- Chester Thompson
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Not to be confused with the keyboardist of the same name who has played with Santana and Tower of Power, among others.For the U.S. Representative from Illinois, see Chester C. Thompson.
Chester Thompson 
Chester playing with Genesis during the Turn It On Again Tour (2007)Background information Born December 11, 1948
Baltimore, Maryland, USAGenres Progressive rock, pop rock, jazz fusion Instruments Drums Years active 1973–present Associated acts Genesis, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Frank Zappa, Weather Report, Era, Ron Kenoly Website chesterthompson.com Chester Cortez Thompson (born December 11, 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American drummer and session musician.
Contents
Biography
Thompson made his name as a session drummer, going on to play in Frank Zappa's touring band (as part of the 1973–1974 lineups which also featured percussionist Ruth Underwood and jazz keyboardist George Duke) and with Weather Report.[1] He played on such noted Zappa albums as One Size Fits All and Roxy & Elsewhere.
His longest-standing gig was with Genesis.[2] His relationship with the band began with the departure of frontman Peter Gabriel. Then-drummer, Phil Collins, assumed Gabriel's role in live shows but remained behind the drum kit in the studio. Thompson became the touring drummer[3] in 1977, playing on their tours in that year and in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983/4, 1986/7, 1992 and the 2007 reunion Turn It On Again Tour. Chester is featured on their live albums Seconds Out, Three Sides Live and The Way We Walk Volume 1, Volume 2 and Live Over Europe 2007. He chose not to be involved in the band's Calling All Stations tour, following the band's failure to invite him to join the studio band following Phil Collins's departure.
Thompson has also worked with Phil Collins on his solo concert tours, drumming on the 1982/83 Hello, I Must Be Going! tour, 1985 No Jacket Required tour, 1990 ...But Seriously tour, The Tarzan Premiere tour of 1999 and The Final Farewell tour of 2004/05. Chester also appears on Phil Collins' Serious Hits... Live! live album and DVD, and has released his own solo album, A Joyful Noise.
Chester also plays on the Steve Hackett albums, Please Don't Touch and Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited. Later on, he played on Tony Banks' solo album A Curious Feeling. He also appears on The Tokyo Tapes album released in 1998 which features Steve Hackett and John Wetton amongst many others. He was also a founding member of the band Fire Merchants with Brand X guitarist John Goodsall and bassist Doug Lunn and appeared on their first recording in 1989.
Chester's playing style is widely acknowledged and respected, and can be seen on numerous live videos of Genesis, from late 1970s up to early 1990s. His live playing with the band is a striking mixture of his own style and Collins' own, being equally comfortable with acoustic and electronic drums. In the past, Chester has endorsed Ludwig Drums (1970-March, 1977), Pearl Drums (April, 1977 - July, 1987), Sonor Drums (1990–1999) and Paiste cymbals (1970–90), but now endorses DW drums since 2000 and Sabian cymbals since 1990.
He was also a member Air Pocket, a band centered around the Fowler Brothers.
Discography
As sideman
With Air Pocket
- 1976: Fly On (East Wind Records)
- 1985: Hunter
- 1988: Breakfast for Dinosaurs
References
- ^ Jenkins, Todd (2002-04-24). "CD/LP Review: Black Market". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=9768. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ Kelman, John. "Genesis: The Movie Box 1981-2007". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article_print.php?id=34775. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ Doerschuk, Bob (1 May 2002). Playing from the heart: great musicians talk about their craft. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 237. ISBN 9780879307042. http://books.google.com/books?id=32xXgwxBjhMC&pg=PA237. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
External links
- The official Chester Thompson site
- World of Genesis - Chester Thompson Biography
- World of Genesis - World of Genesis.com 2002 Chester Thompson interview
- Drummerworld: Chester Thompson
- Steve Hackett.com
Weather Report Joe Zawinul • Wayne Shorter • Miroslav Vitouš • Airto Moreira • Alphonse Mouzon • Dom Um Romão • Eric Gravatt • Greg Errico • Alphonso Johnson • Ishmael Wilburn • Skip Hadden • Alyrio Lima • Leon "Ndugu" Chancler • Chester Thompson • Jaco Pastorius • Alex Acuña • Don Alias • Manolo Badrena • Peter Erskine • Erich Zawinul • Robert Thomas Jr. • Omar Hakim • Victor Bailey • Jose Rossy • Mino Cinelu • Narada Michael Walden • Kirk Whalum Studio albums Live albums Compilations The Collection • Best of Weather Report • Forecast: TomorrowSingles "125th Street Congress"/"Will" • "Boogie Woogie Waltz" • "Birdland" • "River People" • "Procession"/"Where the Moon Goes"Related Discography
Book:Weather ReportGrammy Award for Record of the Year (2000s) "Smooth"* by Santana (Rodney Holmes, Tony Lindsay, Karl Perazzo, Raul Rekow, Benny Rietveld, Carlos Santana, Chester Thompson) featuring Rob Thomas
· engineered/mixed by David Thoener, produced by Matt Serletic (2000)"Beautiful Day"* by U2 (Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr.)
· engineered/mixed by Richard Rainey & Steve Lillywhite; produced by Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois (2001)"Walk On" by U2 (Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr.)
