Rene Thomas

Biography

25 February 1927, Liège, Belgium, d. 3 January 1975, Santander, Spain. Thomas was a self-taught guitarist at first much influenced by Django Reinhardt. By the time he moved to Paris in the early 50s, he had adapted to the style of Jimmy Raney. In Paris he played with many visiting Americans including trumpeter Chet Baker in 1955. In 1958 he moved to New York where he worked with the groups of pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, who thought him ‘better than any of the American guitarists of the day’. He was an excellent accompanist who soloed with long, flowing lines and a sharp attack. By 1963 he had returned to Paris and was working with Kenny Clarke and others. He played with tenor saxophonist Stan Getz from 1969-72. Thomas died of a heart attack in 1975.

Read the Full Biography of Rene Thomas