Ron Thomas (8)

Classical Composer and Jazz musician. His musical interests were nurtured by his mother Helen and his father "Buddy", a gifted amateur pianist and entertainer. Ron was attracted to both the Classical Music and the Jazz that he heard growing up at home and eventually became a Classical Composer and a Jazz pianist. He entered the Manhattan School of Music in 1959 where he studied composition with Vittorio Gianinni, Nicolas Flagello, and Ludmila Ulehla. During that time, he also studied privately with M. William Karlins and later with Karlheinz Stockhausen at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He has a Master's degree in Composition and has enjoyed the friendship and counsel of such well-known musicians as John Cage and Herbie Hancock. In 1972 Ron recorded with guitarist Pat Martino, ("Live!", now reissued as "Head and Heart") and with saxophonist Eric Kloss ("One, Two, Free"). Ron is admired for his lyrical and well crafted Jazz playing and his impressive catalog of classical works. Three previous sessions as a leader on the Vectordisk label are also available, "Scenes from a Voyage to Arcturus", "The House of Counted Days" and "17 Solo Piano Improvisations". b.1942