René Thomas was born 25 February 1927 in Liege, Belgium. Although considered as one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the sixties, he has remained rather unknown to the general public. After the second world war he played with the "Bop Shots", Belgium's first Be-bop outfit with Jacques Pelzer and Bobby Jaspar. Between these three men a real musical osmosis arose. In the early fifties René Thomas moved to Paris where he connects with the modern jazz scene.