Vance Thompson Rediscovers His Voice on Vibraphone with Lost and Found

Grammy-nominated composer, educator, and bandleader Vance Thompson is stepping boldly into a new musical chapter—this time as a vibraphonist—following a years-long battle with the neurological disorder Focal Dystonia that forced him to lay down the trumpet for good. What could have been the end of his performing career instead sparked a reinvention, culminating in Lost and Found, out January 16, 2026 on Moondo Records. The album marks Thompson’s first release as a leader in more than a decade and his first since embracing an entirely new instrument.

Thompson’s struggle began in late 2017, when the disorder gradually compromised his ability to play the trumpet. By May 2022, after half a decade of exhausting practice, therapy, and hope, he accepted the heartbreaking truth that he would never again perform on the instrument that had defined his life. But out of that loss came an unexpected spark: the vibraphone. Long inspired by masters like Gary Burton, Stefon Harris, and Milt Jackson, Thompson picked up a pair of borrowed mallets and decided to take things one day at a time. What began as an experiment quickly reignited his artistic fire.

Lost and Found is the joyous result of that rebirth—a lively, swinging testament to creativity, resilience, and rediscovery. Joined by a trusted quartet of longtime collaborators—pianist Taber Gable, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck, bassist Tommy Sauter, and drummer Marcus Finnie—Thompson unveils a sound that is unmistakably his own, even on a completely different instrument. His compositional and improvisational voice remains intact, evolved, and newly liberated.

Thompson recalls that it took only two weeks from first picking up mallets to calling friends for jam sessions. Although transitioning from a wind instrument to vibes required adjustments, it also opened new possibilities—chords, multi-note textures, and a shimmering resonance that became central to his new musical identity.

Teaching sustained him during the hardest years, and in that time, he feels he grew significantly as a musician. The album reflects that evolution, weaving together six new originals and thoughtful interpretations that trace the emotional terrain of his journey. The title track, begun before his diagnosis and finished years later on vibraphone, serves as a musical map of loss, reflection, and renewal. Other compositions draw from poetry, family, humor, and life’s most intimate milestones, all wrapped in the quartet’s warm rapport. The set also includes a luminous reading of “Over the Rainbow,” a funky take on Chick Corea’s “Bud Powell,” and Donald Brown’s “My Three Suns,” which steers the band into fusion-inflected terrain.

Through Lost and Found, Thompson becomes an inspiration himself—a testament to the idea that when one door closes, another may open in the most surprising form. His story echoes through every note: even in moments of profound loss, creativity can carve out new paths forward.