Lucky Thompson's Ballads (1953-'56)

Lucky Thompson was one of the most gorgeous tenor saxophonists of the post-war period. His tone was pronounced, slippery and confidential and his improvising was as fluid and as seamless as syrup. His sweet spot was mid-tempo numbers, like Lullaby in Rhythm and East of the Sun, but his ballads also were standouts. Delivered with a Ben Webster-like feel, Thompson's crawlers were deeply felt and soulful, especially when he dropped into the lower register.

Here are 10 Lucky Thompson ballads:

Here's Thompson and His Lucky Seven in New York playing Flamingo in August 1953, with Harold “Money" Johnson (tp), John Saunders (tb), Jimmy Powell (as), Clarence Williams (bar), Earl Knight (p), Beverly Peer (b) and Percy Brice (d)...



Here's Thompson in Paris playing There's No You in March 1956, with Henri Renaud (p), Benoit Quersin (b) and Roger Paraboschi (d)...



Here's Thompson in Paris playing Don't Blame Me in March 1956, with Michel Hausser (vib), Martial Solal (p), Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Benoit Quersin (b) and Gerard “Dave" Pochonet (d)...



Here's Indian Summer, taken as a mid-tempo ballad, from the same date...



Here's My Funny Valentine with the same personnel but later in March...



Here's I Cover the Waterfront from the same session...



Here's Thompson in Paris playing My Love Supreme later in March 1956, with Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Paul Rovere (b) and Gerard “Dave" Pochonet (d)...



Here's Thompson in Paris playing My Heart Speaks in April 1956, with Martial Solal (p) Benoit Quersin (b) Gerard “Dave" Pochonet (d)...



Here's Thompson in Paris playing One Last Goodbye later in April 1956, with Martial Solal (p), Benoit Quersin (b) and Christian Garros (d)...



And here's Thompson in Paris playing I Should Care in May 1956, with Henri Renaud (p), Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Benoit Quersin (b) and Gerard “Dave" Pochonet (d)...



Bonus: Here's an amazing video of Anthropology featuring Thompson in Paris in 1959, with Bud Powell (b), Jimmy Gourley (g), Pierre Michelot (b) and Kenny Clarke (d)...



Here's Thompson in Los Angeles soloing in late 1946 on Drop Dead behind singer Rickey Jordon, with unknown piano, bass and drums...



And finally, one of the great ballad solos by Thompson courtesy of Bill Kirchner. Here's Thompson in Los Angeles playing Just One More Chance in April 1947, with Neal Hefti (tp), Benny Carter (as,arr), Bob Lawson (bar), Dodo Marmarosa (p), Red Callender (b) and Lee Young (d)...