One of the most under-appreciated tenor saxophonists in the history of jazz, and one of its saddest parables, is Lucky Thompson, born Eli Thompson in 1924. Lucky recorded with Charlie Parker at the birth of bebop in 1946 when he was only 22, is on Monk's 1952 Blue Note sessions, is the tenor saxophonist on Miles Davis' original Walkin’ from 1954 which still sounds so fresh it could have been recorded yesterday, but retired from recording by 1973 and died homeless in 2005 having not touched his horn for decades.
Lucky was just too honest for his own good. He never recorded an album with a string orchestra or backing choir, didn't have a disco-funk explosion in the 70’s, and wasn’t chosen as the favorite of any young lion during the neo-con bebop revival. But every note he recorded between 1946 and 1973 is worth seeking out and listening to. Lucky doesn't sound like anyone else and nobody else sounds like Lucky. As powerful and important a saxophonist as he was, there are no books of Lucky Thompson transcriptions for sale, you can’t practice Lucky Thompson patterns, and you can’t learn to play like Lucky at any university’s music performance degree program.
Lucky played from the heart, not bebop, not swing, beyond category. Story has it that he was difficult to deal with…name me someone who is not difficult to deal with. I think maybe Lucky was just too honest in a world that values honesty only when it is profitable. Just as Monk is revered much more highly 30 years after his death than he was when he was composing his best work, just as Fela was subject of a Broadway play long after his death after suffering imprisonment and debilitating beatings during his lifetime, maybe the time is now ripe for a Lucky Thompson revival and posthumous recognition of his greatness. I’m going to quit writing and go practice Walkin’ for my next gig.
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