Ed Thigpen

Known primarily for his work behind the kit with the Oscar Peterson trio, drummer Ed Thigpen left a lasting legacy on the international Jazz scene as one of the greatest percussionists of all time.

Beginning in the early 50's with Cootie Wiliams and his Orchestra, Thigpen quickly developed a reputation as one of the most nuanced drummers on the scene.  His adept brush technique made him a masterful player on ballads, and a fierce swinger on hard-driving tunes.  Throughout his career he experimented with different percussive implements, like the variable tom drum, traditional African instruments and more.

Thigpen expatriated from the United States in the early 70's and spent the last four decades of his life living in Copenhagen, Denmark.  He left a lasting impression on that scene, too, with colleages like Kenny Drew, Ernie Wilkins and Thad Jones.  His presence in that scene helped along the careers of many Danish musicians like Niels Henning Orsted-Pederson, Svend Asmussen and the modern collective known as Povo.

Join us as we explore Ed Thigpen's varied contributions to the Jazz Story - all week long in our artist spotlight!