Doctor Tommy Scott Thompson, Jr.

82, Male

Mobile, AL

United States

Profile Information:

What instrument do you play?

Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, Trombone , Baritone Horn, and Mellophone

Who influenced you to listen to jazz

My Grandfather- professor Eugene Frederick Doyle a musician / music teacher and renaissance man. and my Mother Fredericka Doyle Thompson , herself a trumpeter who graduated from Xavier U. in New Orleans B. A. in Fine Arts (Graphic Arts)
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How did you find out about the WDCJN?

johnnyyancey@bellsouth.net

My Website

http://tthompson07@bellsouth.net

Official Facebook Profile

http://tthompson07@bellsouth.net

Where are you located?

Mobile County Alabama on Mon Louis Island

Tell us about yourself

I am a VETERINARIAN who finished TheTuskegee Institute School of Veterinary Medicine (now Tuskegee University) with the DVM degree in 1969, I also hold the B.S. Chem. from Xavier U. of New Orleans (1964), and B.S. Agri. Sciences Tuskegee Institute (1969). I began taking CORNET lessons in Mobile (AL.) at Caldwell Elementary School in 1952 as a 5th grader with Mr.Edward Pope who was a CLARINETIST, I then started to study with Senor Rafael Gonzalez who was a CUBAN trumpeter and bandmaster at The Most Pure Heart of Mary High School (Catholic) in 1952 and continued with him until 1955. In 1954 Mr. Pope became my bandmaster at Dunbar Jr. High in Mobile, and in 1955 Mr. Ernest Bernard Coleman , Jr. became my Jr. High School bandmaster and I switched to BARITONE HORN with Fred Wesley (who is now a TROMBONIST) at BookerT. Washington Jr. High. In the summer of 1956 Fred switched to Trombone, and I continued on Baritone Horn. In1957 I began studies at The Central High School of Mobile ( Mr. John J. Irons, Jr.was bandmaster) and continued on Baritone at school, but I played Cornet in The E.B. Coleman Rhythmic Sensations an 18 piece orchestra. I was 14years old and Fred Wesley was 13 years old when we joined the musicians union, American Federation of Musicians (AFL-CIO) Local No.613, Musicians' Protective Union. I switched to Trumpet in the summer of 1959 just prior to my Sr. year at Central High so that I could make nightclub GIGS with "Bill Washington and The Knights of Joy". In 1960 I matriculated to Xavier in New Orleans where I majored in Chemistry , minored in Biology and performed as aTRUMPETER/CORNETIST with Xavier Concert Band and the Xavier U. COLLEGIANS Jazz Band. My mother played CORNET at Xavier in 1940 , 1941, and 1942, and her father taught music and was the first bandmaster at The Most Pure Heart of Mary High School in Mobile, he led a combo which played gigs in Mobile, and towns along the gulf coast, he would sometimes go over to New Orleans and jam with Ferdnand LaMothe (JELLY ROLL MORTON). Jelly Roll also spent time in Mobile where he joined the musicians union local AFL Local 613.
I own my grandfather's cornet (York & Sons of Grand Rapids Mich) and based on the serial no. it was made in 1903 _ it is the PROFESSIONAL model. The instrument has an immaculate sound, and a great response.

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