Customer Reviews

Lucky Strikes

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Few musicians are so misnamed as Lucky Thompson, a brilliant tenor and soprano saxophonist who ranked second only to Dexter Gordon as the greatest tenorist to come out of bop before the '50s. Yet Dexter's style was heavily imitated by later generations, making his music much less startling. Lucky sounds like no other player in the music's history. On this album he weaves shimmering, cascading lines on his tenor and soprano over a rhythm section made extraordinarily graceful by the presence of Hank Jones on piano. Richard Davis is good (though he would be better in his modal years on Blue Note) and drummer Connie Kay gives the proceedings an airy athleticism. Thompson's tone on tenor has lightened somewhat since his bebop days (no longer sound indebted to Don Byas) and he was perhaps the first true master of the soprano, playing it with a light yet forceful, vibrato-less tone. His improvisations are remarkably modern. His ideas threaten to fly right off the changes during his wonderfully constructed runs, and his vocabulary studiously omits blues and bop cliches. Those who know his music say he's one of the greatest sax players ever. If you buy this album you'll agree.

The forgotten, ignored Lucky Thompson -never was a name in jazz so ironic- warmly deserves a place in the pantheon of jazz greats. This deeply philosophical man left behind an erratic but consistently engaging legacy of recorded material, and disappeared from the scene around 1973, never to return again.

Although Thompson had gained recognition among musicians, critics and listeners alike for his tenor saxophone skill, his soprano playing was on occasions sublime. The opening "In a Sentimental Mood" on Lucky Strikes easily rivals the famous Coltrane version on Duke Ellington and John Coltrane (1962, Impulse!) - Thompson caresses the melody with such depth of feeling and delicacy of touch that one is left breathless.

Interestingly, the rest of the band play rather discreetly, as if in awe of the leader. In view of the mastery with which he plays the soprano on the Duke Ellington tune and on his own "Mid-Nite Oil", "Mumba Neua" and "Prey Loot", it's not surprising.

There are strong but unsubstantiated rumours that Lucky Thompson is alive and living on the streets in Seattle. He won't talk to anybody. He speaks clearly to all of us on this beautiful record.

It is a shame that one of the most beautiful recordings ever released should not yet have a single review (until this one).

Many of the heaviest musicians in jazz would tell you that Lucky Thompson is possibly the greatest soprano player ever to hold the instrument. The recording of In a Sentimental Mood on this CD is so beautiful and inspiring. I have 1000+ jazz recordings from the 1930's to the present day, and without fail, this recording moves me like no other. I sincerely think any musician brave enough to come out on stage or record with the soprano in hand, ought to at least be able to play it half as well as Lucky, or why bother (all G's included).

If you are a jazz fan who is not yet familiar with Lucky, perhaps you have heard him on some of the music's most important recordings. He is the tenor player on Parker's first Los Angeles Dial recordings (Ornithology, Night in Tunisia, etc.), Monk's debut on Blue Note (Genius of Modern Music), and Miles' Walkin' on Prestige.

Stars, reviews, comments...I don't think artist really cares, or it wouldn't sound this good.

Lucky Thompson was a strange one - a fighter, a questioner, a perfectionist, a complainer, a self-proclaimed victim of musical exploitation by what he called "vultures" - who dropped from the scene sometime in the mid-late 70s, gave his horns away to pay off debts, and never had anything to do with music again. He died a homeless recluse in Seattle in July 2005. Oh yeah, he was also one of the greatest tenor saxophonists ever to play jazz.

This 1964 quartet date finds Lucky in the company of a very supportive rhythm section. The lyrical and fleet Hank Jones on piano is a handsome foil for the equally fleet and lyrical Thompson. On half the tunes Lucky plays soprano; MID-NITE OIL and PREY LOOT, both Lucky compositions, are good soprano tracks. Lucky's writing has always been attractive. On tenor, FLY WITH THE WIND and REMINISCENT, again tunes written by Thompson, are the highlights. Connie Kay's drumming, so light and tasty, is a treat throughout the proceedings. This album is definitely worth checking out.

A genuine gem, with Hank Jones (piano), Richard Davis (bass) and Connie Kay (drums). Everything has been said about this album. The sound of Lucky Thompson sounds like no other one. It's not rough like Ben Webster and he doesn't play like Lester Young. He has his own sound. On soprano, Lucky strikes hard.

Indispensable and Highly Recommended.