Eli "Lucky" Thompson, tenor and soprano saxophone. Anyone who knows about Lucky probably agrees he should be famous, and that his nickname is one of the most ironic in the music business.

His heritage of musical alliances are incredible. From Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden to Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Pettiford, Milt Jackson, Quincy Jones and Hank Jones. His musical pedigree is too long to list here.

By listening to even a few of his recordings (and compositions/arrangements with no less than Quincy Jones), it's clear he had it all -- he could write, play in any style, orchestrate and do it with soul and elegance.

It seems now that he is not even playing.

While this is certainly not unheard of, many musicians are still performing exceptionally at his age (including the timeless Sam Rivers) and continue to produce great music despite not being rewarded artistically or monetarily. Lee Konitz seems to be improving with age (of course, he did get a large grant in the last few years). Lucky had little regard for the business of music, and was certainly not well-treated in this country.

On November 20, 1998, I received an e-mail from tenor saxophonist Keith Henson of Seattle, who recently released his first CD. I asked him about Lucky Thompson, because I had heard Thompson was living on the streets in Seattle. Here's what he said: "...Yeah, he's a street person in Seattle. He's mentally ill, I think. He refuses to talk about music and is hostile to anyone who mentions it. Hasn't played in years, doesn't even own horns. He'll talk to only a few people, like (Don) Lanphere and Jay Thomas. Rumor is he's writing an opera..."

Lucky Thompson remains one of the best players and most elusive figures in jazz history. He recorded with musicians of every generation for 30 years (Armstong, Teagarden, Parker, Cedar Walton), and adopted the soprano before John Coltrane. (Don't expect him to sound like Coltrane, either - he has a much lighter and more delicate approach to the instrument). Consider his music. You'll be impressed.

"His technical facility, perhaps the most accomplished of his generation, is constantly searching for challenges, constantly trying to fulfill itself." -- David A. Himmelstein

Familiar with Lucky Thompson's work? We welcome your comments.