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Donald Thompson was born in Powell River, British
Columbia, Canada on January 18th 1940.
He lived in Vancouver from 1960 to 1965 working as
a freelance musician primarily on bass. He appeared with groups
led by some of Vancouver's finest musicians such as Dave Robbins,
Chris Gage and Fraser McPherson, as well as leading his own groups.
He also appeared regularly on CBC Radio and Television as a featured
artist and band leader.
In 1965 he joined the now legendary John Handy Quintet
and moved to San Francisco for a two year stay. During that time
the Handy Quintet performed extensively throughout the United
States and recorded two albums for the Columbia label. One of
these, "John Handy live at the Monterey Jazz Festival",
became one of the most popular jazz albums of the 1960's. (Now
available on CD). Whilst in San Francisco Don also worked with
Frank Rosolino, Maynard Ferguson, Denny Zeitlin and George Duke.
He returned to Canada in 1967 and has been a resident
of Toronto since 1969. In that year he joined Rob McConnell's
BOSS BRASS as a percussionist, switching to bass in 1971 and later
to piano 1987 - 1993). He was also a member of Moe Koffman's group
from 1970 to 1979 as pianist or bassist, contributing arrangements
and compositions and working as co-producer with Koffman on two
albums - "Museum Pieces" and "Looking Up".
He also worked extensively with guitarists Ed Bickert, Lenny Breau
and Sonny Greenwich while keeping busy with his own various projects.
As a member of the "house rhythm section"
at Toronto's Bourbon Street Jazz Club he worked (and recorded
*) with such Jazz Celebrities as Paul Desmond *, Jim Hall *, Milt
Jackson *, Art Farmer, James Moody, Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Harry
Edison, Frank Rosolino *, Slide Hampton, Lee Konitz and Abbey
Lincoln, and appeared at other venues with Sarah Vaughan, Red
Rodney, Joe Henderson, Dewey Redman, Red Mitchell, Sheila Jordan
and Kenny Wheeler.
He became a member of guitarist Jim Hall's trio in
1974 travelling to Europe and Japan as well as touring the United
States and Canada. In 1982 he joined pianist George Shearing and
stayed for a five year period during which he appeared at virtually
every major jazz club and festival in the United States. Their
travels also included tours of Great Britain and two trips to
Brazil.
In 1996 he was artist in residence at the Royal Academy
of Music, London, England, and performed in a concert of all -
Canadian music with fellow Canadians Kenny Wheeler and Hugh Fraser.
He teaches regularly at the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts
along with other major international musicians.
Don is currently working as a free-lance musician,
teacher, member of the band JMOG and as leader of his own Quartet.
He is equally at home on vibes, piano, bass and drums,
and is a reliable and trusted sound engineer (has his own studio
in his home).
AWARDS:
1979 Juno - Best Jazz album
- duo with Ed Bickert.
1984 Juno - Best Jazz Album.
1993 Jazz Report - Vibraphonist of the Year.
1994 Jazz Report - Composer of the Year.
1994 Jazz Report - Vibraphonist of the Year.
1994 Socan - Original Jazz Composition.
1995 Jazz Report - Vibraphonist of the
Year.
1996 Jazz Report - Vibraphonist of the
Year.
1997 Jazz Report - Vibraphonist of the
Year.
DISCOGRAPHY
MANAGEMENT
(416) 789-3777
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