Malachi Thompson

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Malachi Richard Thompson , (born August 21, 1949 in Princeton (Kentucky) , † July 16, 2006 in Chicago ) was an American jazz trumpeter .

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Thompson received early musical support from his jazz-loving mother; From the age of 5 he received piano lessons in Chicago, where he grew up. While attending a concert by Count Basie's band , he discovered the trumpet as his instrument. He studied it in college and university and took private lessons with Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw . After his first experiences in rhythm and blues groups, he joined Troy Robinson's ensemble in 1966. As early as 1967 he came into contact with AACM musicians such as Muhal Richard Abrams , Leroy Jenkins , Henry Threadgill and Lester Bowie .

Thompson played in the Operation Breadbasket Big Band of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and accompanied Cat Anderson , Donald Byrd and Nat Adderley there . He also played with Joe Williams and Von Freeman , but also founded his own groups. After graduating, he moved to New York, where he worked with Frank Foster and Sam Wooding as well as Joe Henderson and Jackie McLean . In addition, he was also active in the loft scene, where he worked in the vicinity of both Sam Rivers and Archie Shepp . In 1974 he also founded his first freebop band together in order to open up the hard bop game concept to greater freedom for improvisation. Involved were u. a. Carter Jefferson , Victor Lewis , David Murray , Oliver Lake , James Spaulding , Gary Bartz , Paul Quinichette .

In addition, Thompson founded a large trumpet ensemble with a rhythm section with Norman Spiller . In 1982 he then joined Lester Bowie's Hot Trumpet Repertory Company, later Brass Fantasy, of which he was a member until 1988. In 1983 he moved to Washington, DC , then to Vienna in 1985 , where he stayed until 1989. On his return to Chicago he had to take a break from blood cancer , wrote the play "The Jazz Life" (1990) and worked as a jazz teacher and journalist. In 1991 he was able to devote himself to active music-making again and again founded his own freebop band, which presented several records. But soon the work with another formation, Africa Brass, came to the fore, which was reinforced by a choir for the production of “Lift Every Voice” (1994). In addition, Thompson played theater music. Thompson has also made recordings for Gil Scott-Heron , Quincy Jones , Erroll Parker , Hubert Eaves III and Shamek Farrah .

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personal data
SURNAME Thompson, Malachi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Thompson, Malachi Richard (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz trumpeter
DATE OF BIRTH August 21, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Princeton (Kentucky)
DATE OF DEATH July 16, 2006
Place of death Chicago