As rain pummeled a recent Downtown After 5 concert, Jeff Thompson took the stage and began singing to the few soggy fans he’d originally envisioned as an elbow-to-elbow crowd. His sentiments as he processed Mother Nature’s slight were, “Seriously, y’all are so cute with your umbrellas and your raincoats. … This wasn’t quite what I pictured, but maybe it’s better. You guys must be really awesome people.” That’s the same forward-marching, happy-to-be-here mentality that energizes Thompson’s otherwise introspective songwriting and performances, whether he’s adorning his jazz and rock numbers with guitar, heightening suspense through spoken word lyrics or conjuring his four-octave vocals for more sultry and soulful purposes. The Jeff Thompson Giving Trio, which draws on the additional talents of keyboard player Aaron Price and drummer James Kylen, plays The Grey Eagle on Saturday, July 16, at 8 p.m. $12/$15. thegreyeagle.com. Photo by Natasha Meduri of What’s Her Face Photography
Smart bets: Jeff Thompson Giving Trio
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