Once one of the most important sax players around, but now undeservedly overlooked, Lucky Thompson’s career had the classic trajectory of the quintessential jazz tragedy. He was the featured tenor saxist on early Charlie Parker quintet recordings in the late 40s, was on the classic Miles Davis Walkin’ album with a tenor solo on the title track that is still the definition of hard bop. He released a handful of impressive solo albums, and then due to the fabled “personal” problems, dropped out of society and eventually lived his last years on the streets.
Don’t let his personal life take away from his salutary musical catalogue. These two albums which were recorded in Hamburg, Germany in 1959-60 are impressive collections of adventurous vintage sounds.
The Bop and Ballads album has Thompson playing both tenor and soprano saxophone with a core rhythm team of Hajo Lange/b, Michael Naura/p and Heinz von Moisy/dr along with guiests Hans Koller/ts, Georges Grenu/ts, Jimmy Gourley/g, Klaus Marmulla/as and Wolfgang Schluter/vib-perc. Thompson had s crystal clear and smooth sound on the soprano sax, and it is gloriously displayed on the suave “Summertime,” moody “ Yesterdays” and ebullient “Star Eyes” while he sounds exotic and forward looking with the sax team on his own percussively pulsating “The World Awakes.” His tenor was modern in harmony and rich in tone, as exemplified on the seamlessly swinging “Cherokee” and delightfully bopping “Thin Ice.” This is how a saxophone is supposed to sound.
Now, multiply that idea by four, and you have the concept behind the Four Brothers album, which has Thompson with a sax section including Barney Wilen/ss-ts, Helmut Brandt/bari and Bent Jaedig/ts who deliver a velvety pilaf of reeds along with Roland Kovac/p, Larry Atwell/g, Jurgen Ehlers/ b and Rudy Pronk/dr. There’s a smooth reedless quartet take of “Iris” with Atwell shining on guitar and Kovac fronting a romantic trio on “Edith.”
Besides that,you have the reeds swirling on an exciting “Taek the A Train” and digging deep into the gospel groove on “This Here.” On his bopping aria, Thompson sears through “Oleo” and sighs on “I Surrender, Dear” on tenor while floating like a cloud on soprano during “Einsames Madchen Am Meer.” All of the Teutonic saxes have impressive moments in the limelight, with Brandt’s bari palpable OHave a Light” and Jaedig sounding very Getzian on “Easy.” Easy to love this one.