Leron Thomas
| Leron Thomas | |
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Leron Thomas during his Parisian tour 2015
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| Background information | |
| Born | April 8, 1979 |
| Origin | Houston, Texas |
| Genres | Jazz, Electropop, Funk, Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, Trumpeter, Singer-Songwriter, Producer |
| Instruments | Trumpet |
| Years active | 2000 – present |
| Labels | Heavenly Sweetness |
| Website | leronthomas |
Leron Thomas (born April 8, 1979) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer and vocalist noted for his musical style as a "masterful genre-bender". Born in Houston, Texas Thomas attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He moved to New York City to study Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School university. There he studied alongside many notable contemporaries and began working professionally prior to his graduation in 2003.
Performing live with Billy Harper, Thomas also recorded with Bilal. In 2001, upon the release of Bilal's 1st Born Second album Thomas toured as a member of Bilal's band on Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun World Tour, and the subsequent touring in the USA, Europe and Asia. He recorded with Dennis Ferrer in 2002 and played live alongside Roy Hargrove at The Trumpet Shall Sound series at the Jazz Gallery in New York. Prior to graduation in 2003, he was recorded as a sideman for Seven Heads and Velour Recordings. Noted as a "promising new arrival" on the trumpet, Thomas played live as a band leader and within Charles Tolliver's big band.
Thomas began to stray from composing and playing specifically within the genre of jazz. In 2004 the New York Times described the beginning of his change in musical style; "he has rethought his music lately, changing his band and adding rhythmic and harmonic complexities" Thomas continued to work with Bilal, recording his Love For Sale album in 2005 and performed live as a member of the Lauryn Hill band. Thomas formally introduced his new music as 'other music' in a live performance at Joe's Pub yet he continued to also compose and perform straight-ahead jazz. Dave Douglas mentioned Thomas "has a huge sound and writes fantastic material. Sensitive and subtle, but also with the power to communicate great tenderness and loss" when promoting his live performance in the Festival of New Trumpet Music. Thomas recorded with guitarist Craig Magnano and released his first independent album, Dirty Draws Vol. 1 drawing the attention of the New York Times; "intelligent, casual, a little nuts and completely entertaining".
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