Rich Thompson

Drummer Rich Thompson has been in demand as a top call drummer in Rochester for the past 25 years. Besides serving as the drum set instructor at the Eastman School of Music since the fall of 1996, Rich has toured, performed, and recorded with the “who’s who” of jazz greats including pianist James Williams (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers), The Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, Frank Foster, The Byron Stripling quartet, saxophonist Rich Perry, the Bill Dobbins Trio, Harold Danko, Marion McPartland, Trio East (which includes Clay Jenkins and Jeff Campbell), trumpeter Snooky Young, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Carl Fontana, Phil Woods, Joe Pass, and a host of others too numerous to mention. The Boston Globe cited Rich as “the drummer who drove the Basie sound” when he appeared with them at the Boston Jazz and Blues Festival.

Rich has been touring this country and abroad with the Byron Stripling Quartet for the past eight years. His CD entitled “Trio Generations” was released in May of 2012 on Origin Records. It was included on the long list for two Grammys. His new CD entitled “Less is More” was recorded with trumpet sensation Terell Stafford, pianist Gary Versace, and bassist Jeff Campbell and and was released in March 2013 on Origin Records also. “Less is More” was in the “Top 50” Jazz Record playlist for 5 weeeks. It was also included on the long list for a Grammy. Rich performs regularly w/two chord-less trios “”named “”Trio East”” , w/Clay Jenkins and Jeff Campbell, and “”Triocity”” w/Campbell and multi reed instrumentalist Charles Pillow. Both groups CD’s are found on Origin Records.

Rich has performed with numerous symphonies in the U.S. and Canada and his clinics have taken him as far as France, Japan, and Newfoundland. Rich has written four drum set books published by Kendor Music USA and Advance Music-Germany. Visit Rich on his website “”richthompson.net””, to listen to sound clips of his recent CD’s, or watch a video of his trio at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, The Count Basie Orchestra, his new group “”Triocity”” as well as others.