Eddie Thornton
Eddie Thornton | |
|---|---|
Thornton performing in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Tan Tan |
| Born | Edward Thornton 19 October 1931 |
| Died | 10 December 2025 (aged 94) London, England |
| Genres | Jazz, reggae |
| Instrument | Trumpet |
| Years active | 1950s–201? |
Edward Thornton (19 October 1931 – 10 December 2025), better known as "Tan Tan", was a Jamaican-born trumpeter, whose career began in the 1950s.
Life and career
Thornton was born in Spanish Town, Colony of Jamaica on 19 October 1931.[1] He attended the Alpha Boys School.[2][3] In the 1950s, he played in the Roy Coulton band (the first band to play live on Jamaican radio) along with Don Drummond.[4] He toured worldwide with the group, backing a number of jazz stars, and settled in Europe, where he played with several bands including Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames in 1964, playing on several of their hits. He also performed with Georgie Fame and another friend of Rico Rodriguez in the BBC 4 Session: The Birth of Cool.[2][4] He went on to play on The Beatles' "Got to Get You into My Life", and performed with Boney M.[4] In 1975, Thornton played horn on Andy Fairweather Low's album, La Booga Rooga.[5] In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was part of the horn section for Aswad, as well as playing with King Sounds.[4] He released a self-produced solo album in 1981, on which he was backed by The Cimarons. He later played with Jazz Jamaica,[2] and Ska Cubano.[6]
From 2008 he played with the band Kitty, Daisy & Lewis and featured on most of their albums. In February 2015 and autumn 2017, Thornton joined Kitty, Daisy & Lewis on their European tour accompanying a number of songs as a guest artist.
Thornton died at a hospice in London, on 10 December 2025, at the age of 94.[7]
Solo discography
- Musical Nostalgia for Today LP (1981), Maccabees/Rainbow
- "Theme From A Summer Place" 12" single (1981), Rough Trade
References
- ^ Taylor, Angus (27 July 2019). "Interview: Tan Tan Thornton (Part 1)". United Reggae. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
- ^ a b c Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4, p. 8, 50
- ^ [1] Archived 8 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p. 289-90
- ^ "La Booga Rooga - Andy Fairweather Low | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ [2] Archived 22 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Campbell, Howard (14 December 2025). "Edward "Tan Tan" Thornton: A Music Legend Remembered". South Florida Caribbean News. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
External links
- Eddie Thornton recording credits at AllMusic
- Eddie "Tan Tan" Thornton discography at Discogs
- Eddie 'Tan Tan' Thornton at Roots Archives
- Eddie Thornton at IMDb