LERON THOMAS TRUMPETER & COMPOSER (p. 36 of Arts & Leisure section New York Times Sunday June 4th 2006) by Ben Ratliff Leron Thomas "Dirty Draws Vol. 1" (A.D.D. Music), rawly self-produced, seems as if it started as a jazz musician's way to channel his artistic frustrations. Leron Thomas is a young trumpeter in New York, originally from Houston, who like everyone else is having a hard time trying to figure out where jazz is going next and who wants to listen. (Lately he's been heard in some of Roy Hargrove's and Charles Tolliver's large ensembles.) But he turned his frustrations into something new. Instead of spraying considerable trumpet-playing skills all over yet another basic post-bop jazz quartet record, Mr. Thomas took a hard left turn. Many of the tracks here are minimalist voice-and-bass daydreams with jazz changes, raps, a country song, a vocal ballad with bass and piano but no drums (he's a so-so singer but with musical smarts), scabrous jokes about sex and race (some involving a character he names Token) and scandalous put-downs of neo-soul singers he lambastes as trying to impress "a father they never had" (Marvin Gaye or whoever). The serious jazz stuff finally arrives on the last few tracks, with a quintet that includes the saxophonist Marcus Strickland and the drummer Eric Harland along with Mr. Thomas on trumpet. All in all, Mr. Thomas seems to have no fear. It's intelligent, casual, a little nuts and completely entertaining. "Leron Thomas is a young jazz trumpeter from Houston, with chops and power...adding rhythmic and harmonic complexities." - Ben Ratliff, The New York Times "Part of my musical focus is to relate to the times, and have my finger on the times, - it is important that it is represented in my music, like a 'sound poet.'" -Leron Thomas Houston-born trumpeter Leron Thomas first made his mark on the jazz world when still a high school student at Houston's arts magnet school, attending with future leaders such as Jason Moran and Eric Harland, to name a few. It was there that he first came to the attention of a number of senior musicians, including Roy Hargrove, who were subsequently to serve as mentors in his development. Leron moved to New York in order to enroll in the New School University's Jazz and Contemporary Music Program and subsequently found work with a number of major vocalists, such as Faith Evans, Erykah Badu and Bilal, while simultaneously making serious inroads in the traditional jazz idiom through performances with major figures such as Roy Hargrove, Charles Tolliver, Billy Harper as well as those of his own generation. His vibrant trumpet playing and distinct compositional style has caught the ear of audiences during his appearances at many major NYC venues, including the Jazz Gallery, Jazz Standard, and Joe's Pub. In his latest project, Leron Thomas presents "Other Music" featuring 9 musicians on stage, playing the jazz idiom through the language of his generation. Contacts: press inquiries and bookings - leronthomas@gmail.com