Although he is generally referred to as a jazz player, his association with Lamb would be the first of many versatile pairings for the genre-leaping musician, who has also been particularly active in the U.K. folk community with acts like James Yorkston, Kathryn Williams, King Creosote, and Martha Tilston. Somewhat of a late bloomer, Thorne didn't pick up the bass until the age of 23, after which he developed quickly, studying jazz and working with legendary bassist Danny Thompson, whom he considers his mentor. A consummate sideman and collaborator, he has also led his own projects beginning with his 2006 debut, Manchester Road, which he released as John Thorne's Oedipus Complex. He followed up with Watching the Well in 2010; it was written for and features guest performances from Danny Thompson. Thorne also leads the octet Oedipus Mingus, which creates new adaptations of Charles Mingus tunes. His work with Lamb has continued since their 1996 debut and, in addition to playing on five of their albums, he has been a frequent touring member of the group. In 2016, he joined Scottish folk artist James Yorkston and Indian sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan to form the collaborative trio Yorkston/Thorne/Khan. They released their debut, Everything Sacred, in the spring of that year. ~ Timothy Monger