"Gail Thompson´s personality has been called ´florid´ and ´restless.´ Born in Britain of Trinidadian parentage, she dropped out of the Kingsdale Comprehensive School in Dulwich in the late ´70s. After joining the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, she has had a career that, judging from her curriculum vitae, has been in overdrive since the ´80s: Trustee of the National Jazz Foundation Archive; founded the Jazz Warriors with Courtney Pine; played regularly with the Charlie Watts big band; commissioned by BBC-2 to write a piece for and conduct the Midland Jazz Orchestra at the Albert Hall; became a member of the Arts Council of Great Britain´s Music Advisory Panel; accepted several commissions, including one for the Royal Opera House; made a six-month overland musical study-visit to Africa, and founded Musicworks, a music school." (Mike Zwerin, Herald Tribune, 1997)

Following her extended trip to Africa in 1988, Gail Thompson started a new musical project called "Jazz Africa" that quickly grew into a big band thrilling audiences all over Britain. The Jazz Africa All Nations Big Band was also a highlight at the 1995 Duisburg Viva La Black! Festival where it received high critical praise for its "township jive rhythms", "vicious horn arrangements" and "pure energy." This performance was released on ENJA the following year ("Jazz Africa", ENJ-9053) and subsequently led to an invitation to the 1997 Berlin Jazz Festival. Beside all her organizing work for the music scene (e.g., her music school now has 3,000 pupils and 20 teachers), Gail Thompson also found time for a trip to the outback of Australia that inspired her long-awaited new album, "JADU" (which means "Jazz Africa Down Under"). This CD presents a new and distinctive big band approach by blending the ancient pulsating art and sound of the Australian didgeridoo with the African-rooted horn voicings, charming melodies, percussive urban funk drive and great jazz soloists of the "Jazz Africa" band. Says never-resting Gail Thompson: "Music is not something to sit down and listen to, it´s something to do."