Lucky Thompson was the bridge between swing and bebop. Lucky, Dexter Gordon and Don Byas were among the ones who showed up in New York at the time when the transition had to be made. Lucky had the brains, which was why Bird and others included him on their sessions. He wasn’t the most technically proficient guy, on the level of a Bird or a Sonny Rollins, but he had the brains to overcome his technical limitations. And, like all of the musicians who decide to put in the work of a craftsman and learn the music from the ground up, he had his own sound. You don’t have to look at any one aspect of his playing; Lucky was just his own person.

Yardbird Jam Sessions are a deviation from your normal jam sessions! We encourage jazz musicians to learn new tunes, engage with the audience, and to respect the bandstand. If you’re looking for a challenge, this is it! We have a sign-up sheet as well as some suggested tunes and guidelines.