Home » Jazz Musicians » Rich Thompson

Rich Thompson

26
Album Review

Rich Thompson: Who Do You Have to Know?

Read "Who Do You Have to Know?" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Veteran drummer Rich Thompson ushers a lithe and swinging quartet through its paces on his latest album, Who Do You Have to Know? (the answer to which, alas, is not forthcoming). This is basically late-night jazz, the kind often reserved for after-hours jam sessions whose participants are fully engaged in the task at hand and hold nothing back. On this studio session, Thompson's able co-partners are guitarist Corey Christiansen, pianist/organist Bobby Floyd and bassist Peter Chwazik. As ...

9
Album Review

Rich Thompson: Who Do You Have to Know?

Read "Who Do You Have to Know?" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


The title of drummer Rich Thompson's 2023 release is Who Do You Have To Know?. The answer to that: John Bishop and Matt Jorgensen, the team that runs the Origin and OA2 Records labels that boast prolific and consistently good outputs, featuring an array of well-known and a goodly number of not-so-well-known, but always interesting, often terrific, jazz artists. Thompson has released four albums of his own on Origin, including the first-rate, Triocity: I Believe In You (2016), featuring bassist ...

10
Chats with Cats

The Educator: Rich Thompson

Read "The Educator: Rich Thompson" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


Jazz is a tradition and traditions can't be possible without the people who pass along its knowledge . That's why I really wanted to speak to an educator on the front lines of teaching the new generations of musicians who's hands this tradition will be passed to. In it's earliest days, jazz education happened on the streets. It was at jam sessions, after hours cutting sessions, and live gigs. In modern times it's been codified and moved in to universities. ...

3
Album Review

Charles Pillow Ensemble: Chamber Jazz

Read "Chamber Jazz" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Chamber Jazz, alto saxophonist Charles Pillow's eighth recording as leader of his ensemble, is a generally sedate but remarkably engaging series of tone poems that combine contemporary jazz with elements of classical music to produce a hybrid that underlines what is most harmonious and charming in each genre. Chamber Jazz is what it says, and chamber jazz is what it is. For comparison's sake, think of the ensemble as the Modern Jazz Quartet times five. True, there is no John ...

6
Album Review

Rich Thompson: Less is More

Read "Less is More" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


Drummer and educator Rich Thompson's third release as a leader Less is More, on the Seattle based Origin records, is a suave mix of quintessential hard bop standards; show tunes and a couple of originals that is full of delightful group dynamics and individual virtuosity. Thompson leads his quartet with a relaxed confidence and impeccable dexterity all the while maintaining both a thematic unity and a uniform excellence throughout. Opening with trumpeter Kenny Dorham's “Lotus Blossom" the record ...

Read more articles
131

Recording

New Miles Brown CD Featuring Steve Brown and Rich Thompson!

New Miles Brown CD Featuring Steve Brown and Rich Thompson!

Source: Michael Ricci

Just released! Bassist Miles Brown's first solo album! Featuring his father, Steve Brown, and drummer Rich Thompson, Share My Life is a straight-ahead jazz guitar trio record in the style of Jim Hall, Joe Pass, and Wes Montgomery.

Miles Brown is a versatile bassist and composer. In addition to his own jazz groups, Miles is the bassist for the New Music Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, and works as an orchestral bassist in the Metro Detroit and New York areas. Miles ...

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Who Do You Have to...

Origin Records
2023

buy

Chamber Jazz

Summit Records
2020

buy

Less Is More

Origin Records
2013

buy

Who Do You Have to Know?

From: Who Do You Have to Know?
By Rich Thompson

Less is More

From: Less Is More
By Rich Thompson

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.