When Bob Thompson was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame back in 2015, his Mountain Stage colleague Larry Groce said Thompson had probably played more gigs in West Virginia than any other artist in its history.

And indeed, Thompson, a New York City native who moved to the Mountain State in the mid-’60s to attend then West Virginia State College, has been one of the hardest working players in the jazz business.

Thompson may be best known the world over as the house pianist for West Virginia Public Radio’s Mountain Stage, heard on more than 150 radio stations across the country, but he also has kept a brisk jazz recording and playing schedule for decades first with the Modern Jazz Interpreters and Joi, and in recent decades the funky jazz fusion band, Bob Thompson Unit.

Thompson Treating Jazz Fans to Two, New, Regular Shows 

For fans who live for Thompson’s always tasty jazz-juiced solo piano Mountain Stage interludes, you are in luck. March is blowing in like a jazz lion as Thompson is taking on two new monthly solo jazz piano gigs. Thompson’s who has performed in Brazil, South Africa and throughout Europe, will be playing from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday, March 2, at the Bridge Road Bistro, 915 Bridge Road in South Charleston.

Huntington fans, who may well remember Thompson’s stint at Mycroft’s back in the day near Marshall’s campus, will be glad to know, he will also be playing the first Thursday of the month at Sunset Grill, 910 Fourth Ave., the new locally-sourced restaurant in the West Virginia Building. Thompson, who has had two albums chart in the Top 25 of Billboard’s contemporary jazz charts, will be playing from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Super Size That Jazz Order 

If you want to super size that order of fresh, live jazz, note that the 17-piece professional Jewel City Jazz Orchestra will be firing up from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, March 2 at the Black Sheep Stage at Black Sheep Burritos and Brew at Pullman Square.
Cover is $10, $5 for students with an ID, and free for kids 12 and under. Come out and hear some of the region’s best jazz musicians sifting through some rare jazz gems by everyone from Count Basie to Roy Hargrove. Other upcoming Black Sheep shows for the JCJO are Mondays, April 13 and May 11. Go online at www.jewelcityjazz.com to see the rest of their upcoming schedule including a show at the Paramount’s Jazz Alley series.