Barbara Thompson

about

Barbara Thompson MBE (born Barbara Gracey in Oxford on 27 July 1944; died 9 July 2022) was an English jazz saxophonist, flautist and composer. She also recorded as Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia, as Barbara Thompson Quartet, and as Barbara Thompson & The Medici Quartet. In addition, she recorded with United Jazz & Rock Ensemble, Colosseum, Keef Hartley Band, and Manfred Mann's Earth Band. . Thompson studied clarinet, flute, piano and classical composition at the Royal College of Music, but the music of Duke Ellington and John Coltrane made her shift her interests to jazz and saxophone. Around 1975, she was involved in the foundation of three bands: * the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble, a 'band of bandleaders' with Wolfgang Dauner (p), Volker Kriegel (g), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb), Eberhard Weber (b), Ian Carr (tp), Charlie Mariano (sax), Ack van Rooyen (tp) and Jon Hiseman (dr). * Barbara Thompson’s Jubiaba (9 piece Latin/Rock band) including Peter Lemer, Roy Babbington, Henry Lowther, Ian Hamer, Derek Wadsworth, Trevor Tomkins, Bill Le Sage, Glyn Thomas. * Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia, her current working band with Peter Lemer (p), Billy Thompson (v) [1], Dave Ball (b) [2] and Jon Hiseman on drums. She was awarded the MBE in 1996 for services to music. Due to Parkinson's disease diagnosed in 1997, she retired as an active saxophonist in 2001 with a farewell tour. After a period of working as a composer exclusively, she returned to stage in 2004 to re

top songs

albums

Songs From the Center of the Earth

In the Eye of a Storm

Heavenly Bodies

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Thompson: Three Quartets

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Nightwatch

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Breathless

Perpetual Motion

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Thompson, Barbara: Songs From the Center of the Earth

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Soul Alone: The Art of the Solo

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Lady Saxophone

Barbara Thompson's Special Edition

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Sisters: Women's Music from Celestial Harmonies

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