Biography Joe Temperley

Joseph "Joe" Temperley (Lochgelly, Scotland, 20 September 1929 – 11 May 2016) was a Scottish jazz saxophonist. He has performed on various instruments, but is most associated with the baritone saxophone, the soprano saxophone, and bass clarinet.

Temperley played his first saxophone aged 14 in his Fife home town Lochgelly. Six months later, he got his first job at the Glasgow-based Tommy Sampson's Orchestra, having previously played in local dance bands. He initially achieved prominence in the United Kingdom as a member of Humphrey Lyttelton's London-based band from 1958-1965. In 1965, he moved to New York City where he performed and/or recorded with Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Joe Henderson, Duke Pearson, the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, and Clark Terry; among many others. In October 1974, he toured and recorded with the Duke Ellington Orchestra as a replacement for Harry Carney.

During the 1980s, Temperley played in the Broadway show Sophisticated Ladies; and his film soundtrack credits include Cotton Club, Biloxi Blues, Brighton Beach Memoirs, When Harry Met Sally, and Tune In Tomorrow, the latter composed by Wynton Marsalis.

He was a guest mentor of the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra also known as FYJO programme in Scotland, co-founded by Richard Michael and Dr Colin Thompson; which now enrolls 30 young musicians ages 7–18.

Temperley released several albums as a leader: including Nightingale (1991) with Brian Lemon, Sunbeam and Thundercloud with pianist Dave McKenna (1996), With Every Breath (1998) and Double Duke (1999) with several fellow Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra members. He was an original member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and served on the faculty of the Juilliard School for Jazz Studies.

Temperley died in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 11 May 2016, aged 86.

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