Born in Newark, New Jersey, to West Indian parents emigrated from the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts, Thomas began his music studies at age 12.
On August 29, 1966 Thomas recorded on some unreleased Atlantic Records tracks with the Dorothy Ashby Octet, featuring Clark Terry, Hubert Laws, John Patton, Richard Davis, Ray Barretto, Randall Hicks,[3] and on the following day, a further series of tracks, also unreleased, by the Dorothy Ashby Nonet, with the same personnel, minus Laws and with Richard Williams, and Clifford Jordan instead.
In his years studying at the Juilliard School he often played drums for dance classes and befriended choreographer Michael Bennett with whom he later worked as musical coordinator (credited as Robert Thomas) developing the critically acclaimed and Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway show A Chorus Line.
Thomas performed with Jerome Robbins' Ballet U.S.A., Carmen McRae, Herbie Mann, Cy Coleman, Alvin Ailey Dance Company, Ray Charles, Jimmy Heath, Gloria Lynn, Charles Aznavour, Frank Wess, Dionne Warwick, Joe Williams, Lionel Hampton, Gerry Mulligan, Paul Desmond, Oliver Jones, and the Billy Taylor Trio.
[7] With Paul Desmond With Art Farmer With Stan Getz With Gigi Gryce With Eddie Harris With Hubert Laws With Junior Mance With Herbie Mann With The Montgomery Brothers With Dave Pike With Billy Taylor With Richard Williams