Barbara Thompson (musician)
A fiery saxophonist and composer who became a leading voice in British and European jazz, leading her own band for over four decades.
1944–2022 (age 78)·English jazz saxophonist, flautist and composer·Birthday: July 27·The Silent Generation
Biography
Barbara Thompson carved out a formidable space in a male-dominated field, becoming one of the most recognizable and respected jazz musicians in Britain. Classically trained at the Royal College of Music, she was irrevocably drawn to the saxophone after hearing John Coltrane. Her powerful, melodic playing and talent for composition soon made her a sought-after session player and a dynamic live performer. In 1979, she founded her own group, Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia, a vehicle for her intricate, fusion-influenced compositions that she led for the rest of her career. Married to drummer Jon Hiseman, she was a central figure in his band Colosseum and their collaborative project, Tempest. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the late 1990s, she continued to compose and perform with undiminished spirit, her music a testament to relentless creativity.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Barbara was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barbara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Barbara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2022Died at 78
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Founded and led the jazz fusion band Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia for over 40 years, releasing numerous acclaimed albums.
- Composed extensively for television, film, and theatre, including the theme for the long-running UK TV series 'Howards' Way'.
- Was a key member of the progressive rock/jazz band Colosseum II and later the reformed Colosseum.
- Was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1996 for services to music.
Did You Know?
She was a virtuoso on both saxophone and flute, often featuring both in her performances.
She continued to perform and record after her Parkinson's diagnosis, sometimes using a stool for support on stage.
She composed a saxophone concerto, 'A Celebration for Stan', in tribute to saxophonist Stan Getz.
Her husband, drummer Jon Hiseman, built a home recording studio where much of her later work was produced.
“The saxophone is a voice, and you have to find your own.”
