The celebrated Jamaican trumpeter Eddie "Tan Tan" Thornton, a subtle but powerful force behind some of the most iconic sounds of London's 1960s music scene and later a pillar of British reggae, has died at the age of 94.
From Alpha School to London's Swinging Sixties
Born on 19 October 1931 in Spanish Town, Jamaica, Thornton was one of five children. After his father's death, he was admitted to the famed Alpha Boys' School in Kingston, a Catholic institution run by the Sisters of Mercy that nurtured countless Jamaican musical greats. He initially played the tuba before swiftly switching to trumpet, receiving classical training before immersing himself in the swing of Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
A pivotal figure at Alpha was Sister Ignatius, a jazz-loving nun who made him a school captain and helped secure his first professional gig with Roy Coburn's band. After playing in the Eric Deans Orchestra, Thornton moved to London in 1954 to join his girlfriend, Dorothy Coleman, whom he later married. His big break came through a jam session at the Flamingo Club, leading to his recruitment into Georgie Fame's Blue Flames.
A Session Giant Across Genres
Thornton's adaptable style and reliable temperament made him a sought-after session musician. His furious trumpet work was integral to the Beatles' 1966 track Got to Get You into My Life. He also contributed to the Rolling Stones' She's a Rainbow and the Small Faces' second album, which featured the song Eddie's Dreaming, inspired by his longing for Jamaica.
His collaborations read like a who's who of 60s and 70s music: he worked with the Animals, Sandie Shaw, Jimi Hendrix (who briefly lodged with him), Andy Fairweather-Low, and toured with the disco group Boney M.
Anchoring the British Reggae Revolution
By the mid-1970s, Thornton turned his focus decisively towards reggae, becoming a top session player. He was a key member of the 4th Street Orchestra, the house band for innovative producer Dennis Bovell, and played on seminal albums by Delroy Washington and fellow Alpha alumnus Rico Rodriguez.
He joined the renowned British reggae band Aswad in time for their 1981 CBS debut album, New Chapter, solidifying his place in the genre's UK history. His trumpet also graced recordings by reggae legends like Dennis Brown, Horace Andy, and Desmond Dekker, as well as work with Mad Professor and Benjamin Zephaniah.
A Lifelong Musical Journey
Thornton's career never stagnated. In the 1990s, he was a founding member of the fusion collective Jazz Jamaica. In the 2000s, he blended Cuban and Jamaican styles with Ska Cubano. His later session work included contributions to tracks by Super Furry Animals, Amy Winehouse, and Lily Allen, and he toured with the band Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. For many years, he also fronted a lively weekly session at the Effra pub in Brixton.
Eddie Thornton was married twice. He is survived by his second wife, May, whom he married in 1973, and their three sons, Jason, Peter and Ross; three daughters, Corolyn, Janet and Theresa, from his first marriage to Dorothy, which ended in divorce; and a daughter, Angela, from a previous relationship. He died on 11 December 2025.
