Danny Thompson, Influential Double Bassist and Pentangle Co-Founder, Dies at 86
We have sad news to report as the highly influential double bassist Danny Thompson has died from undisclosed causes. He was 86 years old.
The news was shared on his Instagram page.
“Legendary acoustic bass player Danny Thompson died peacefully yesterday at his home in Rickmansworth, UK,” the post stated. “A musician who was both beloved and admired by everybody he worked with, his body of work is unparalleled in its quality and also in the incredibly varied number of musicians he worked with. From Kate Bush and John Martyn, to his role as a founding member of the legendary band Pentangle; from featuring on the Thunderbirds theme tune, and playing bass for Roy Orbison when The Beatles were still the opening act; to collaborations with jazz greats like Tubby Hayes and Stan Tracey, as well as work with Donovan, June Tabor, Nick Drake, Richard Thompson, and The Blind Boys of Alabama. Danny was a force of nature. A player who served the song and who enriched the lives of every single person he met. He will be sorely missed.”
Thompson was born in Devon, England and dabbled on guitar, mandolin, and trumpet before settling on the bass. His professional music career began in the mid-60s with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated. He co-founded Pentangle in 1967 with Jacqui McShee, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, annd Terry Cox. The group pushed musical bountaries by blending folk sounds with the odd time signature and improvisation of jazz.
Check out this epic bass solo on the Charles Mingus composition “Haitian Fight Song” taken from a 1968 Pentangle concert in Oslo.
Thompson left the band when it dissolved in 1973, but would join subsequent reunions throughout the years. His career continued with session work with everyone from John Martyn to Rod Stewart and T. Rex. In 1987, Thompson released an album entitled Whatever, marking the first of six solo recordings.
Hear more about Thompson and his incredible life from the man himself:
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Danny Thompson.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
