RIP Lucky Thompson, Saxophone Giant dead at 81

[Allan Songer]

I was halfway through my second cup of coffee on Friday morning. It was 6 AM and I was finally feeling a bit better, as I have been fighting a nasty bout with Lyme disease for the past ten days or so (DAMN deer ticks! DAMN Sierra Nevada!) and then I turned the page and there was his face. The headline in the New York Times read "Lucky Thompson, Jazz Saxophonist, is Dead at 81." Lucky Thompson didn't record very often and had given up on music thirty years ago, but there isn't a week goes by that I don't have something featuring Lucky Thompson spinning on the old Thorens. I kept looking at his face in the Times and it struck me--there has never been anyone with a more ill-fitting nickname than Lucky Thompson.

Thompson was one of those players who bridged the Swing and Bop eras, having come of age in the Lionel Hampton and Count Basie Big Bands and then became part of the first bop-oriented big band, the legendary Billy Eckstine band that formed just after WW II. Lucky ended up on Los Angeles in 1946 at the same moment Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were having their first west coast extended soujourn and Lucky became a fixture with these early bop masters, recording with them on many of the seminal tracks Parker recorded for the independent LA jazz label, Dial. These are among the most important recordings in the history of jazz and Thompson shines.

Thompson went to New York in the early 1950's and recorded with Monk and Miles Davis. He is the tenor on Davis' Prestige LP "Walkin'" and his solo really stands out--Thompson could play hard bop with the best of them, but he never rejected the melodic nature of Swing. His solos were always interesting, slightly edgy and they SWING like mad. In 1955 Thompson cut two LPs as a leader for ABC-Paramount records with Oscar Pettiford on bass--sadly these seem to be always out of print and the vinyl is very scarce and pricey, but they are GREAT records and anyone who loves jazz should seek them out.

In 1956 Thompson became fed up with the machine that ran the music--record labels, club owners, music publishers, etc. and moved to Paris where he lived and recorded for the next six or seven years. These recordings are also rare, but seem to stay in print on CD in one form or another--usually billed as "Lucky Thompson in Paris" or something similar. Thompson moved back to New York in 1963 and was able to record three GREAT records for Prestige, "Plays Jerome Kern and Nothing Else," "Happy Days are Here Again," and his MASTERPIECE, "Lucky Strikes." On these LPs Thompson plays soprano about half of the time and he just flat out BURNS on the straight horn. Thompson picked up the soprano in the mid 50's, so he has to be considered the first of the modern players to play soprano--long before Coltrane or Steve Lacy.

"Lucky Strikes" is in print and readily available at all the ususal sources. The LP shows up on ebay once in a while and can be had in great shape for about $30 tops.

Thomspon fell away from the jazz scene again after about 1966 and began a teaching career at Dartmouth University. He did record two EXCELLENT LPs for Groove Merchant in the early to mid-1970's and they too are WELL worth tracking down, the best of the two being this one with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes:

Thompson also appears on one side of the "Friday the 13th at the Cook County Jail" LP--a short live set that flat out SMOKES

In 1975 Thompson left Dartmouth and began 30 years of drifting, eventually ending up in Seattle in the mid-1980s where he lived until his death on July 30. He was for the most part homeless and dead broke, but every once in a while you'd hear a report that he was seen in some local club and he spent a lot of time hanging around in music stores. Every report said that he was lucid and looked strong and well-cared for, but that he had no interest in being part of "the machine."

He was a hell of a player and I'll end this with David Himmelstein's assesment of Thampson's skills:

"His technical facility, perhaps the most accomplished of his generation, is constantly searching for challenges, constantly trying to fulfill itself."

I guess he never got there in his own mind, but listening to his struggle brings pure joy.

[ben.]

Thanks for posting. To be honest, I'd never heard of him. I'll keep him in mind.

[edwinr]

We are of the age where many of our music greats are leaving us. The question I ask is, who are they passing the baton to?

[garymd]

Lucky Thompson was a musician I was just beginning to really appreciate. I found a sealed original copy of "Happy Days Are Here Again" about a month ago. Great album and the only one I own besides "Lucky Strikes" which Allan sent me over a year ago.

I think I'll give it a spin right now.

[Allan Songer]

I think I have a spare "Plays Jerome Kern and Nothing Else" (on Prestige-Moodsville) around here--if I do I'll send it to you.

[Timmikid]

Thanks Allan, I read it in the Dutch paper on Saturday and now the name has a story.

[garymd]

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On 8/7/2005 11:15:20 PM Allan Songer wrote:

I think I have a spare "Plays Jerome Kern and Nothing Else" (on Prestige-Moodsville) around here--if I do I'll send it to you.

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Thanks Allan. That would be great.

This guy could REALLY play. I highly recommend folks check out Lucky Strikes on CD. I'm pretty sure it's still available.

[jazman]

RIP LT.

Walkin' is on the turntable as I write this.

Klipsch out.

[Allan Songer]

Edmund, do you have the ABC-Paramount LPs with Oscar Pettiford? On one side of the first LP is a trio set with Lucky, Oscar and Skeeter Best on guitar--the result is pure magic--do drums, no piano, just three FLUID players on a roll. Let me know if you have this or not, I'd like to share it with you if you don't.

[jazman]

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On 8/8/2005 8:25:46 PM Allan Songer wrote:

Edmund, do you have the ABC-Paramount LPs with Oscar Pettiford? On one side of the first LP is a trio set with Lucky, Oscar and Skeeter Best on guitar--the result is pure magic--do drums, no piano, just three FLUID players on a roll. Let me know if you have this or not, I'd like to share it with you if you don't.

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Allan,

No, I don't have this, but would love to hear it. Let make arrangements. I'll email you.

Klipsch out.

[Seadog]

Allan,

Thanks for posting. Very interesting history lesson.

[Timmikid]

I heard a radiospecial about Lucky on Dutch radio last night, first accompanying Dinah Washington and after that a phenominal set of latin jazz with Dizzy Gillespie. Of course I need to have that now, amazing!!! Does anyone know which album I am talking about? I hope it was released at all, this guy gets his hand on the scarcest stuff! Thanks, Tim.

[Allan Songer]

I know about the Dinah Washington sides, but have never heard of Lucky Thompson playing with the Diz Big Band. Thompson is featured on the "Diz with Strings" LP on Norgran (later Verve)--maybe it was this one? Doesn't sound right, but maybe.

If you liked the Dizzy Latin big band stuff, there are a couple of essential albums you need to order!!

http://www.content.loudeye.com/scripts/hurl.exe?clipid=041018101010006900&cid=600111

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000631D3/qid=1123612108/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/104-8297179-6504725?v=glance&s=music

And:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00002819D/qid=1123611983/sr=1-138/ref=sr_1_138/104-8297179-6504725?v=glance&s=music

[Timmikid]

Yes, "by anyone" ofcourse I meant you Allan! One of the peaces they played was the 'manteca theme', it sounds a bit the same. Didn't he play on this one? Majestic music anyway, I'll look further into it the coming days. thanks very much! If you have a line onto one of these albums, vintage pressing, please let me know. It's just what my beloved mc-30's want to please me with, as you know!!

[Allan Songer]

I'll keep my eye peeled for you!