Joe Temperley
(baritone sax) 1929 -
In the history of Jazz there have been musicians who achieved greatness by mastery of an instrument. In most cases this mastery, while conveying their ideas, somehow resisted fusion with the personalities of the soloists. This is particularly true of the baritone saxophone players where only a handful of musicians have converted virtuosity to genuine voice. Harry Carney first breathed life into its unlikely shape, Serge Chaloff added anguish - Gerry Mulligan gave it humour and swagger, Pepper Adams gave it energy, and now Joe Temperley has given it a soul.
Joe was born in 1929 Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland. Despite being born into a coal mining community he gravitated to jazz and with the encouragement of his elder brother, Bob, gained the experience to play with local dance bands. He next joined the legendary Tommy Sampson band on alto sax. He quickly established himself in London and by 1953 was playing tenor sax in the Jack Parnell Orchestra. The baritone sax gradually became his preferred horn and after a long spell with the Humphrey Lyttelton band left for New York in 1965.
Initially it was hard to fit in with the top New York players, but soon his reputation got him jobs with Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Clark Terry and Thad Jones. There were also many months of lucrative, if repetitive, jobs in the pit bands of top Broadway shows. Then finally he sat in the seat once occupied by his hero Harry Carney with the Duke Ellington Orchestra now directed by Mercer Ellington. Throughout the late eighties and nineties he was busy both as a teacher with the Manhattan School of Music and latterly as a full time member of the Lincoln Center Orchestra directed by Wynton Marsalis. He has recently contracted to be with the Lincoln Center Orchestra till 2003.
Joe's first recording under his own name was made in New York with trombonist Jimmy Knepper. This 1978 collaboration is available on Hep CD 2012 "Special Relationship". At the 1980 Edinburgh Festival he became part of an informal recording session that included the veteren saxophonist Benny Waters and another highly inventive trombonist Roy Williams. This set, powered by Ronnie Scotts' rhythm section, is on Hep CD 2010 "When You're Smiling". The first classic Temperely collection "Nightingale" Hep CD 2052 was recorded in 1992 . Fellow Scotsman Jimmy Deuchar, one of the most fertile minds in British jazz, was then commissioned to write a series of orchestral pieces for Joe. These were performed at the 1994 Glasgow Jazz Festival and are available on Hep CD 2062 "Concerto For Joe".
Yet another top Scots jazzman guitarist, Jim Mullen, was an invited guest on his 1997 album "With Every Breath" CD 2073. "Easy to Remember" CD 2083, recorded in London 2001, features several performances with arrangements for string quartet. Compositions by Ellington, Gershwin and Monk are programmed and the brilliantly original saxophonist Tony Coe, a long term friend from the Lyttelton days, also joins him on two tracks.
Joe's "A Portrait" CD 2091 is the most ambitious to date with tributes to Carney, Chaloff, Mulligan and Payne. Joe also plays some of his own favourite tunes and is multi tracked on five performances to create a full sax section. The wonderful John Bunch is on piano.
He has the ability to play very complicated parts as demanded by his tenure in the Lincoln Center Orchestra but his poetic stature is revealed in his ballad playing where each note of the melody is treated with respect and love.
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CD2010
BENNY WATERS with JOE TEMPERLEY and ROY WILLIAMS
"When You're Smiling"
Great mainstream blowing session from masters recorded at Craighall Studio, Edinburgh in 1980.
Titles - Broadway / When You're Smiling / Things Aint What They Used To Be / Line For Lyons / Don't Blame Me / Just Friends / Where or When / Know What I Mean / Medley - Mood Indigo, Old Folks, What's New / Jumpin at The Woodside.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Benny Waters - "Don't Blame Me"
CD2012
JOE TEMPERLEY / JIMMY KNEPPER / BOBBY WELLINS
"Special Relationship"
The first seven tracks on this album were recorded during 1978 in New York with Jimmy Knepper and Joe Temperley joined by Derek Smith on piano, Michael Moore on bass and Billy Hart on drums. The remaining five tracks were recorded during 1980 in London with Jimmy Knepper and Bobby Wellins joined by Pete Jacobsen on piano, Dave Green on bass and Ron Parry on drums.
Titles - John's Bunch / Stella By Starlight / Just Friends / Yardbird Suite / Aristocracy (of Jean Laffitte) / Sophisticated Lady / Lester Leaps / Primrose Path / What Is There To Say? / Gnome On The Range / Round About Midnight / Latterday Saint.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley / Jimmy Knepper - "John's Bunch"
Currently only available on MP3
CD2052
JOE TEMPERLEY
"Nightingale"
Quartet performances with Brian Lemon, Dave Green and Martin Drew from 1991.
Titles - Raincheck / Body & Soul / Indian Summer / Sunset & a Mocking Bird / Petite Fleur / Nightingale / It's You or No One / Creole Love Call / Action / My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley - "Sunset & a Mocking Bird"
Currently only available on MP3
CD2062
JOE TEMPERLEY
"Concerto For Joe"
Studio set with quartet and all star bigband tracks. Arrangements by Jimmy Deuchar. Quartet and Orchestra featuring soloists Dave Green, Brian Lemon, Martin Drew, Peter King, Gerald Presencer, Brian Kellock and Jack Parnell from 1994.
Titles - Hackensack / Snibor / In A Sentimental Mood / Blues For Nat / East Of The Sun / A Single Petal Of A Rose / Cottontail / Awright Already / Blues / Slow For Joe / A Day At A Time / Sixes and Sevens / Eriskay Love Lilt.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley - "Slow for Joe"
CD2073
JOE TEMPERLEY
"With Every Breath"
Collection of standards with guest Jim Mullen on guitar. Also Dave Green (bass), John Pearce (piano), Martin Drew (drums) London 1998.
Titles - Three Little Words / When Lights Are Low / Skylark / Riverside Drive / Close To You / Blue Monk / Long Ago And Far Away / The Very Thought Of You / Skyboat Song / In A Sentimental Mood / With Every Breath I Take / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / Ow, I Hear The Shadows Dancing.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley - "Three Little Words"
CD2083
JOE TEMPERLEY
"Easy to Remember"
With Tony Coe and Strings - recorded London 2001 - features several performances with arrangements for string quartet.
Titles - That Old Feeling / The Very Thought Of You / I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart / Easy To Remember / East of The Sun / Warm Valley / Just Friends / How Little We Know / Someone to Watch Over Me / Things Aint What they Used to Be / Ask me Now / Torpedo / Hielan' Laddie.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley - "Warm Valley"
CD2091
JOE TEMPERLEY
"A Portrait"
His most ambitious to date with tributes to Carney, Chaloff, Mulligan and Payne. Joe also plays some of his own favourite tunes and is multi tracked on five performances to create a full sax section. The wonderful John Bunch is on piano.
Titles - The Goof and I / I should Care / Swing House / Can't We Be Friends / This Time The Dream's On Me / Polka Dots and Moonbeams / East St Louis Toodle-oo / Sweet and Lovely / Poor Butterfly / Flower is a Lovesome Thing / Mainstem / A Single Petal of a Rose.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley - "The Goof and I"
Currently only available on MP3
CD2093
JOE TEMPERLEY
"The Sinatra Songbook"
with top New York band including James Chrillo, Andy Farber, Ryan Kisor, John Allred, Dan Nimmer.
Titles - Come Fly With Me / Everything Happens to Me / Day By Day / In The Wee Small Hours / Nancy / I'll Never Smile Again / Put Your Dreams Away - plus 6 titles.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Joe Temperley - "Come Fly with Me"