Andrew Thompson was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1976 to American born parents who had recently left the United States to start a new life in Canada. Andrew's mother taught piano and from an early age she encouraged Andrew to study and pursue music. Andrew began studying trumpet at the age of ten and switched to guitar when he was thirteen. In high school, Andrew immersed himself in African American music and began seriously studying jazz and blues guitar. His interest and desire was fuelled even further by trips to visit relatives in Texas where he was able to study and play with local blues and jazz musicians. After high school, Andrew attended Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton where he received a two year diploma in music performance. Upon completion of his diploma, Andrew attended a summer jazz camp in Lake Placid, New York where he was able to study with such jazz luminaries as Joe Lovano, Rufus Reid, John Abercrombie, and Billy Hart. Andrew was then accepted into the University of Toronto Jazz Studies program in performance, receiving scholarships from the Saskatoon Jazz Society and the Saskatchewan Arts Board to help pay for tuition. During his time at the University of Toronto, Andrew had the privilege to study Ghanaian drumming and dancing with Master Drummer Kwasi Dunyo. The highlight of the class was when Kwasi presented Andrew with the opportunity to travel to his home in the Volta Region of Ghana to study drumming and dancing from local Ewe musicians and dancers.

The experience in Ghana forever changed Andrew and helped him understand the connection that African American jazz and blues music has with traditional African music. Since returning from Ghana, Andrew has had a renewed spirit to play, write, and perform music. Andrew regularly performs with local R&B and Jazz musicians at such venues as Revival, Lava, The Rex, Alleycatz, Indian Motorcycle, Bar Italia, Sassafraz, and Joe Mama's. He has also performed at the Irie Festival, Afro Fest, and Caribana. For the last two years, Andrew has co-led a Thursday night gig with the R&B band 'By The Pound' at Alto Basso. He also performs classic funk and R&B every Wednesday at Joe Mama's.

Before coming on board with the AHANAIE project Andrew had performed and collaborated on poet/spoken word artist Dwayne Morgan's CD release and with Kobena Aquaa-Harrison in the writing and producing of poet and singer/songwriter True Daley's recently released EP. Currently, Andrew has been performing and recording with Universal recording artist Juli Black. Andrew hopes to continue to grow as a musician and an artist while continuing to perform and write and at the same time explore more fully the many other creative and diverse talents that he possesses. Andrew is a marvellously gifted guitar player who is able to make an indelible impression on anyone fortunate enough to hear him play. AHANAIE welcomes Andrew into the circle with the confidence that this young musician, given the diversity of influences that have contributed to defining his nonconformist musical style, will help shape the expressive fabric of a new art form.