Chuck Thompson (drummer)

Charles Edmund Thompson was born in New York City on June 4, 1926.^[2] He initially trained as a pianist in his native city, but after relocating to Hollywood, California he studied percussion for five years. In 1943 he became a drummer in Charlie Echols's band, and in 1946 he returned to New York City to join Joe Albany and Miles Davis as a member of Charlie Parker’s bop quintet. In 1947 he performed and recorded as a member of Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray's quintet;^[2] performing on the Original Jazz Classics records Dexter Gordon 1943-1947 and Dexter Gordon on Dial: The Complete Sessions.^[3] He later made records again with Gray in 1950^[2] and Gordon in 1952 (Dexter Blows Hot and Cold, Boplicity Records)^[4] and 1955.^[2] That same year he performed with Benny Carter and Howard McGhee, and recorded with trumpeter Gerald Wilson.^[2]

In 1949 Thompson made recordings with Art Pepper and Hampton Hawes as a member of the Kenton All Stars. He also performed in concerts with Erroll Garner and Sonny Criss in 1949;^[2] appearing on the record Erroll Garner 1949, Vol. 2 (Original Jazz Classics).^[5] He reunited with Hawes in the recording studio in 1955 when they worked together as sidemen^[2] for records made separately by Barney Kessel (Volume 2: Kessel Plays Standards, Original Jazz Classics) and Red Mitchell (Jam For Your Band, Bethlehem Records).^[6] He also played in trio with Mitchell and Hawes in 1955–1956;^[2] recording the record Everyone Loves Hampton Hawes (Original Jazz Classics).^[7] With them he made the record The Trio (1955, Original Jazz Classics).^[8]

Thompson recorded with Sonny Criss in Los Angeles in 1949 and 1957; contributing to the record Sonny Criss Quartet, 1949-1957 (Fresh Sound).^[9] In 1956 he played on the record The Complete Imperial Sessions (Blue Note Records) with pianists Sonny Clark and Kenny Drew.^[9] He spent the remainder of the decade working as a freelance musician in San Francisco.^[2]

Thompson died in Los Angeles on March 7, 1982.^[2]

• Cook, Richard (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780141034010.
• Gioia, Ted (1998). West Coast Jazz: Modern Jazz in California, 1945-1960. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520217294.
• Yanow, Scott (2003). Jazz On Record: The First Sixty Years. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780879307554.