Leslie Thompson (musician)

Leslie Anthony Joseph Thompson (17 October 1901, Kingston, Jamaica - 26 December 1987, London) was a Jamaican jazz trumpeter.

Biography

Thompson studied music as a child at the Roman Catholic Alpha Cottage School^[1] in Kingston. When he was 16, he joined the West India Regiment and played in their band locally in Kingston movie palaces in the 1920s, before moving to London in 1929. He had been unable to become a bandmaster in the army because of rules preventing black soldiers becoming officers. He also played euphonium and cornet.^[2]

In 1930 he began playing with Spike Hughes, where he played trumpet, trombone, and double bass until 1932. In 1934-35 he toured Europe with Louis Armstrong, then formed his own band, intended to be all black (although initially with two white trombonists who blacked up),^[3] with the help of Ken Snakehips Johnson, who himself took over control of this band in 1936. Jiver Hutchinson was one of his sidemen.

In 1936-37 Thompson played with Benny Carter, and later in the 1930s played double bass with Edmundo Ros. He served in the Royal Artillery on the south coast during World War II and was active in dance halls and nightclubs after the war, but stopped playing music professionally after 1954 and later became a parole officer.

He was inspired by Marcus Garvey and an Anglican.^[4]

References

• Jeffrey P. Green, "Leslie Thompson". Grove Jazz online.
• Leslie Thompson with Jeffrey Green, Swing from a Small Island - The Story of Leslie Thompson. London: Northway Publications, 2009. ISBN 978-0-9557888-2-6