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Spirits Known and Unknown

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Spirits Known and Unknown

| type = Album

| artist = Leon Thomas

| cover = Spirits Known and Unknown.jpg

| released = 1970

| recorded = October 21 & 22, 1969

| studio = New York City

| genre = Jazz

| length = 37:06

| label = Flying Dutchman
FD/FDS 10115

| producer = Bob Thiele

| chronology = Leon Thomas

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = The Leon Thomas Album

| next_year = 1970

}}

Spirits Known and Unknown , subtitled New Vocal Frontiers, is the debut album by American jazz vocalist and percussionist Leon Thomas recorded in 1969 and released by the Flying Dutchman label.[http://www.jazzlists.com/SJ_Label_FD_10100.htm Jazzlists: Flying Dutchman 10100 series discography], accessed November 18, 2019[http://www.bsnpubs.com/new/flyingdutchman.pdf Both Sides Now: Flying Dutchman Label Discography], accessed November 18, 2019[http://www.freeform.org/music/jazzsupreme/leon.thomas/disc01.html Leon Thomas Select Discography 1: Recordings as a Leader], accessed November 18, 2019[https://acerecords.co.uk/spirits-known-and-unknown Ace Records: album details], accessed November 18, 2019

Reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

| rev2Score = B+{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: T|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=T&bk=70|accessdate=March 16, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

}}

AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek stated: "Leon Thomas' debut solo recording after his tenure with Pharoah Sanders is a fine one. ... Thomas' patented yodel is in fine shape here, displayed alongside his singular lyric style and scat singing trademark... Ultimately, this is among Thomas' finest moments on vinyl, proving his versatility and accessibility to an audience who, for too long already, had associated him too closely with the avant-garde and free jazz".{{AllMusic|first=Thom |last=Jurek |class=album |id=mw0000464624 |title= Leon Thomas: Spirits Known and Unknown – Review |accessdate= November 13, 2018}} Critic Robert Christgau said "The subtitle, "New Vocal Frontiers," is accurate. Thomas is the only really interesting jazz singer to have appeared in a very long time. He even yodels".

Track listing

All compositions by Leon Thomas except where noted

  1. "The Creator Has a Master Plan (Peace)" (Thomas, Pharoah Sanders) − 4:23
  2. "One" − 3:07
  3. "Echoes" − 5:38
  4. "Song for My Father" (Horace Silver) − 5:17
  5. "Damn Nam (Ain't Goin' to Vietnam)" − 4:42
  6. "Malcolm's Gone" (Thomas, Sanders) − 8:35
  7. "Let the Rain Fall On Me" (Aaron Bell, Carla Huston) − 5:24

Personnel

References

{{reflist}}

{{Leon Thomas}}

{{Pharoah Sanders}}

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Category:Leon Thomas albums

Category:1970 albums

Category:Flying Dutchman Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Bob Thiele