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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZTHOMPSON, Sir Charles(b 21 March 1918, Springfield OH; d 16 June 2016, Japan) Piano, organ; composer, arranger. Worked in territory bands, for Lionel Hampton '40, Coleman Hawkins (including famous Capitol Hollywood Stampede sessions '45), Illinois Jacquet '47-8: composed 'Robbins' Nest', a tribute to disc jockey Fred Robbins, a hit for Jacquet and a jazz standard. Recorded as leader late '40s; superb compilation Takin' Off in Delmark's Apollo series including '20th Century Blues' session with Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon and Buck Clayton. Often with Clayton '50s including famous Jam Sessions series of Columbia LPs (the first one had 'Robbins' Nest' as a side-long vehicle '53). Four dates as leader on Vanguard '53-4 were produced by John Hammond, including an octet date with Hawkins, Emmett Berry, Benny Morton, Earle Warren. He toured Europe with Clayton '61; gigged solo and with trio all over USA, Canada, Puerto Rico; had long residency in a Pennsylvania club early '70s; suffered from ill health mid-'70s but came back. He made his own albums Rockin' Rhythm '61 on Columbia, Hey, There! '74 on Black and Blue, Kansas City Nights with Clayton and Buddy Tate on Prestige, Portrait Of A Piano on Sackville, tracks on Master Jazz Piano Vol. 2 on Master Jazz. It was allegedly Lester Young who knighted him. Prez would have admired his elegant lightness with substance; like Nat Pierce, Sir Charles was capable of sounding remarkably like Count Basie. |