Here are various musical projects that have come about since Thompsound Music started back in 1999.
Billy Thompson Gypsy Style – The Eberle Sessions
Billy Thompson Gypsy Style – The Eberle Sessions is the full studio album by Billy Thompson Gypsy Style and is the latest recording to date from Thompsound Music.
This album features Billy Thompson (violin), Karen Street (accordion), Andy Mackenzie (guitar), Eryl Jones (guitar/mandolin) and Greg Robley (bass).
The album also features special guest appearances by Ivor Aldred on Harmonica for Bluesy Isaac and also John Wheatcroft on Guitar for Teigr Lily, Jeff Beck’s Scatterbrain and Django’s Micro.
Teigr Lily (an original track by Billy):
Chaque Fois Que Je Ferme Mes Yeux (another original track by Billy)
Dave Elwyn – Lifesavers
Before going off to walk the Camino de Santiago, Dave Elwyn recorded this collection of songs he had recently penned.
Cass Meurig – Rwy’n credu
‘Rwy’n Credu’ (I believe) is a collection of new songs of faith by Christian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cass Meurig.
Steffan Lloyd Owen – Adra’n Ôl
String arrangements actualised for this debut album bt Steffan Lloyd Owen
Delwyn Sion – Arfer Dod ar Blode
Strings and violin solos for this latest album by Delwyn Sion
Cass Meurig – Taith
‘Taith’ (‘Journey’) is a collection of spiritual songs, a new project by Cass Meurig reflecting on her personal journey over the last few years.
Gavin Crisfield – Buckling Point
Buckling Point by Gavin Crisfield is an album of original songs reflecting his life and times.
Dave Elwyn – Raw Blues
2011 saw the long awaited release of Dave Elwyn’s debut album Raw Blues. Mixed and Mastered at Thompsound Music, much of this album was also Recorded at Thompsound Music including the string section to Know it All.
Gadjo Jazz – Home Brew
Chris Hayward (violin), Andy Mackenzie (guitar) and Greg Robley (bass) make up the Gadjo Jazz Trio. This album was recorded at Chris’s conservatory overlooking Porthmadog harbour.
This allowed the band to record in the same space they used to rehearse in capturing the room’s acoustics as well as the group’s suitably inspired performance.
Billy’s violin playing features on track 9 of the CD:
Tango 5 Live
Tango 5 Live is a live recording of the concert given by Tango 5 at Sheffield Town Hall in 2009. The recording was a live performance by Tango 5 who are exemplary exponents of the music of Astor Piazzola.
The group consists of 5 of the finest classical musicians of the North West of England. They are:
Dave Routledge (violin), Santiago Cimadevilla (bandoneum), Peter Lawson (piano), Tom McKinney (electric guitar) and James Manson (double bass).
Billy Thompson Gypsy Style LIVE
Billy Thompson Gypsy Style LIVE is a live recording of the concert by Billy Thompson Gypsy Style at the Llay British Legion April 7th, 2009.
This CD features Andy MacKenzie on lead and rhythm guitar, the rhythm of Eryl Jones (guitar/mandolin), Phil Gardiner (guitar) and Dave Turner (double bass).
The final track is an original studio track written by Billy for his son Sam:
You can see the recording system behind Billy as they perform the Gypsy Jazz classic Danse Norvégienne:
Amledd – Cyfnod Cyntaf
Amledd’s album was the culmination of about 3 years of songwriting by Billy Thompson and Rhian Williams (later to become Billy’s wife).
Released in July 2006, ‘Cyfnod Cyntaf’ (which translates as ‘first phase’) is an album of totally original songs that has been described as ‘modern folk’.
‘…Throughout, Thompson’s violin is sharp and strong. At times he fiddles as fast as a whirling dervish, seemingly a one man orchestra, yet more he comes on like a lead axe player with chords and runs as big as er… Snowdon. It’s the combination of his smart melodies and her [Rhian Williams’] canny vocal that makes this one of the smartest indie rock based projects to come calling in a while.’ – The Chester Chronicle.
Pronounced with the DD sounding like the TH from the word ‘The’. Amledd is the Welsh for the English word ‘frequency’.
