Danny Thompson RIP

As already mentioned here and elsewhere the Danny Thompson left us last week. Danny was a man of both quality and quantity. Discogs lists over 750 credits - and that isn't all of them - and he is possibly on more records in my collection than any other musician. He shines on every one.

I was lucky enough to see Danny live in various combinations over the years. The standouts include a duo of him and Richard 'No Relation' Thompson at Cropredy some time back in the Days of the Ancients and what turned out to be Pentangle's last ever gig (at the Royal Festival Hall in 2011).

Swiss Adam has written a very nice tribute over at Bagging Area - he is much more eloquent than what I is - in which he highlights Danny's work with Pentangle, Nick Drake and John Martyn. If you wade through to the end of my post on the Incredible String Band last week you'll find Danny there as well.

I have avoided all those artists in the selection below. These tracks are all taken from records I happen to have lying around and hopefully give you some idea of Danny's range and quality. They are in chronological order, from 1969 to 2012. I have included a track from "Industry" (2003), an album jointly credited to Richard and Danny, 

I couldn't find any decent quality clips of the 2011 Pentangle concert but have shared a performance of "I've Got A Feeling" from three years earlier on 'Later'. Danny lets loose at about the two minute mark. The second clip is him and Richard in 1996, also on 'Later', and we finish in the same year with Kathy Mattea joining him and his old mucker at the Transatlantic Sessions. 

RIP Mr Thompson. Thanks for everything.

"Goodbye To Monday Night" - Michael Chapman

"City's Cry" - Shelagh McDonald

"Interstellar Soul" - T. Rex

"China Doll" - Julian Cope

"King Strut" - Peter Blegvad

"One String Violin" - Heidi Berry

"Jojoh Yalah Jo" - S.E. Rogie

"Drifting Through The Days" - Richard Thompson & Danny Thompson

"Miracle" - Baaba Maal

"Still England" - Viv Albertine