Bob Thompson (pianist)

Robert H. "Bob" Thompson (born December 12, 1942) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger based in West Virginia, whose music career has spanned for over 50 years.

Biography
Thompson was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York, where as a teenager, he started his music career as the bass singer of a do-wop group called The Chanters. He later on moved to Charleston, West Virginia in the mid-1960s to attend West Virginia State College, where he first played the trumpet, but later on switched to the piano in order to join a jazz band. After switching to piano, Thompson played with several jazz bands such as The Modern Jazz Interpreters, and Joi.

Thompson released his debut album Morning Star, released in 1981 under the Rainbow Records label; he would release nine more albums under Rainbow Records, Intima Records and Ichiban Records. Thompson has played with several musicians throughout his career, such as guitarist Larry Coryell, violinist John Blake Jr., guitarist Kevin Eubanks, and drummer Omar Hakim. His music has also been featured in the "Local Forecast" segments on The Weather Channel.

Since 1991, Thompson has been the featured house pianist for West Virginia's Public Broadcasting nationally syndicated show, Mountain Stage. In addition, he is the founder and member of the jazz fusion band, The Bob Thompson Unit.

In 2015, Thompson was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Discography

 * 1981: Morning Star (Rainbow Records)
 * 1984: 7 In, 7 Out (Rainbow Records)
 * 1986: Brother's Keeper (Intima Records)
 * 1988: Say What You Want (Intima Records)
 * 1989: Wilderness (Intima Records)
 * 1992: Love Dance (Ichiban Records)
 * 1993: The Magic in Your Heart (Ichiban Records)
 * 1996: Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit (Ichiban International)
 * 1997: Lady First (Ichiban International)
 * 2003: Spirit (Ichiban Records)

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