Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Don Thompson was born Donald Winston Thompson in Powell River, British Columbia on January 18, 1940. He learned to play the bass, piano and vibes and by age 20 was living in Vancouver freelancing primarily on bass. He also played with popular jazz troupes, led his own groups and regularly appeared on radio and television.

By 1965 he joined John Handy’s quintet and moved to San Francisco, toured extensively throughout the U.S. and recorded two albums for Columbia Records. During this period he worked with Frank Rosolino, Maynard Ferguson, Denny Zeitlin and George Duke.

1967 in Toronto had Don joining Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass in ‘69, first as a percussionist, bassist and pianist for six years. Joining Moe Koffman’s group in the Seventies he would contribute arrangements and compositions as well as playing piano and bass and working his own projects.

Thompson worked an toured with Jim Hall throughout Europe and Japan, was a member of the “house rhythm section” at Toronto’s Bourbon Street Jazz Club and worked with Paul Desmond, Art Framer, James Moody, Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Harry Edison, Slide Hampton, Abbey Lincoln and many others. He would also work in other venues with Sarah Vaughan, Shelia Jordan, Joe Henderson, Dewey Redman and the list continues.

Don has received numerous awards, recorded several albums both as a leader and sideman and is currently working as a freelance musician, teacher, member of the band JMOG and leader of his own quartet.

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