· engineered/mixed by Richard Rainey & Steve Lillywhite; produced by Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois (2002)"Don't Know Why"* by Norah Jones;
· engineered/mixed by Jay Newland; produced by Arif Mardin, Jay Newland & Norah Jones (2003)"Clocks" by Coldplay (Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion, Phil Harvey, Chris Martin)
· engineered/mixed by Coldplay, Ken Nelson & Mark Phythian; produced by Coldplay & Ken Nelson (2004)"Here We Go Again" by Ray Charles and Norah Jones
· engineered/mixed by Al Schmitt, Mark Fleming, & Terry Howard; produced by John R. Burk (2005)"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Frank Edwin Wright III)
· engineered/mixed by Chris Lord-Alge & Doug McKean, produced by Green Day & Rob Cavallo (2006)"Not Ready to Make Nice"* by Dixie Chicks (Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison)
· engineered/mixed by Chris Testa, Jim Scott & Richard Dodd; produced by Rick Rubin (2007)"Rehab"* by Amy Winehouse
· engineered/mixed by Tom Elmhirst, Vaughan Merrick, Dom Morley, Mark Ronson & Gabriel Roth; produced by Mark Ronson (2008)"Please Read the Letter" by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
· engineered/mixed by Mike Piersante; produced by T-Bone Burnett (2009)Complete list · (1960s) · (1970s) · (1980s) · (1990s) · (2000s) · (2010s) Grammy Award for Album of the Year (2000s) Supernatural performed by Santana (Rodney Holmes, Tony Lindsay, Karl Perazzo, Raul Rekow, Benny Rietveld, Carlos Santana, Chester Thompson); engineered/mixed by Alvaro Villagra, Andy Grassi, Anton Pukshansky, Benny Faccone, Chris Theis, Commissioner Gordon, David Frazer, David Thoener, Glenn Kolotkin, Jeff Poe, Jim Gaines, Jim Scott, John Gamble, John Karpowich, John Seymour, Matty Spindel, Mike Couzzi, Steve Farrone, Steve Fontano, T-Ray, Tom Lord-Alge, Tony Prendatt & Warren Riker; produced by Alex Gonzales, Art Hodge, Charles Goodan, Clive Davis, Dante Ross, Dust Brothers, Fher Olvera, Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, K. C. Porter, Lauryn Hill, Matt Serletic, Stephen M. Harris & Wyclef Jean (2000) Two Against Nature performed by Steely Dan (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen); engineered/mixed by Dave Russell, Elliot Scheiner, Phil Burnett & Roger Nichols; produced by Donald Fagen & Walter Becker (2001) O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack performed by Alison Krauss & Union Station (Barry Bales, Ron Block, Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminski), Chris Sharp, Chris Thomas King, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Harley Allen, John Hartford, Mike Compton, Norman Blake, Pat Enright, Peasall Sisters (Hannah Peasall, Leah Peasall, Sarah Peasall), Ralph Stanley, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, The Cox Family (Evelyn Cox, Sidney Cox, Suzanne Cox, Willard Cox), The Fairfield Four (Nathan Best, Isaac Freeman, Robert Hamlett, James Hill, Joseph Rice, Wilson Waters, Jr.), The Whites (Buck White, Cheryl White, Sharon White) & Tim Blake Nelson; engineered/mixed by Mike Piersante & Peter Kurland; master engineered by Gavin Lurssen; produced by T-Bone Burnett (2002) Come Away with Me performed by Norah Jones; engineered/mixed by Jay Newland & S. Husky Höskulds; master engineered by Ted Jensen; produced by Arif Mardin, Craig Street, Jay Newland & Norah Jones (2003) Speakerboxxx/The Love Below performed by OutKast (André 3000, Big Boi); engineered/mixed by Brian Paturalski, Chris Carmouche, Darrell Thorp, Dexter Simmons, John Frye, Kevin Davis, Matt Still, Moka Nagatani, Neal H. Pogue, Padraic Kernin, Pete Novak, Reggie Dozier, Robert Hannon, Terrence Cash & Vincent Alexander; master engineered by Bernie Grundman & Brian Gardner; produced by André 3000, Big Boi & Carl Mo (2004) Genius Loves Company performed by Ray Charles and Various Artists; engineered/mixed by Al Schmitt, Ed Thacker, Joel W. Moss, John Harris, Mark Fleming, Pete Karam, Robert Fernandez, Seth Presant & Terry Howard; master engineered by Doug Sax & Robert Hadley; produced by Don Mizell, Herbert Waltl, John R. Burk, Phil Ramone & Terry Howard (2005) How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb performed by U2 (Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr.); engineered/mixed by Carl Glanville, Flood, Greg Collins, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper, Simon Gogerly & Steve Lillywhite; master engineered by Arnie Acosta; produced by Brian Eno, Chris Thomas, Daniel Lanois, Flood, Jacknife Lee & Steve Lillywhite (2006) Taking the Long Way performed by Dixie Chicks (Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison); engineered/mixed by Chris Testa, Jim Scott & Richard Dodd; master engineered by Richard Dodd; produced by Rick Rubin (2007) River: The Joni Letters performed by Herbie Hancock; featuring Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Corinne Bailey Rae , Tina Turner ; produced by Herbie Hancock & Larry Klein; engineered/mixed by Helik Hadar; master engeineered by Bernie Grundman (2008) Raising Sand performed by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; produced by T-Bone Burnett; engineered/mixed by Mike Piersante; master engeineered by Gavin Lurssen (2009) Complete list · (1960s) · (1970s) · (1980s) · (1990s) · (2000s) · (2010s) Categories:- African American musicians
- American rock drummers
- Genesis (band) members
- People from Baltimore, Maryland
- Musicians from Maryland
- Weather Report members
- 1948 births
- Living people
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