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Malachi Thompson

Malachi Thompson is a composer, band leader, trumpet soloist, artist, teacher and arts activist. Born in Princeton, Kentucky on August 21, 1949, Thompson's jazz roots are on Chicago's South Side. In 1968, he joined the influential Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) playing the music of Henry Threadgill and Richard Muhal Abrams. He also became a member of Dr. M.L. King's Operation Breadbasket Orchestra, the musical arm of SCLC in 1968, working for civil rights for African Americans. In 1974, after completing work for a degree in Music Composition, Thompson was encouraged to move to NYC by jazz legend Art Blakey. While in NYC, Thompson performed with many of the greatest names in jazz: Joe Henderson, Sam Wooding, Jackie McLean, Frank Foster, Leon Thomas, Sam Rivers, Lester Bowie, and Archie Shepp to name a few. In 1978, he formed the highly acclaimed Freebop Band. After 10 years in NYC, he moved to Washington DC and later Vienna, Austria performing and composing for various bands. In 1989, Thompson was diagnosed with cancer and returned to his native Chicago. After his recovery, he became an outspoken advocate for jazz and arts education. He is also a published writer and jazz historian. He often performs or serves as an artist in residence in Chicago's public schools. He conducts master classes, jazz workshops and lectures on all things jazz at colleges and universities nationwide. In 1991, Mr. Thompson founded the Sutherland Community Arts Initiative (SCAI), a not for profit 501 (c)3 arts and arts education presenting organization on Chicago's South Side. As a member of S C A I, Mr. Thompson helped found and establish the Hyde Park /Kenwood J A A Z Festival, The Visiting Jazz Artists Program and "Creativity" magazine. In 1994 Thompson helped develop the cultural component of the award winning proposal to HUD that brought 8 million dollars in federal Empowerment Zone (EZ) funds to cultural institutions in Chicago's EZ communities. In 1997, Thompson's Freebop Band recorded "47th Street" for Delmark Records featuring original music from the play The Sutherland, written by playwright Charles Smith and based partly on Mr. Thompson's life and struggles to overcome cancer. The Sutherland had a successful 6-week run at Victory Gardens Theater in the fall of 1997 and won the Illinois Arts Council's New Play Award. Thompson's original music from The Sutherland won the prestigious Jeff award (the equivalent of a Tony in NYC).

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Megaphone

Malachi Thompson: The Evolution of Jazz and the Survival of Our Democratic Society

Read "Malachi Thompson: The Evolution of Jazz and the Survival of Our Democratic Society" reviewed by AAJ Staff


By Malachi Thompson

I've written about jazz as a model for American democracy before, but only in passing. However, in light of voting rights issues that arose during the 2000 presidential election, the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks and what's most important - our government's response to those events - it dawned upon me that “Now's The Time" (Charlie Parker) for deeper reflection on the evolution of jazz as it mirrors the development of the American democratic process. Jazz forms, ...

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Album Review

Malachi Thompson & Africa Brass: Blue Jazz

Read "Blue Jazz" reviewed by Jeff Stockton


Malachi Thompson's Africa Brass project embodies all the variety and complexity of his Chicago home base: the urban experience of African Americans transplanted from the rural south; the blending of blues and jazz as musicians stepped out of juke joints and onto the stages of supper clubs; the respect for tradition tempered by the desire for innovation and individuality; the value of work towards self-determination.

Africa Brass is a working group made up of Chicago players who make the case ...

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Album Review

Malachi Thompson: Blue Jazz

Read "Blue Jazz" reviewed by Derek Taylor


As the eleventh Delmark album by Thompson and his third featuring the expanded Africa Brass horn section schematic, this disc suggests that the decades-deep relationship shared by the trumpeter and his label is in no danger of flagging. Regrettably, it also continues the track record of less than stellar musical results that has hounded the leader for the last several years. Thompson’s ambitious ideas often seem to just over-reach his skills of execution.

The session starts with ...

148
Album Review

Malachi Thompson: Talking Horns

Read "Talking Horns" reviewed by Derek Taylor


Malachi Thompson has long been a fixture on the Delmark label roster. This disc marks his tenth try with the label. The majority of his previous recordings have been hit and miss affairs and past problems are the probable product of single label stagnation alongside a sometimes-scattershot track record with material and supporting musicians. Arguably his strongest band and program to date, this latest entry is a step above earlier efforts, but still suffers from a certain unevenness.

