some fellow musicians and favourites have written as follows
Gary Lucas shared this from: Alan Jones:
RIP Danny Thompson, whose bass you can hear on records by Nick Drake, Richard Thompson, Pentangle, John Martyn, Tim Buckley, Davey Graham, Donovan, Bert Jansch, Kate Bush, David Sylvian, Talk Talk, T Rex and more. A wonderful musician, but a borderline berserker when I turned up to interview John Martyn in Leeds in 1975 and found him and Martyn so far gone it was like they'd been drinking since at least the earth cooled, possibly longer. A fair amount of mayhem ensued.
from the equally legendary producer and muso Joe Boyd
Danny Thompson was a giant, a virtuoso bassist with an endessly inventive musical imagination. His tone was like no other – warm but with an edge I never heard from another bassist. His joyful spirit and sense of humour energised recording sessions, inspiring everyone around him - musicians, singers, engineers and producers.
'Wotcher Joe!' I always had a spring in my step approaching the studio when Danny was on the session. He made Nick Drake laugh and teased Toumani Diabaté, and both adored playing with him. He was a Londoner through-and-through, a product of a fertile time in the city's musical history and a uniquely open-eared exception. He loved rhyming slang and was endlessly inventive with it, once demanding to know if I was going to pay him in 'Nelsons' (Eddys / readies) or with a 'Gregory' (Peck / cheque).
Danny was the proverbial one-off, a once-in-a-generation inovator and pioneer. He would never presume to use such words about himself, but for me he was the ultimate diamond geezer and I will miss him terribly.
From Kathryn Williams
So sad to hear the news that @therealdannythompson has moved on. From early John Martyn albums through to playing on stage at nick drake shows he’s been the low end constant in my musical life. Bass players like @jonthorneinsta are the lineage of what he carved. He was so down to earth and just did the thing that all artist have to do which is turn up and keep going, the music world has lost a true timeless great. He’s on so many records. I am so lucky that the track I wrote with @paulwellerhq SO QUIETLY from supplement 66 was I think Danny’s last recording in the studio. Thank you you beautiful human x
From Paul Weller
To our dear, departed brother and mentor Danny Thompson.
We are going to miss you but we all feel blessed to have worked with you and to have known you.
A true legend and giant of a man.
Our thoughts are with his family and anyone who was lucky enough to have met Danny.
Thank you Danny Boy.
"Whoppers as ever!"
Gone, not gone.
PW
From Billy Bragg
Very sorry to hear that Danny Thompson, the great double bass player, has passed away. He’s one of those characters who can justifiably be described as legendary. He played on most of my Workers Playtime album. That’s his soulful double bass you can hear on ‘Must I Paint You A Picture’ and ‘Valentines Day Is Over’.
He had a wealth of great stories that kept us laughing through the hanging around waiting to play that makes up much of a musician’s life.
When the drummer that producer Joe Boyd brought in proved unreliable, me and Wiggy convinced him to book Mickey Waller, who had played on our favourite Rod Stewart albums. While he was setting up his kit, Danny walked in and they started musing on when they had last worked together. After a bit of discussion they came to the conclusion that it was probably when they both played on ‘Maggie May’.
Listening in the control room Wiggy and I got a bit emotional.
Rest in peace big fella.
UNCUT mag
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