Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)

Subject: RE: Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 29 Sep 25 - 11:34 AM

"Bass guitar?"

Danny was a multi-instrumentalist. Double ('Upright') bass was his main instrument, but he was also known for his skill with guitar, mandolin, trumpet, and trombone, all of which he played professionally before settling on double-bass.

Subject: RE: Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Sep 25 - 09:56 AM

A huge loss, he was the go-to man for years for session work and pick up bands for everyone in the business in the UK in addition to the big name artists.

Being able to combine versatility with a unique sound is a very good trick indeed. Not many can pull it off but he did. He bridged the folk and jazz worlds by being himself and playing with taste and style wherever he found himself.

Saw him many times over the years, especially memorably during a Mara tour where his playing with the equally great sax player Sandy Evans was astonishing.
He also had a way of making people smile, even when he was being annoying…
RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 25 - 11:20 AM

Bass guitar?

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Upright Bass, I believe...but we don't have enough space in the title field for all that. -Joe-

Subject: RE: Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 27 Sep 25 - 11:10 AM

Danny was a commanding voice in bass guitar playing. He will be sorely missed. Condolences must go to his family and friends and all those who know him for himself and for his music. I have, of course, added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread. Rest in peace Danny.

Subject: RE: Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: GUEST,Some bloke
Date: 26 Sep 25 - 01:58 PM

No matter whose album you pick up, there is a chance Danny played on it.

His Pentangle days are worthy of reflection of course, but everything else, whether his early days with Roy Orbison, his work with Kate Bush or his long time association with Richard Thompson, to name a few, his artistic input was far more than just bass player.

Have a listen to him playing with Harvey Andrews on Hey Sandy, (on Singer of Songs album) and marvel at such a musical giant.

Subject: RE: Obit: UK Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: DaveRo
Date: 26 Sep 25 - 02:00 AM

Guardian Obituary

Subject: RE: Obit: renown Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: StephenH
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 01:05 PM

I'm very sorry to hear this, one of my all-time favourite bassists.
Instantly recognizable sound that elevated so many recordings to another level
RIP Danny.

Subject: RE: Obit: renown Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 12:58 PM

Dave, I posted Danny’s discography from his website up-thread.

Subject: RE: Obit: renown Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: DaveRo
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 12:48 PM

There's a partial discography on wikipedia. I bet those of us in the UK have dozens of those.

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 08:38 AM

Yep, DT was so much more than the Pentangle bassist but that band and his playing with them was a big freakin deal, AFAIC, and I'm not suggesting that anyone here is suggesting otherwise.
His exquisite playing on John Martyn's Solid Air LP deserves mention as well.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 08:33 AM

Thanks Ray and MM - I’m seeing so many on-line tributes to Danny referring to him as ‘Pentangle bassist’. It’s sad to think that he’s being remembered in such a limited way - he was a supreme musician whose work went far beyond one comparatively short-lived band (excellent though they were).

Here’s Danny with John Martyn and Kathy Mattea, playing a superb version of ‘May You Never’ on Transatlantic Sessions. Enjoy…

May You Never

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 06:12 AM

Sad news again. The man was a genius of the bass. THE bassist not just in Pentangle (where he was instrumental in the band dynamic) but also in the very top bracket in so many other contexts too numerous to even contemplate. RIP Danny.

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 06:02 AM

Yes, Pentangle was a long time ago and most of his work post-dates this.

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 05:55 AM

Danny’s discography shows the enormous breadth and volume of his work…

Danny Thompson Discography

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 05:41 AM

Someone changed the thread title. The description ‘Pentangle bassist’ is a huge undersell of a brilliant, much loved musician. Danny was much, much more than just the ‘Pentangle bassist’.

https://www.therealdannythompson.co.uk/

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I changed the thread title, and somebody changed it to something else. I thought long and hard about whether it should be "Bassist" or "Pentangle Bassist." I changed it to "Pentangle Bassist" for a variety of reasons (mostly because we have only so many spaces in the title field, and knowing that "Pentangle Bassist" was not perfect). I've changed it to simply "UK Bassist" and I expect it to stay that way unless somebody contacts me directly to suggest an alternative.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 25 Sep 25 - 05:09 AM

When I learned of his passing the first song I thought of was So Clear by Pentangle .
Back in the '90's I was amazed when he came to our smallish town and put on a marvelous acoustic concert in duet with Richard Thompson.

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 25 - 11:18 PM

Remarks about losing Danny Thompson posted by a local friend (Arlington, Texas) on his Facebook page. Mark Cook is a gifted musician, noted for his love of the Warr guitar. From the album credits he also plays fretless bass, fretted and fretless guitars, keyboards, programming, samples, and beat construction.

Legendary bassist Danny Thompson passed away yesterday. He was a master of the upright bass. He played on some of my favorite albums and was a huge influence on me. Here is a piece I recorded for my project Blood Jet Poetry that features Mr. Thompson and Matt Chamberlain on drums. https://bloodjetpoetry.bandcamp.com/album/blood-jet-poetry

https://www.facebook.com/markwaynecook/videos/1284511829648344/

Subject: RE: Obit: Pentangle Bassist Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
From: Hagman
Date: 24 Sep 25 - 11:12 PM

Of the original line-up, Jacqui McShee and Terry Cox.

Subject: RE: Obit: Danny Thompson, 4/4/39 - 24/9/25
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Sep 25 - 01:27 PM

Danny Thompson once spoke of the long-disbanded Pentangle and said
what deep affection there still was amongst its members for each other.
Who is left alive, still, from Pentangle?

Subject: RE: Obit: Danny Thompson, 4/4/39 - 24/9/25
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 24 Sep 25 - 01:07 PM

He just made everything sound better with his bass. A master accompanist.

Subject: Obit: Danny Thompson, 4/4/39 - 24/9/25
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Sep 25 - 12:19 PM

Just read of the passing of Danny Thompson, bassist extraordinaire.
Played with just about everyone, a fine musician who will be sadly missed.
RIP Danny.