Chocolate Genius, Inc.

Chocolate Genius, Inc. is a musical collective started by Marc Anthony Thompson,[1] a Panamanian singer-songwriter based in New York City.[2][3] Thompson conceived Chocolate Genius as an alter ego, which then became a music project.

Collective members

Albums

Thompson released two solo albums in 1984 and 1989. His self-titled debut album contained his only ever charting single, "So Fine". (No. 101 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 Singles Chart).

Chocolate Genius' first album, Black Music, on V2 Records, was released in 1998, and was considered part of the neo-soul movement. Chocolate Genius included guitarist Marc Ribot, cellist Jane Scarpantoni and other former members of the Lounge Lizards, keyboardist John Medeski and bassist Chris Wood of Medeski, Martin & Wood, guitarists Chris Whitley and Vernon Reid.

In 2001, Thompson released his next solo album, GodMusic, followed by, in 2005, a switch to Commotion Records and the release of Black Yankee Rock, produced by Craig Street. The album featured many prominent New York musicians, many of whom had appeared on his previous two records: Marc Ribot, Abe Laboriel Jr., David Stone, Glenn Patscha, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Oren Bloedow, Yuka Honda, and Van Dyke Parks, among others.[4]

Scores

Thompson has scored film and theatre productions. He won an Obie award in sound design for A Huey P. Newton Story in 1997 and has written music for Rikers High (2005), Brother to Brother (2004), Colorvision (2004) (which he hosted in the same year), American Splendor (2003), Urbania (2000), and Twin Falls Idaho (1999). His recording of The Beatles' "Julia" was included on the soundtrack to the film I Am Sam.

In 2006, Thompson was enrolled in the line-up for the Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band Tour, playing acoustic guitar, providing backing vocals and sharing the lead vocals on several songs, including "Eyes on the Prize" and "When The Saints Go Marching In".

In 2010, Thompson released his fourth album, Swansongs (One Little Indian Records/No Format!), as Chocolate Genius Incorporated.

Personal life

Thompson is the father of actress Tessa Thompson[5][6] and singer Zsela Thompson.[7][8][9][10]

Discography

Marc Anthony Thompson

Chocolate Genius

Compilation/soundtrack contributions

References
  1. "Acclaimed actor Roger Guenveur Smith debuts 'Otto Frank' at Keene State College". UnionLeader.com. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  2. "Chocolate Genius, Inc. On World Cafe".
  3. "Breaking News, World News & Multimedia". fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  4. "Chocolate Genius - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  5. Thompson in Morgan, Kai (May 5, 2014). "Exclusive: Tessa Thompson on varied dreams and effecting change". EmbraceYouMagazine.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  6. "10 things you might not know (but should) about Tessa Thompson". Wonderwall.com. 2019-06-10. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  7. "We Speak To Zsela In The Autumn 19 Issue". Wonderland. 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  8. Benor, Dalya (2019-04-26). "Zsela Sings Moody Ballads for the Fashion and Art Set". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  9. "Future Classics: How Singer-Songwriter Zsela Found Her Voice & Her Style". Genius. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  10. Tsui, Sarah Spellings, Diana (2019-09-19). "The Fashion-Favorite Singer Who's About to Blow Up". The Cut. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  11. "Marc Anthony Thompson - Watts And Paris". Discogs.
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