Lucky Thompson

Lucky Thompson

Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano saxophone out of obsolescence in the early 1960s, Thompson (along with Steve Lacy) embraced the instrument earlier than Coltrane.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 16, 1924 (Columbia), Died July 30, 2005 (Seattle)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1947 - 1957

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, leader, composer, saxophone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	D7VB-0511	10-in.	4/22/1947	From dixieland to be-bop (or Condon meets Gillespie)	Lucky Seven (Lucky Thompson) ; Lucky Thompson	Jazz/dance octet	leader, instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Victor	D7VB-0513	10-in.	4/22/1947	Boppin' the blues	Lucky Seven (Lucky Thompson) ; Lucky Thompson	Jazz/dance octet	composer, leader, instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Chess	U-1902	10-in.	11/25/1950	Slow drag	Lucky Thompson Orchestra		composer, leader
Chess	U1903	10-in.	11/25/1950	Nothin' from nothin'	Lucky Thompson Orchestra		composer, leader
Decca	80257		12/6/1950	Elephant rock	Charlie Singleton Orchestra		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	80258		12/6/1950	Alligator rock	Charlie Singleton Orchestra		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	81140		6/7/1951	The dinky dink	Hot Lips Johnson Orchestra		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	81141		6/7/1951	Lonely little robin	Hot Lips Johnson Orchestra		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	81142		6/7/1951	Bring me another jug of wine	Hot Lips Johnson Orchestra		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	81143		6/7/1951	Catch 'em young, treat 'em rough, tell 'em nothing	Hot Lips Johnson Orchestra		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	83197		8/1/1952	Why was I born	(Little) Jimmy Scott		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	83198		8/1/1952	You never miss the water	(Little) Jimmy Scott		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	83199		8/1/1952	The bluest blues	(Little) Jimmy Scott		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	83200		8/1/1952	Solitude	(Little) Jimmy Scott		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85038		8/14/1953	Slow and easy	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85039		8/14/1953	Flamingo	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85040		8/14/1953	Mambo in blues	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85041		8/14/1953	The scene is clean	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85931		3/2/1954	The night hawk	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85932		3/2/1954	Little boy, blow	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85933		3/2/1954	Moonlight in Vermont	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	85934		3/2/1954	Bunny	Lucky Thompson		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101132		12/7/1956	Don't get around much anymore	Sammy Davis, Jr.		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101133		12/7/1956	Oo shoo be doo be	Sammy Davis, Jr.		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101134		12/7/1956	By myself	Sammy Davis, Jr.		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101135		12/7/1956	Signed, sealed and delivered	Sammy Davis, Jr.		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101148		12/11/1956	If I could be with you	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101149		12/11/1956	Lazy river	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101150		12/11/1956	I can't give you anything but love	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101151		12/11/1956	On the sunny side of the street (see master 102618 below)	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101152		12/11/1956	I can't believe that you're in love with me	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101153		12/11/1956	Body and soul	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101154		12/12/1956	Mahogany Hall stomp	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101155		12/12/1956	When you're smiling	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101156		12/12/1956	Some of these days	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101157		12/12/1956	I surrender dear	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101158		12/12/1956	Georgia on my mind	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101159		12/12/1956	Exactly like you	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101168		12/12/1956	High society-3	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101169		12/13/1956	Song of the islands	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101170		12/13/1956	That's my home	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101171		12/13/1956	Memories of you	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101172		12/13/1956	Them there eyes	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101173		12/14/1956	This younger generation	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101174		12/14/1956	In pursuit of happiness	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101499		1/29/1957	When did you leave heaven	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101500		1/29/1957	Fools rush in	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101501		1/29/1957	A sinner kissed an angel	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101502		1/29/1957	I married an angel	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101503		1/29/1957	You're a heavenly thing	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101504		1/29/1957	Angel child	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101505		1/30/1957	Angel	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101506		1/30/1957	Angela mia	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101507		1/30/1957	The prisoner's song	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101508		1/30/1957	Goodnight angel	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101509		1/30/1957	I'll string along with you	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	101510		1/30/1957	And the angels sing	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	102617		12/12/1956	Georgia on my mind-2	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	102618		12/11/1956	On the sunny side of the street	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone
Decca	104555		12/12/1956	When you're smiling-1	Louis Armstrong		instrumentalist, tenor saxophone

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Thompson, Lucky," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/346927.

Thompson, Lucky. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/346927.

"Thompson, Lucky." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.