Renowned Bassist Danny Thompson Dies at 75
Danny Thompson, a highly influential bassist whose career spanned decades and encompassed collaborations with a diverse range of artists from Kate Bush to John Martyn and Pentangle, has died. He was 75. Thompson’s distinctive playing graced albums by artists across genres, establishing him as a sought-after session musician even as he navigated personal struggles with alcoholism.
During his time with Pentangle, Thompson developed a reputation as “a bit of a raver,” a period that coincided with extensive session work, notably with John Martyn. their partnership was described by writer Mark Cooper as “a notorious double act as they slurred their way between sentimental tenderness and barely camouflaged rage.” by 1976, Thompson noted a decline in session requests, wryly observing to Melody Maker, “I’m thought of as a wild animal at the moment, but that’s my nature, innit? So they wanted to calm me down and become an introvert, which would have fazed everybody, I think, if they’d seen me walking around like an introvert.”
Thompson confronted his alcoholism in 1977, but a resurgence in session work didn’t occur until the 1980s, begining with a call from Donovan.He afterward contributed to Kate Bush’s The Dreaming and Hounds of Love, and also played on Shelleyan Orphan’s debut album, Helleborine, drawn by the band’s admiration for Nick Drake.
He released his debut solo album, Whatever, in 1987, a record that blended English folk melodies with influences from New Orleans jazz. Thompson continued to work as a session musician, appearing alongside artists like Richard Thompson and Eric Bibb. His final album, released later in his career, was a surprising but fitting culmination of his musical interests: Song of Joy for Christmas – An album of Christmas Carols, a collaboration with former Pentangle bandmate jacqui McShee.
