Danny Ray Thompson
American jazz musician (1947–2020)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Danny Ray Thompson (October 1, 1947 – March 12, 2020) was an American jazz musician.[3] He played baritone saxophone with the Sun Ra Arkestra and managed the band for a period of time.[4]
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Danny Ray Thompson | |
|---|---|
Thompson, in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 1, 1947 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 12, 2020 (aged 72) |
| Genres | Avant-garde jazz, free jazz, experimental |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments | Baritone saxophone,[1] bassoon[2] |
Early life
Thompson was born in New York City, to Elgie and Oscar Leonard Thompson.[3] Soon his family moved to Los Angeles, California but after high school Thompson returned to New York City and attended night classes at Juilliard School.[3]
Career
Thompson's first concert was with Babatunde Olatunji and after meeting Marshall Allen, Thompson was introduced to Sun Ra.[3] The first Arkestra album Thompson appeared on was 1967's Atlantis.[4] He made his first live appearance with the Arkestra in April, 1968 at Carnegie Hall.[3]
Thompson, along with fellow Arkestra members Marshall Allen and Charles Davis, was present for a 100th birthday celebration for Sun Ra at the Berklee College of Music in 2014.[5]
