Tommy Whittle

Tommy Whittle ( born October 13, 1926 in Grangemouth, † October 13, 2013 ) was a British jazz saxophonist.

Life and work

Whittle began twelve years playing the clarinet; a year later he moved to the tenor saxophone. Since 1943 he played in dance orchestras of Claude Giddins. He joined occasionally with Lew Stone and Carl Barriteau; with Johnny Claes, he appeared in Civvy Street ( 1945) in the film George. Then a member of the octet by Harry Hayes, with whom he recorded also. From 1946 to 1952 he was a member of the orchestra of Ted Heath. Then brought him Tony Kinsey in his combo. In 1954 he founded his own quintet with Harry Klein and Dill Jones and later went with a Tentett on tour. He was also with his own combos, including Eddie Thompson, Brian Brocklehurst and Jackie Dougan belonged, traveling in France and the United States. Recordings were also with Ralph Sharon, Jimmy Deuchar, Bill Le Sage, Johnny Dankworth or the AllStars of Melody Maker in whose polls, he was awarded both 1947 and 1954. In 1955 he was selected in the New Musical Express for the best British tenor.

Then he belonged to the run by Cyril Stapleton BBC Show Band, in their radio appearances, he was often found to be a soloist. From the early 1960s he was for many years a member of the conducted by Jack Parnell ATV Orchestra, with which he accompanied Peggy Lee or Bing Crosby, but found next to it about time for your own projects, to which he, musicians like Eddie Thompson, Harry Klein Kenny Wheeler and Joe Temperley fetched. He later joined with the London Big Band by Laurie Johnson and toured with Benny Goodman, and then again to lead his own quartet, with which he and his wife, the singer Barbara Jay accompanied. He also led the Pizza Express Allstars Jazz Band, with which he presented an album. He also took up with George Chisholm's Jazz Giants, Maxine Daniels, Don Lusher, Kenny Baker, Joe Williams, JJ Johnson, Bob Wilber and George Shearing.

Whittle was awarded the Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his lifelong contribution to the British Jazz 2005.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Barbara Jay / Lee Gibson / Tina May The Ella Fitzgerald Songbook Revisited (2000)
• Grace Notes ( with Keith Ingham, Jeff Green, Jim Richardson, Bobby Worth, 2003)