The Music Of Don Thompson

Performed by Joel Quarrington and friends
Duo pieces composed and arranged by Don Thompson.

Performed by
Joel Quarrington-Bass
Don Thompson-Piano

This recording by Joel Quarrington is a unique meeting of of musicians from Jazz and Classical backgrounds performing music specifically written by Don Thompson for this project of bassist Joel Quarrington ,considered one the greatest classical bassists in the world today.

In addition to Don Thompson’s renown as a bassist, he is equally well regarded as a Pianist, Composer and Vibraphonist.

In 2013 , Joel Quarrington was invited to be one of the featured performers at the International Society of Bassists at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester. One of the highlights of the performance was Don Thompson’s arrangement of the the song “A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square”, performed by Joel on bass and Don on Piano.

This became the genus of this recording , and Don set out to arrange some of his other compositions for this unique project.

Another Time , Another Place was a piece inspired by Keith Jarret, a major influence in Don’s aesthetic

Egberto was inspired by Don’s love of Brazilian music and dedicated to the great Brazilian musician Egberto Gismonti

A Quiet Place is one of Don’s older compositions , a well know piece that has been recorded numerous times .

Quartet 89 Liner Notes

In 1989 , New Music Concerts of Canada presented a concert featuring the double bass.There were solo, duo and trio pieces culminating in a commission by Don Thompson for a bass quartet, Quartet 89 for 3 classical players and one Jazz improvisor.

Bass 1 – Joel Quarrington
Bass 2 – Travis Harrison
Bass 3 – Joseph Phillips
Bass 4 – Roberto Occhipinti (jazz bass)

The piece is starts with an open improvisation based on the initial them, with the basses coming in with a chorale like melody , A short jazz improvisation follows with another cadenza leading in to development section in 5/4 over a driving ostinato There is a duet with the first soloist , a Fugue like section leading to another cadenza , back to a recap of the opening melody and ending with the solo jazz bass fading out.

Sessions were recorded at Modica Music Studio June 27 and 28, 2021 by Jeff Wolpert and produced by Roberto Occhipinti.

Released June 2022 on Modica Music

www.joelquarrington.com