Thompson is ...

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Album Review

Malachi Thompson: Talking Horns

Read "Talking Horns" reviewed by AAJ Staff


The heresy lives! The jazz establishment (Dr. They) would have one believe that jazz music--a cadaver best appreciated with scalpel in hand while donning a coroner’s smock--died with the innovations of the ‘60s. On his latest Delmark release, trumpeter Malachi Thompson has as a not-so-ulterior motive illustrating that jazz, in its free manifestation, continues as a vibrant creative medium. He and World Saxophone Quartet alumni, Oliver Lake and Hamiet Bluiett, acquit themselves famously in this endeavor and offer a tasty ...

115
Album Review

Malachi Thompson: Talking Horns

Read "Talking Horns" reviewed by AAJ Staff


The heresy lives! The jazz establishment (Dr. They) would have one believe that jazz music--a cadaver best appreciated with scalpel in hand while donning a coroner’s smock--died with the innovations of the ‘60s. On his latest Delmark release, trumpeter Malachi Thompson has as a not-so-ulterior motive illustrating that jazz, in its free manifestation, continues as a vibrant creative medium. He and World Saxophone Quartet alumni, Oliver Lake and Hamiet Bluiett, acquit themselves famously in this endeavor and offer a tasty ...

145
Album Review

Malachi Thompson: Talking Horns

Read "Talking Horns" reviewed by Mark Corroto


The good news is trumpeter Malachi Thompson mixes multiple styles and approaches on his latest release. But that is also the bad news. Thompson packs a wealth of music into his discs. As with his earlier Delmark projects; New Standards (1993), Buddy Bolden’s Rag (1995), and Free-bop Now! (1999), Thompson’s eclecticism informs us of jazz history, but that also distracts from a singular message.

It’s not that there isn’t plenty to dig here. Guest frontline saxophonists Hamiet Bluiett and Oliver ...

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Obituary

Trumpeter Malachi Thompson dies at 56

Trumpeter Malachi Thompson dies at 56

Source: All About Jazz

CHICAGO -- Malachi Thompson, a trumpeter who was a leading figure on Chicago's experimental jazz scene, died on Sunday, July 16, at his home on the South Side of Chicago. He was 56.

His death followed a long battle with cancer, Bob Koester, founder of Thompson's record label, Delmark, said.

Doctors told Mr. Thompson in 1989 that he had a year to live after he was found to have T-cell lymphoma. He later said the diagnosis transformed his music and ...

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Obituary

Malachi Thompson: 1949-2006

Malachi Thompson: 1949-2006

Source: All About Jazz

Delmark Records has very sad news to report as our long time Delmark family friend and musician, Malachi Thompson, passed away yesterday morning at home, July 16th, 2006. Malachi (1949-2006) was a beautiful soul and an extremely kind man and will be dearly missed by so many people whose lives he has positively touched. Malachi was a brilliant trumpet player and composer, writer and jazz historian, and a highly influential advocate for jazz and arts education. As part of the ...

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Music Industry

Malachi Thompson's Freebop Band Plays The Velvet Lounge on August 25

Malachi Thompson's Freebop Band Plays The Velvet Lounge on August 25

Source: All About Jazz

Malachi Thompson's Legendary Freebop Band Plays The Velvet Lounge on August 25

Trumpeter Malachi Thompson and his Freebop Band, will play at the Velvet Lounge August 25, for two sets starting at 10:00pm. The Freebop Band, which features lumanaries Gary Bartz on alto and soprano saxophones, and Billy Harper on tenor saxophone, has been a Chicago staple for over twenty years. Malachi's style which combines elements of be-bop and free improvisation has garnered international attention with the release of his ...

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Blue Jazz

Delmark Records
2004

buy

Blue Jazz

Delmark Records
2003

buy

Talking Horns

Delmark Records
2001

buy

Timeline

Delmark Records
2000

buy

Freebop Now!

Delmark Records
1999

buy

Legends And Heroes

AECO Records
1983

buy

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