René Thomas was one of Europe's top jazz guitarists of the 1950s. Influenced by
Jimmy Raney and cool jazz in general,
Thomas sounded as if he were from Los Angeles rather than Belgium. He was at his most active on record during 1954-1956, the period covered in this fine retrospective.
Thomas is heard on highlights from four record dates with three quintets that he led and a sextet headed by pianist
Henri Renaud. When
Thomas is teamed in unison with a tenor player, particularly
Serge "Bib" Monville on the final seven numbers, it is very reminiscent of the
Stan Getz-
Jimmy Raney group of a few years earlier. However,
René Thomas had a lot of his own to offer and it is a mystery why he never became better known after he moved to Canada in 1956.
Guitaristic features
René Thomas at his best.