Danny Thompson


Daniel Henry Edward Thompson 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. The Times said he had "a technical virtuosity and an intuitive feel for whatever he was playing".
For four years between 1964 and 1967 Thompson was a member of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated. He 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 recorded six solo albums. He converted to Islam in 1990.
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Life and career

Thompson was born in Teignmouth, Devon, England, on 4 April 1939. He was named after a favourite song of his parents, 'Danny Boy'. His father, a miner, joined the Royal Navy at the start of World War II and was lost in action as a submariner. 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, and was also a competent boxer. While at school he learnt guitar, mandolin, trumpet and trombone before settling on the double bass as his instrument of choice. He played his first professional gig, while under age, in a Soho strip club.
Thpmpson was called up for National Service and spent two years in Penang, Malaysia, where he played trombone in the army band. He was discharged in 1963 and resumed playing double bass. In 1964 he spent £5, to be paid in instalments of five shillings a week, on a double bass at Foote's bass shop in Brewer St, Soho, London, which he used for his entire career. The instrument had been painted brown, but wear and tear revealed it to be an original, and valuable, French Gand, made in 1865. As the instrument was from the Victorian era he named it "Victoria". He acquired a second double bass in 2007 for use when travelling overseas.
His varied session work, often three sessions in a day, ranged from working with Marianne Faithfull to the theme tune of Thunderbirds, and "most nights he could be found playing in jazz clubs. For four years between 1964 and 1967 he was a member of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, replacing future Cream bassist Jack Bruce. He led a trio that included guitarist John McLaughlin. Thompson was a member of the folk-jazz group Pentangle throughout its first incarnation and in some of its subsequent versions and reunions.
In the early 1980s he worked with documentary film-maker Roy Deverell to compose music for two of his award-winning films, Echo of the Wild and A Passion to Protect, about John Aspinall's work with endangered mammals. In 1987 Thompson released his debut solo album, Whatever, to critical acclaim and recorded three more.
While he had his own album releases, Thompson was predominantly a session musician contributing to other artists' recordings and tours. He worked with John Martyn and with Richard Thompson on Mirror Blue, The Old Kit Bag and the concert DVD release Richard Thompson Live in Austin Texas,. Between 1995 and 2013 he was a member of the house band in five of the six series of the BBC/RTE Transatlantic Sessions. Thompson received a Lifetime achievement award in the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. After several years of "rock'n'roll" touring with John Martyn, he bought a 16th century manor house and 27 acres of land in Suffolk and took up horse-riding and bird-watching.
On 8 June 2024 Thompson performed at the Royal Albert Hall London as part of Fairport Convention guitarist Richard Thompson's 75th birthday celebration. Than aged 85, he contributed to an acoustic section which featured a guest appearance from Ralph McTell, with Michael Doucet of BeauSoleil on fiddle and John Etheridge of Soft Machine on guitar.
Reported by Uncut magazine, Kate Bush recalled, "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."

Private life and death

Thompson lived in Clopton, Suffolk, during the late 1970s and early 1980s with his wife, Daphne, and son Dan, who became the drummer with Hawkwind. Early in the 1980s he moved back to London. He converted to Islam in 1990 and adopted the Muslim name Hamza.
Thompson died at his home in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, on 23 September 2025, at the age of 86.

Partial discography

Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated

Red Hot from Alex Sky High
  • ''Blues Incorporated''

Alexis Korner

I Wonder Who
  • ''A New Generation of Blues''

Pentangle

The Pentangle Sweet Child Basket of Light Cruel Sister Reflection Solomon's Seal

Danny Thompson

Whatever Whatever Next Elemental Whatever's Best Danny Thompson & Peter Knight Resurgence – RES108CD
  • ''Connected''

Danny Thompson, [Allan Holdsworth] and John Stevens">John Stevens (drummer)">John Stevens

  • ''Propensity''

Dizrhythmia

Dizrhythmia
  • ''Too''

Richard Thompson

Amnesia Mirror Blue Live at Crawley You? Me? Us? Two Letter Words Celtschmerz Mock Tudor Semi-Detached Mock Tudor The Old Kit Bag Ducknapped! Live from Austin, TX

Richard Thompson and Danny Thompson

Live at Crawley

Jon Thorne & Danny Thompson

  • ''Watching the Well''

John and Beverly Martyn

Others

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