swinging. This CD, unfortunately, seems to be the victim of Concord's senseless reissue policy (i.e. going oop), so heads up if you haven't gotten it yet. There still appear to be some copies left from Newbury at the amazon site.

For those who may not be big guitar fans (and not inclined to buy a lot of guitar recordings), but want something representative by the greatest players... this is THE disc to get by Rene Thomas, imo.

One to get not only for the superb playing by René Thomas but for J.R. Monterose in one of his best sideman appearance!

Agreed. Brownie, I meant to ask you... how does your vinyl sound? I had two different original copies of this, and even the one that looked perfect was rather noisy. Jazzland vinyl was always kind of hit and miss for me, but after two tries on this LP, I gave up (just as well really, I was very happy when the CD came out).

[brownie]

Brownie, I meant to ask you... how does your vinyl sound? I had two different original copies of this, and even the one that looked perfect was rather noisy. Jazzland vinyl was always kind of hit and miss for me, but after two tries on this LP, I gave up (just as well really, I was very happy when the CD came out).

The vinyl of my copy is clean. Problem is the flat sound that comes from it, as was the case on so many Riverside/Jazzland albums!

Before getting this original copy, I had a French vinyl reissue from the 70s that sounded better than this.

I still have a copy of it somewhere.

I should probably get the CD version if you're happy with it!

[robertoart]

I've always liked that photo. First saw it when I got Norman Mongan's "The History Of The Guitar In Jazz" back in the early 80's. Haven't seen it anywhere else since!

I'm sure Thomas was heavily influenced by Django early on, but I hear much less of Django in Thomas' style and sound, as compared to Raney. I think of Thomas' sound as being somewhat similar to Raney's (especially the 50's recordings), but with an added "bite" that became more evident as time went on.

Yes I had the book this photo was from and always remember it. It's such a beautiful picture and says so much about the music. Thanks for posting this and reminding me. I was thinking of this very picture only a little while ago when I caught an old eposide of Parkinson that had Sacha Distel guesting. He sang and played a nice guitar interlude.

Also reminds me of a great duet tribute to Rene by McLaughlin and Coryell called 'Rene's Theme'. Can't remember which album it was off. Definitely an early Coryell Vanguard one, a very fiery exchange.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

One of the things I find quite strange about Rene Thomas is how much like Grant Green he sounds when playing with organists. Actually, I don't have anything of him without an organist on board

MG

[medjuck]

I have a vaguae meory that Thomas was hanging around Montreal when I moved there in 1961 b ut I didn't know enough to go see him when he performed.

[brownie]

Philip Catherine is a very worthy successor to that line of outstanding Belgian guitarists!

His albums should be checked too!

[Jim R]

One of the things I find quite strange about Rene Thomas is how much like Grant Green he sounds when playing with organists. Actually, I don't have anything of him without an organist on board

MG

Interesting... I don't really fully agree (at least I don't think I do... in terms of specifically comparing their sonic personalities), but at the very least we can observe that Green was also influenced by Raney. There's even less of a similarity in sound between Raney and Green, imo, but at least Thomas had a bit more of an "edginess" to his attack and sound, like Grant.

I wonder if Green ever heard much (or any) of R.T. I suspect that Thomas heard some of Green's work on Blue Note, but by then Thomas' sound was already well formed. If Green dug Raney (and he did), I would guess he'd have dug R.T. at least as much or even more.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

One of the things I find quite strange about Rene Thomas is how much like Grant Green he sounds when playing with organists. Actually, I don't have anything of him without an organist on board

MG

Interesting... I don't really fully agree (at least I don't think I do... in terms of specifically comparing their sonic personalities), but at the very least we can observe that Green was also influenced by Raney. There's even less of a similarity in sound between Raney and Green, imo, but at least Thomas had a bit more of an "edginess" to his attack and sound, like Grant.

I wonder if Green ever heard much (or any) of R.T. I suspect that Thomas heard some of Green's work on Blue Note, but by then Thomas' sound was already well formed. If Green dug Raney (and he did), I would guess he'd have dug R.T. at least as much or even more.

Oh, there's nothing specific in their styles that links one to the other. I agree Thomas couldn't have been influenced by Green and I doubt very much if Green heard Thomas at all. Raney is a possible link, as you say.

But it's more the way each swings with an organ; they both FLY! And the way they both seem to attach importance to space; is that a Raney thing? I'm not familiar with Raney's style.

MG

[robertoart]

Well from the discography I'd like to hear ENfin with Lou Bennet that sounds really interesting. There is a Lou Bennet lp with Jimmy Goulay on GEMM going for the small amount of $3026.48 us however. Might have to settle for an entry level intro to Bennet/Thomas when I can.

