Billy Thompson Gypsy Style - The Eberle SessionsMy violin was made by the Italian luthier Thomasso Eberle and used to belong to my late uncle Russel Thompson. I only use it for best and don't gig with it - hence the name of this album.Included here are four original tunes that I have composed. Right Then Yous is a major blues head I wrote some years ago but have never got round to recording until now. Tiger Lily was written for our lovely / lively granddaughter Lily Angel. It is fiendishly difficult to play at this speed but I am glad we did it at this tempo because live it may get even faster! Bluesy Isaac is an original head that came to me whilst tuning a pupil's violin. Isaac (Aldred) is a phenomenally talented (and hard working) young violinist I have been teaching since the age of four - look out for him in the future. Chaque Fois Que Je Ferme Mes Yeux is a song I wrote for my wife. I composed it firstly on the piano and had played it so many times in the house that my wife (Rhi Rhi) didn't believe I had written it when she first heard the band playing it… It's full title is Every Time I Close My Eyes (I See Your Face).The other tracks are current regulars in our live set and are quite varied as you will hear. I play the opening theme to Django Reinhardt's Appel Indirect on guitar before we go into the up tempo jazz standard Limehouse Blues. Avalon is great fun to play and is inspired by an arrangement I heard Stephane Grappelli do. Andy Mackenzie plays a great Banjo Guitar solo on this track.Gypsymania by Jimmy Rosenberg and the traditional Romanian Folklore are two tracks I used to play with The Amigos from when I lived in South Wales. They are great up tempo tracks. A couple of 'roasters'!Micro is a fun track by Django Reinhardt that we started playing recently. I like how cheeky the melody is.I first heard Jeff Beck's Scatterbrain whilst rehearsing my looping project Dolennu with Warren Greveson. It sounded so good that I decided to arrange it for my band. It's crazy!Also a bit bonkers is our version of No One Knows by Queens of the Stoneage. I have always loved this track and thought it would lend itself very well to our line-up with the main guitar riff replaced by accordion. I apologise to my Mum for the brutality I put the Eberle through on this one… I hope the seagulls (hi Norman!) make up for it!I'm also sure my mother will enjoy the ballads on this album. Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schön and La Vie en Rose are the two other ballads here where I get to emote on the Eberle.My Favourite Things is a track I used to play a lot with Andy Maule who sadly passed away in 2007. It is a great vehicle for improvisation and has a very positive and uplifting ending.The album features wonderful band regulars Andy Mackenzie on Solo, Rhythm and Banjo Guitar, Eryl Jones on Guitar and Mandolin and Greg Robley on bass.A new regular in the band is the remarkable accordion player Karen Street who I met when I joined Mike Westbrook's Glad Day project.Ivor Aldred is the exceptional harmonica player on Bluesy Isaac. He also happens to be Issac's father!The phenomenal Guitar solos you'll hear on Teigr Lily, Micro and Scatterbrain are by John Wheatcroft.My sincere gratitude to all the musicians on this album and also to my family and students for helping and putting up with me as the deadline drew near!Billybilly@billythompson.co.uk