Meic Stevens – Ysbryd Solva
Billy’s first major project after setting up Thompsound Music was the 2002 album ‘Ysbryd Solva’ by Meic Stevens and band for Sain Records.
NB. The D.I.ing of Meic’s guitar was against Billy’s wishes!…
An unforgettable (and learning) experience for all involved. This album includes many of Meic Stevens’ classic songs and opens with the haunting Ysbryd Solva – listen out for Billy Thompson’s seagulls.
This album is representative of the sound Meic Stevens, Heather Jones, Dave Reid and Billy Thompson were performing live at the time. Billy Thompson (in the centre of this photo) performed with this Welsh singer/songwriter for 10 years between 1997 and 2007 playing at every major festival in Wales along with numerous television appearances and 5 albums.
Next Projects
There is an album by a wonderful songer/songwriter by the name of Gavin Crisfield – watch this space.
There is also the long awaited album by Eryl Jones on its way.
And also, the live looping project of Billy Thompson and Warren Greveson – Dolennu.
Sessions recorded at Thompsound Music:
Cass Meurig recorded her Crwth (a six-stringed medieval bowed lyre) parts to Cerys Matthews‘ folk album Hullabaloo here.
Billy Thompson’s string playing on Man Overboard from London based artist Bonne Nuit:
Sunset in Santa Fe by Las Vegas artist Ricardo Griego:
Porth Ladd from an original Welsh Hip Hop/Concept album called Docfeistr from MC Seizmondo and MC Mabon:
Witch Wood from an original project by guitarist Skin Tyson (Cast, Robert Plant) called Men From Mars:
Warren Greveson’s album Songs From The Grand Masif featured Billy on violin and Jon Hiseman on drums amongst others…
Les Dents Blanche:
Lac de Gers:
Billy Thompson’s ‘Kwik Kuts’
Here is the compilation track from the home page again with the full list of tracks featured below:
- Theme tune written by Billy for an S4C TV show looking at the history of the Romany Gypsy tradition in Wales.
- An excerpt from ‘Date of Birth’, a track written by Billy on the looping CD Looper’s Delight Volume IV.
- An excerpt from ‘Son of a Gun’ by Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia. From the Never Say Goodbye album.
- Teigr Lily written by Billy. Track one from The Eberle Sessions.
- Violin solo from Amledd‘s ‘Rhosys Cochion’.
- ‘Scatterbrain’ by Jeff Beck from The Eberle Sessions.
- Violin solo overdubbed to Orbital’s Lush 3-2.
- String section from ‘Bod ar Wylie’ by Amledd
- ‘Can Mabon’ violin solo (using baritone violin moving to regular violin for the second half) from Amledd‘s Cyfnod Cyntaf album.
- ‘Right Then Yous’ violin solo from The Eberle Sessions.
- ‘No One Knows’ by Queens of the Stone Age from The Eberle Sessions.
- Excerpt from Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia’s ‘Bulletproof’ from The Last Fandango album.
- Violin solo from the same ‘Bulletproof’.
- Violin solo from ‘Lullaby of Birdland’ internet session with Accordion player Eddy Jay
- Violin solo from ‘La Vie en Rose’ from The Eberle Sessions.
- Violin solo from Tango 1 from Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia’s Thompson’s Tangos album.
- Violin ‘Head’ to Peter Lemer’s ‘Regga Ragga’ also from the Thompson’s Tangos album.
- Violin solo from Amledd‘s ‘Myfanwy 2’.
- String section from ‘Bring me Back’.
- ‘Viente Anos’ by The Amigos playing Buena Vista style.
- Romanian Folklore violin solo from the Amigos’ album ‘Alma Gitana’
- Violin solo to ‘Mood Indigo’ from Billy’s album with Guitarist Andy Maule Iff & Butt.
- Play out to ‘My Favourite Things’ from the same album.
- Violin solo to ‘Tonight’ from Ana Gracey‘s unplugged album.
- Spooky strings from a session at Danny Chang’s studio.
- The ‘6 was 9’ by Andy Maule. Free violin solo.
- Rock violin solo from a session at Danny Chang’s studio.
- The end to ‘Date of Birth’, the track written by Billy on the looping CD Looper’s Delight Volume IV.
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