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Danny Thompson

English double bassist (1939–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Danny Thompson
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For other people named Danny Thompson, see Danny Thompson (disambiguation).

Daniel Henry Edward Thompson (4 April 1939 – 23 September 2025) was an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a double bassist. During a long musical career, he played with a large variety of other musicians, particularly Richard Thompson and John Martyn.

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Thompson with Pentangle, in Amsterdam, 1969

For four years, between 1964 and 1967, Thompson was a member of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, then led a trio that included guitarist John McLaughlin, and was a founding member of the British folk-jazz band Pentangle. Between 1987 and 2012 he also recorded six solo albums. He converted to Islam in 1990.

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Life and career

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Thompson was born in Teignmouth, Devon, England, on 4 April 1939.[1][2] His father, a miner, joined the Royal Navy at the start of World War II and was lost in action whilst crewing submarines. When Thompson was aged six, the family moved to London and he was brought up in the working-class area of Battersea. At school he played competitive football and was a junior for Chelsea, the team he would support for the rest of his life. While at school he learnt guitar, mandolin, trumpet and trombone before settling on the double bass as his instrument of choice.[3]

After being called for his National Service, he spent two years in Penang, Malaysia, where he played trombone for the army band.[4] In 1964 he spent £5 buying an instrument, at Foote's bass shop in Brewer St, Soho, which he used his entire career. Although originally painted brown, wear and tear revealed that it was an original Gand, made in 1865. As it was from the Victorian era he christening it "Victoria".[5][6][7]

For four years, between 1964 and 1967, he was a member of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated and led a trio that included guitarist John McLaughlin.[8] Thompson was a member of the folk-jazz group Pentangle, throughout its first incarnation (1967–1973)[8] and in some of its subsequent versions and reunions.[3] In 1987, Thompson released his debut solo album Whatever to critical acclaim and went on to record three more.[8]

While he had his own album releases, Thompson was predominantly a session musician contributing to other artists' recordings and tours, such as with John Martyn[8][3] and with Richard Thompson, such as Mirror Blue (1994),[9] The Old Kit Bag (2003),[10] and the concert DVD release Richard Thompson Live in Austin Texas (2001), (from the Austin City Limits televised concerts).[11]

Thompson lived in Clopton, Suffolk, during the late 1970s and early 1980s with his wife, Daphne, and son Dan (Danny Junior), who went on to be the drummer with Hawkwind (1985–88).[12] Early in the 1980s, he moved back to London. He received a Lifetime achievement award in the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.[13]

In the early 1980s, he worked closely with documentary film-maker Roy Deverell and composed music for two of his award-winning films, Echo of the Wild and A Passion to Protect. The films are about John Aspinall's pioneering work with endangered mammals.[14][15]

Thomson converted to Islam in 1990, and adopted the Muslim name Hamza.[16][17]

Between 1995 and 2013, he was a member of the house band in five of the six series of the BBC/RTE Transatlantic Sessions.[18][19][20][21][22]

On 8 June 2024, Thompson performed at the Royal Albert Hall, as part of Richard Thompson's 75th birthday celebration. 85-year-old Thompson contributed to an acoustic section, featuring a guest appearance from Ralph McTell for several numbers, alongside Michael Doucet of BeauSoleil on fiddle and John Etheridge of Soft Machine on guitar.[23]

Thompson died at his home in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, on 23 September 2025, at the age of 86.[24][25][26]

Reported by Uncut magazine, Kate Bush said, "You never just worked with Danny. You also worked with his double bass he called Victoria. The two of them were joined at the hip and together they were the most fascinating storytellers – earthy and of the wild."[27]

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Partial discography

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Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated

  • Red Hot from Alex (1964)[28]
  • Sky High (1966)[29]
  • Blues Incorporated (1967 – re-issue of Sky High)

Alexis Korner

  • I Wonder Who (1967)[30]
  • A New Generation of Blues (1968)[31]

Pentangle

Danny Thompson

Danny Thompson, Allan Holdsworth and John Stevens

  • Propensity (2009, recorded 1978)[35]

Dizrhythmia

Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson and Danny Thompson

Jon Thorne & Danny Thompson

  • Watching the Well (2010)[37]

John and Beverly Martin

Others

Danny Thompson has played on dozens of albums and singles during his career. The following is only a small selection.

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References

External links

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