Daniel Henry Edward 'Danny' Thompson (born 4 April 1939) is an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a
double bassist and businessman. He has had a long musical career playing with a large variety of other musicians, particularly
Richard Thompson (no relation) and
John Martyn, but including many others: at various times he has for example played with
Nick Drake,
Roy Orbison,
Julie Felix,
Freddie and the Dreamers,
Tubby Hayes,
Ronnie Scott,
Tom Paxton,
Donovan,
John McLaughlin,
Vivian Stanshall,
David Sylvian,
Kate Bush,
Linda Lewis,
Mary Hopkin,
Loreena McKennitt,
Tim Buckley, and
Davey Graham. For four years (1964-1967), he was a member of
Alexis Korner's
Blues Incorporated, and he was a founding member of the British folk-jazz band
Pentangle. Since 1987, he has also recorded four solo albums. He converted to
Islam in 1990.