Steve Wallace also had/has a killer groove. Thompson's bass (back when he played it more) moves me in a different way from Wallace's, and Wallace might be the better big band/classic swing player.
Great band, I had the pleasure of playing with a few of the guys on a pick-up band gig contracted by D. Woods for an American band leader. Pat LaBarbara. Jerry Toth, Arnie....they were great!
So tight, and man, they swing! 25th anniversary, so this is 1993. What lead trumpet playing! I see Jerry Johnson is in the 'bone section (far left from audience point of view). I remember when he was one of Maynard Ferguson's two trombonists in his mid-1970's band. What a great player! That Maynard band played a concert at my high school gymnasium my senior year, in spring, 1975 (Kent-Meridian High School, 20 miles south of Seattle). And it just so happens in late '80's I played 'bone in a Seattle-area rehearsal big band with Jerry Johnson's brother Jim, who played saxophone and was a local high school teacher.
Las Latty terry Clarke ;) Not to mention Steve Wallace with just a tremendous sound. I think Don played bass, drums and piano in that band at different times.
@@craigiefconcert6493 Don Thompson was indeed (at various times) the band's bassist, pianist and percussionist -- not drummer, though he is indeed a fine drummer. He is also a great composer/arranger and contributed to the book of charts. A singular talent, as were each of those guys.
