Steve A Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hi, Can anyone recommend me any good albums with Danny Thompson on? I need to check out his playing. Thanks, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Funnily enough just a few mins before coming across your post I was chatting to Jon Thorne (Lamb bassist) and he was telling me of an album he has just recorded with Danny due out soon. Reckon that'll be worth a listen, also any of his work with John Martyn (who sadly died recently) I believe he has also collaborated with some of the folk artists, not sure which though. Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hah hah.. where to start? Tons of albums exist featuring DT's instantly identifiable tone, but good starts are anything by The Pentangle - Basket of Light was the album that got me into folk music! Richard Thompson and Danny Thompson - quite a few live ones around, also check out Industry and The Old Kit Bag and so many more Darrell Scott - Live In NC is one of my constant top favourite albums. of course, any of the Whatever albums - DT's own jazz line up all albums recommended John Martyn - some ace live albums. The list goes on.. just wait 'til everyone wakes up tomorrow! If you catch DT live, he may have some copies left of his video cassette 'Bassically Speaking' which is more of an observation on bass playing rather than a how-to-play vid. A truly interesting watch. Just everything - the man is a superb bassist. Yes, he can do the technoflash, but most of the time he just chooses the right notes to make you melt inside! As you can probably tell, I like Danny Thompson! HUGH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Nick drake or john martyn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Totally agree on all the above. I'm a huge Danny Thompson fan and adored John Martyn. My recommendation would be Darrell Scott, Kenny Malone and Danny Thompson Live in NC. Lots of really amazing acoustic trio music (some electric too) and Danny really cuts through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviedee Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhFLtOIhhCw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhFLtOIhhCw[/url] This is very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Danny Thompson has appeared on about the last 7 or 8 Richard Thompson albums. He has also been his main live player sice about the mid 90's. Some Thompson albums can be more electric than others if you know what I mean. Mirror Blue is a great mix and more bass fuelled album. Albums like Mock Tudor and Old kit bag more pop driven, if you could say that. Stuff like You, Me, Us??? and front parlour ballads a bit more self indulgent. Pre 90's stuff from memory will probably have Peggy on them. One thing for sure is that there is not one bad album in the whole of the RT collection. Enjoy. Last time I saw Thompson who was using a big line 6 combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 There's some lovely, understated playing by Danny on Talk Talk's 'Spirit of Eden'. He was pretty much the session DB player of choice for serious pop/rock bands during the 80s (Talk Talk, Everything but the girl, Kate Bush etc. etc. ) so almost any track with double bass by a major artist at that time probably had Danny Thompson playing. Full discography [url="http://www.therealdannythompson.co.uk/Discography.html"]here.[/url] I was lucky enough to meet Danny and have a wee chat with him at last years' Green Man festival - he was really friendly and open, despite the fact that I was completly awestruck and was probably gibbering like a moron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyalfa Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Saw him recently backing the Blind Boys of Alabama on a Later... compilation as part of the Folk America series on BBC4. His all too brief solo was mesmerising. I have kept it to use as inspiration should I ever feel like not practising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 ,,Martin Simpson - Prodigal Son. Amazing album all round! Just noticed, following the link above to the Discography, that Bassically Speaking VHS is on sale there at £8 [u]including[/u] p+p! Get in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I don't play double bass, but the first 6 Pentangle albums are simply astounding. Check out the live version of 'Haitian Fight Song' off Sweet Child if you can, brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 +1 all the Richard Thompson tracks esp Industry and Old Kit Bag. I think that also played some lovely stuff on David Sylvian's album Secrets of The Beehive. I've seen him with RT several times great player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Try this [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2dgMNm64Mg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2dgMNm64Mg[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 plus the one on john martyn stuff. i think the upright playing on solid air was him...well worth a listen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve A Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Thanks chaps, great stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) I make no aplogies for posting [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohmSPv-rtSQ"]this[/url] for the umpteenth time.... This is the track that turned me on to Danny Thompson and got me playing double bass. Beautiful phrasing and expression and a truly tasteful solo. Lovely. Check out Danny's bass face at 4:13...... Edited March 4, 2009 by TheRev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 All of the above.... did anyone mention Pentangle? But if you want to go right back, Danny Thompson recorded a lot with Alexis Korner in the 60's. Even then he had an incredible tone and drive to his playing. If you can get on with Alexis’s style of blues then you'll hear Thompson and drummer Terry Cox really cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Thanks to the Rev and others in the thread for tuning me in to DT. I know of him, of course, and his awsome reputation but I've been so buried in jazz that I haven't really studied his stuff in the detail that I shall be doing now. The message of course is that technique doesn't equal busy-ness. From the few clips that I've seen here his playing is sparing but every note counts. And his sound, like all good players, comes from his right hand. I'm just off to practice my bass face for Sunday's gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 [quote name='bassace' post='424926' date='Mar 4 2009, 11:49 AM']Thanks to the Rev and others in the thread for tuning me in to DT. I know of him, of course, and his awsome reputation but I've been so buried in jazz that I haven't really studied his stuff in the detail that I shall be doing now. The message of course is that technique doesn't equal busy-ness. From the few clips that I've seen here his playing is sparing but every note counts. And his sound, like all good players, comes from his right hand. I'm just off to practice my bass face for Sunday's gig.[/quote] So you do Bass Face too? Excellent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 [quote name='bassace' post='424926' date='Mar 4 2009, 11:49 AM']Thanks to the Rev and others in the thread for tuning me in to DT. I know of him, of course, and his awsome reputation but I've been so buried in jazz that I haven't really studied his stuff in the detail that I shall be doing now. The message of course is that technique doesn't equal busy-ness. From the few clips that I've seen here his playing is sparing but every note counts. And his sound, like all good players, comes from his right hand. I'm just off to practice my bass face for Sunday's gig.[/quote] +1 to the hand! I had an informal lesson with DT a couple of years ago, and got a go on Victoria!!!!!! An amazing instrument, but I couldn't make her sound like Danny works it. Then he played mine - now I know I don't need another bass, just a whole lot of practice and playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 [quote name='hubrad' post='425152' date='Mar 4 2009, 03:10 PM']I had an informal lesson with DT a couple of years ago, and got a go on Victoria!!!!!![/quote] I hate you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 [quote name='bassace' post='424926' date='Mar 4 2009, 11:49 AM']From the few clips that I've seen here his playing is sparing but every note counts.[/quote] Couldn't agree more! If I hadn't got into Danny's 'less is more' style I'd never have started playing double bass. Walking modal bass lines? Too many notes man.... Having said that, there's a couple of tracks on his Myspace page that are your more regular jazz style bass playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 [quote name='TheRev' post='425181' date='Mar 4 2009, 03:34 PM']I hate you. [/quote] Heh, heh! If I think hard about it I hate myself! Seriously though, that was an inspirational day.. must try to do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmz Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 The Richard Thompson "Live in Austin Texas" DVD would be a good purchace. His tone on the track "Mingus Eyes" is just breathtaking - turn up loud ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Once again Nick drakes stuff went well with danny and its worth just listening to nick for lessons in music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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