Prog In 2008, drummer Chester Thompson was honoured with the Sabian Lifetime Achievement Award by American body the Percussive Arts Society to mark a career that began in Baltimore in the 60s when he was in his early teens. He honed his skills playing along to jazz records and went on to formally study flute, percussion and composition. He was about to embark upon a four-year degree course but instead joined Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention in 1973, reckoning, “Well, this is what I’m trying to get ready for anyway.

” Thompson played on a number of albums including (1974), (1975) and (1975). He left Zappa to join Weather Report, with whom he recorded (1976). Weather Report fan invited Thompson to join Genesis’ live line-up in late 1976.

The relationship lasted more than three decades, and Thompson features on their live albums from (1977) to (2007). He also drummed on all Collins’ solo tours and can be heard on releases from , , and with ’s John Goodsall in the Fire Merchants. Now living in Nashville, Tennessee, Thompson is a professor at Belmont University.

His current projects include The Chester Thompson Trio, whose debut album Approved made No.6 in the JazzWeek album charts in 2013. He has recorded with supergroup the Fusion Syndicate and joined the Australian prog band Unitopia in 2021.

In 2023 he released his third solo album, the melodic, funky jazz-fusion set , which also features his son Akil on guitar. Sign up below to get the latest from Prog, plu.