The sound bites from Guitar Groove on Amazon remind me a bit of GG's head arrangments for Solid actually. Thomas's tone is rich and full too. Time for a re-acquantence.

[mikeweil]

Brownie, I meant to ask you... how does your vinyl sound? I had two different original copies of this, and even the one that looked perfect was rather noisy. Jazzland vinyl was always kind of hit and miss for me, but after two tries on this LP, I gave up (just as well really, I was very happy when the CD came out).

The vinyl of my copy is clean. Problem is the flat sound that comes from it, as was the case on so many Riverside/Jazzland albums!

Before getting this original copy, I had a French vinyl reissue from the 70s that sounded better than this.

I still have a copy of it somewhere.

I should probably get the CD version if you're happy with it!

I have the US limited edition OJC vinyl issue and it sounds fine. Maybe there are some of this around ... but this is so good an album, musically, that the sound is not so big an issue!

[Jim R]

One of the things I find quite strange about Rene Thomas is how much like Grant Green he sounds when playing with organists. Actually, I don't have anything of him without an organist on board

MG

Interesting... I don't really fully agree (at least I don't think I do... in terms of specifically comparing their sonic personalities), but at the very least we can observe that Green was also influenced by Raney. There's even less of a similarity in sound between Raney and Green, imo, but at least Thomas had a bit more of an "edginess" to his attack and sound, like Grant.

I wonder if Green ever heard much (or any) of R.T. I suspect that Thomas heard some of Green's work on Blue Note, but by then Thomas' sound was already well formed. If Green dug Raney (and he did), I would guess he'd have dug R.T. at least as much or even more.

Oh, there's nothing specific in their styles that links one to the other. I agree Thomas couldn't have been influenced by Green and I doubt very much if Green heard Thomas at all. Raney is a possible link, as you say.

But it's more the way each swings with an organ; they both FLY! And the way they both seem to attach importance to space; is that a Raney thing? I'm not familiar with Raney's style.

MG

I see. I don't think too much emphasis should be placed on comparing Green and Thomas (with or without an organ present), I guess that was my main point. Raney was most certainly a link, being a primary influence on R.T. and also on GG, though perhaps less so (he did go on record as saying that Raney influenced him to some extent).

I think Thomas probably used space more overtly than Raney- especially in his later years. I think Thomas' style evolved more overtly over time than did Raney's. Also, I'd say that Raney was always more a bopper, whereas Thomas evolved from that strong Raney influence into somewhat of a hard bopper (and beyond, when you take into account his work on Getz's "Dynasty" and some other later work where he gets further away from his bebop roots).

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Well from the discography I'd like to hear ENfin with Lou Bennet that sounds really interesting. There is a Lou Bennet lp with Jimmy Goulay on GEMM going for the small amount of $3026.48 us however. Might have to settle for an entry level intro to Bennet/Thomas when I can.

Blimey! I've got that! Not the original, though - first reissue.

You should be able to pick up "Meeting Mr Thomas" for a reasonable price - it is (or was until recently) available on the Jazz in Paris series. It's a lovely album!

MG

[brownie]

Well from the discography I'd like to hear ENfin with Lou Bennet that sounds really interesting. There is a Lou Bennet lp with Jimmy Goulay on GEMM going for the small amount of $3026.48 us however. Might have to settle for an entry level intro to Bennet/Thomas when I can.

Lou Bennett's 'Enfin!' was reissued in 2004 by RCA France in their Gold Series. Seems to have gone OOP once more!

As for that Lou Bennett/Jimmy Gourley 'Amen', I cherish the French RCA original vinyl. The cover bears signed autographs by all four musicians (Bennett, Gourley, Klook and Jean-Marie Ingrand)!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

As for that Lou Bennett/Jimmy Gourley 'Amen', I cherish the French RCA original vinyl. The cover bears signed autographs by all four musicians (Bennett, Gourley, Klook and Jean-Marie Ingrand)!

You're rich!!!!

MG

[robertoart]

As for that Lou Bennett/Jimmy Gourley 'Amen', I cherish the French RCA original vinyl. The cover bears signed autographs by all four musicians (Bennett, Gourley, Klook and Jean-Marie Ingrand)!

You're rich!!!!

MG

Well with those autographs Brownie your vinyl might fetch $6026.48 on the open market.

[brownie]

As for that Lou Bennett/Jimmy Gourley 'Amen', I cherish the French RCA original vinyl. The cover bears signed autographs by all four musicians (Bennett, Gourley, Klook and Jean-Marie Ingrand)!

You're rich!!!!

MG

Well with those autographs Brownie your vinyl might fetch $6026.48 on the open market.

A Buy It Now price of $6026,47 will bring this vinyl to whoever wants to get this album