Dave Tompkins started playing bass guitar in rock bands at the age of 16. In 1984 he joined up with Brian Grantham (ex Slaughter & The Dogs), Peter Nichols (ex IQ) and Dave Bennett to form Niadem's Ghost. They realeased one album, In Sheltered Winds (Giant Electric Pea Label).

 

In 1987 he left the band in order to study jazz & improvisation. He started playing double bass in 1989/90. Since then he has been an active player on the jazz & latin circuit in the North West. 

 

Regular bands have included D'Semble, Eddie Robert's Organisation, Basil Clarke (ex Yargo), Johnny Dangerously (John Bramwell from I Am Kloot), The Moochers, The Gary Boyle Quartet, The Nat Birchall Quartet, Mike Hope's Jazzmahoot, & RSL.

 

He started playing with Christian Weaver's La Timbala in 1998 playing in all it's myriad incarnations from a 5 piece up to the 27 piece Orquestra. He joined Mojito in 2010 having worked with most of the members in other bands.

 

He has been involved with Centrifuge since Nov 2008.. Centrifuge brings an exciting collection of improvising musicians from across the North together in Manchester. The musicians, with a range of different musical practices, combine in various small groupings to deliver a program of free improvisations in music. He has also performed at Acoute (part of Frakture) in Liverpool.

 

In 2010 he recorded and rehearsed a new flamenco project with Joe Botham from RSL.

 

Since 2012 he has been a member of Chris Bridges’ Living Story Music Ensemble. They performed Chris’ score to Julia Donaldson’s The Smartest Giant In Town at The Manchester Jazz Festival, The Manchester Literary Festival and The Marsden jazz Festival. In August 2014 they recorded a new score for Chris’ book I Have A Duck Who Can Roar (illustrated by Ann Gilligan)

 

In early 2013 he recorded with Folk duo Bluebell Would, produced by Tim Bazell.

 

In 2012 he performed 'Cheerio' - Top Ten Tips for a Good Death at Lancaster Jazz Festival with Steve Lewis’ Deep Cabaret

 

Current projects include: 

 

  The Lifemask Trio - on bass guitar w Anton Hunter and Graham South

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  Cusp - on double bass with Chris Bridges, Keith Phillips and Hugh      Lawrence

 

Other recent projects:

 

  Ducie - Andy Dinan’s fiddle led quartet

  Peter Glennie & The Hitchcock Orchestra

  Merseyside Improvisors Orchestra

  The Bowline Ensemble - his own band with Stuart McCallum, Dave Walsh & Richard Iles

  Caulbearers

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He has also played with Alan Barnes, Byron Wallen, Peter King, Bobby Wellins, Dave O'Higgins, Art Themen, Tony Kofi, Stephen Grew & Roger Beaujolais.