Artist description Trumpeter Vance Thompson, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, moved to Chicago in the summer of 1995 to pursue a Master of Music degree at DePaul University. After graduation, Vance joined the jazz faculty at DePaul and taught for two years, while keeping busy professionally as a trumpeter, composer, and arranger. Vance moved back to Knoxville in the summer of 1999 to teach at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Tennessee. Vance teaches jazz trumpet, arranging, combos, and music appreciation. Other faculty at UT include Jerry Coker and Donald Brown. Among Friends is the culmination of Vance's time in Chicago in many ways. It is the documentation of his favorite musicians (and humans) playing music that he was inspired to write while in the city. The personnel for the date represent the most serious of Chicago's jazz artist community, and their dedication is certainly evident here.

Music Style Jazz, Instrumental

Musical Influences Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Herbie Hancock, Donald Brown

Artist History This band is part of Chicago's underground music scene in that the musicians on this recording never performed as a unit in public. However, the members of the band are part of a network of musicians that get together regularly at one another's homes to play for the love of it. Hats off to mp3.com for providing a global stage for these musciains and others like them.

Group Members Vance Thompson - trpt; Scott Burns - tenor; Geof Bradfield - tenor; Steve Bradley - trombone; Dan Trudell - piano; Patrick Williams - bass; Dana Hall - drums Although everyone in the band has had heavyweight experience to some degree, drummer Dana Hall has really begun to make a name for himself recently. He is currently the drummer for the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and has performed all over the world with artists like Branford Marsalis, Tommy Flanagan, Horace Silver, and many others.

Instruments trumpet, tenor, trombone, piano, bass, drums

Albums Among Friends

Press Reviews "Everything comes together here. Thompson has written a batch of first rate tunes and plays trumpet with a sensitive but driving style. Each member of his tight Hard Bop ensemble is given ample opportunity to solo without ever losing sight of the collective good. They're not on a nostalgia trip, but Thompson and his team recapture the mainstream thrills of Horace Silver's Song for My Father and Herbie Hancock's Speak Like a Child. It's easy to respect Thompson's work but even better, you can just throw away your thinking cap and have a whole lot of fun listening to it." -Nick Dedina, LISTEN.COM "Vance's playing is a model of discipline and crystalline expression." - METRO PULSE

Additional Info I am currently in the middle of recording my second CD as leader with my current group, a sixteen piece ensemble called the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Our final recording date is set for August 20 and the fruits of that date will be available here shortly thereafter. The CD will feature big band arrangements of two of the originals here (Dearest Emily and Shade Street) as well as six of my arrangements of the music of pianist Donald Brown.

Location Chicago, IL - USA

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