Chris Thompson is a professional singer/songwriter, living in Hamilton, New Zealand. His music spans the country, folk, and blues styles, and his current catalogue consists of nearly two hundred original songs and guitar instrumentals.
Chris learnt guitar from Dave Calder of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, turned professional in 1968 while living in Auckland, and was employed as Julie Felix's guitarist in London in 1971. He made his first, self-titled LP for Village Thing Records in 1973, and during the seventies returned to tour with acts including Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Waves, and John Hanlon.
Chris learnt guitar from Dave Calder of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, turned professional in 1968 while living in Auckland, and was employed as Julie Felix's guitarist in London in 1971. He made his first, self-titled LP for Village Thing Records in 1973, and during the seventies returned to tour with acts including Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Waves, and John Hanlon.
“Here in lies the complete self-titled 1973 Village Thing label album (recorded 1971 – 73) with bonus tracks. Shimmering, hypnotic, flowing, psych-tinged, original acoustic folk guitar and vocal. Backed by various friends include Magic Carpet members Keshav Sathe and Clem Alford (providing and Eastern influence), and one cut with Ed Deane, guitarist from the Woods Band.
Hailing from New Zealand, Chris Thompson arrived on the folk guitar scene in the United Kingdom in 1971 and hung out and gigged with Wizz Jones, Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Derroll Adams and others. A window into time gone by, evoking both a spatial and temporal quality that contemporary music oft seeks to emulate or revive, but will not come our way again.”
A great sounding and well presented album, Chris’ new CD features a photograph taken in Paris of Chris with a famous groupie Monique Brossier, a.k.a. “The Girl” or “Girl Freiberg”, whose friends in San Francisco and L.A. included the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Byrds, Crosby Stills & Nash, etc.
Hailing from New Zealand, Chris Thompson arrived on the folk guitar scene in the United Kingdom in 1971 and hung out and gigged with Wizz Jones, Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Derroll Adams and others. A window into time gone by, evoking both a spatial and temporal quality that contemporary music oft seeks to emulate or revive, but will not come our way again.”
A great sounding and well presented album, Chris’ new CD features a photograph taken in Paris of Chris with a famous groupie Monique Brossier, a.k.a. “The Girl” or “Girl Freiberg”, whose friends in San Francisco and L.A. included the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Byrds, Crosby Stills & Nash, etc.
This album has the unfair distinction of being the lowest sellers on the classic Village Scene folk label of the early 1970s due to poor distribution. It is very rare on album and became somewhat legendary as it is one of the few records which balances it's scarcity with spellbinding quality.
Chris Thompson came from New Zealand and travelled around the world in the late 1960s before ending up in the UK. He brings to his music a wandering rootless quality that reminds of Bert Jansch.
The psychedelic era was at it's core about liberation and in Chris Thompson we find this quality meaning people consistently describe the album as psychedelic when it is not typical of that sound.
Chris Thompson (1973)
A1 Hugo Spellman 0:00 A2 The Song Of Wandering Aengus 4:14 A3 De Debil Take De Blue-Tail Fly 8:46 A4 The River Song 12:14 B1 London Blues 14:50 B2 Her Hair Was Long 18:38 B3 Young Lust 25:26 B4 Love 28:23
The songs are simple circular acoustic folk based with his yearning vocals weaving over the top. These songs are hypnotic, never repeating yet evolving and exploring melodic themes.
Some of the tracks are complemented by members of Magic Carpet, an innovative folk-raga band. The first song an instrumental used sitar and guitar, others used tablas and eastern percussion and this is where the psychedelic influence is most prominent.
The song writing is every bit as good as Nick Drake or Steve Tilston with whom the album shares a stark, direct quality. 'London Blues' has pleading, haunting lyrics about inner city vagrancy which is then explored on 'Back In The City', an earlier version with sitar and hand percussion.
The CD has excellent notes and has tracks from later albums added back in. It's a complete and definitive reissue from 'Scenesof' who are to be congratulated. For fans of folk music and the curious genre of wyrd-folk it is utterly essential and an album that you will return to throughout your life.
Chris Thompson came from New Zealand and travelled around the world in the late 1960s before ending up in the UK. He brings to his music a wandering rootless quality that reminds of Bert Jansch.
The psychedelic era was at it's core about liberation and in Chris Thompson we find this quality meaning people consistently describe the album as psychedelic when it is not typical of that sound.
Chris Thompson (1973)
A1 Hugo Spellman 0:00 A2 The Song Of Wandering Aengus 4:14 A3 De Debil Take De Blue-Tail Fly 8:46 A4 The River Song 12:14 B1 London Blues 14:50 B2 Her Hair Was Long 18:38 B3 Young Lust 25:26 B4 Love 28:23
The songs are simple circular acoustic folk based with his yearning vocals weaving over the top. These songs are hypnotic, never repeating yet evolving and exploring melodic themes.
Some of the tracks are complemented by members of Magic Carpet, an innovative folk-raga band. The first song an instrumental used sitar and guitar, others used tablas and eastern percussion and this is where the psychedelic influence is most prominent.
The song writing is every bit as good as Nick Drake or Steve Tilston with whom the album shares a stark, direct quality. 'London Blues' has pleading, haunting lyrics about inner city vagrancy which is then explored on 'Back In The City', an earlier version with sitar and hand percussion.
The CD has excellent notes and has tracks from later albums added back in. It's a complete and definitive reissue from 'Scenesof' who are to be congratulated. For fans of folk music and the curious genre of wyrd-folk it is utterly essential and an album that you will return to throughout your life.
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Thanks for this. Overlooked folk album: great guitar, really atmospheric. Wonferful post.
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