Video: Track-by-track guide to Danny Thompson’s new album Connected (pt.1)

Epic career: Danny Thompson

Renowned double-bass player – and Pentangle founder – Danny Thompson has a new album, Connected, out now. Here’s the first part of a track-by-track guide to the release.

Thompson has been playing gigs since he was a teenager in London in the 1950s. From dance orchestras to jazz bands, from English folk reinventions to blues outfits and virtuoso African ensembles, Thompson has worked with a vast array of artists including Nick Drake, The Who, Roy Orbison, Marianne Faithfull, Tim Buckley, Peter Gabriel, John McLaughlin, John Lee Hooker… the list goes on.

To celebrate Thompson’s career, the big man himself has selected some of the top tracks from his epic career and collected them on to an album called Connected.

Connected includes 12 songs that Thompson has recorded with friends old and new, including Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson (no relation), John Martyn, Tom Robinson and more.

When asked about the project Thompson said:

“I had been asked many times if there could be a collection of recordings that I had been involved with and released with the hope it could interest others. After some thought, I made the decision to feature the fine songs and singers that had touched my heart. I was honoured to serve these wonderful people and their songs… I also wanted to do this before I snuff it!”

Below, Thompson talks about the album’s opening four tracks: Hatmosphere (with Bobby Eichorn… a song about a stolen hat, wouldja believe), May Day Psalter (with Richard Thompson), No Love Is Sorrow (with Bert Jansch) and One Day (with Martin Simpson).

Buy your copy of Connected here.