Tommy Whittle

Thomas Whittle (13 October 1926 – 13 October 2013) was a British jazz saxophonist.

Biography

Tommy Whittle was born in Grangemouth, Scotland. He started playing clarinet at the age of 12 before taking up tenor saxophone at 13, guided by Alan Davie. He moved to Chatham, Kent, at 16 and in 1943 started playing in the dance-hall band of Claude Giddins in nearby Gillingham.

During the 1940s, Whittle played with Johnny Claes, Lew Stone, Carl Barriteau, and Harry Hayes. In 1946 he joined Ted Heath's band, playing with him until 1952 when he moved on to play in Tony Kinsey's small group at the 51 Club in London. Later in the 1950s he joined Cyril Stapleton's BBC Show Band where he became featured as a soloist in nationwide broadcasts. In April 1954 he formed his a quintet with Harry Klein and Dill Jones, later touring with a ten-piece band for 14 months. He then led small groups and performed in clubs. In 1955 he was voted Britain's top tenor-sax player in the New Musical Express poll and topped the Melody Maker poll the following year.

During the 1950s his sextet visited France and the United States. In 1956 he took a quartet (with Eddie Thompson, Brian Brocklehurst and Jackie Dougan) to the US in exchange for a visit by Gerry Mulligan. His last performances included the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester (October 2012) and Ray McVay's tribute Glenn Miller Orchestra at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (January 2013). Whittle died on his 87th birthday after contracting pneumonia while on holiday in Spain.

Discography As leader Tommy Whittle Quartet (Melodisc, 1951) Tommy Whittle Septet (Melodisc, 1951) Tommy Whittle with the Tony Kinsey Trio (Esquire, 1953) Tommy Whittle Quintet (Esquire, 1954) Tommy Whittle Quintet (Esquire, 1955) Tommy Whittle Orchestra (Esquire, 1956) Tommy Whittle Quartet (HMV, 1957) A Touch of Latin (Saga, 1958) Tommy Whittle Quintet (Tempo and Ember, 1959) Sax for Dreamers (Masquerade, 1967) Tommy Whittle Quartet (HMV, 1957) Why Not? (Jam, 1977) Jigsaw (Alamo, 1977) The Nearness of You (Tee-Jay, 1982) Straight Eight with Alan Barnes (Miles Music, 1985) The Pizza Express All Star Band (The Poll Winners, 1990) Warm Glow (TeeJay, 1992) Encore! with the Bob Hudson Trio (Sine, 1997) Grace Notes (Spotlight, 2003) Tommy Whittle and the Tenor Connection (Spotlight, 2009)

As sideman Live at the Hopbine, Tubby Hayes (1965) Memories of You, Barbara Jay (Tee-Jay, 1988) Bean: Bob Wilber's Tribute to Coleman Hawkins, Bob Wilber (Arbors, 1995) The Don Lusher Big Band Vol. 2, Don Lusher (Horatio Nelson) Laurie Johnson's London Big Band Vol. 3, Laurie Johnson (Horatio Nelson, 2000) Ella Fitzgerald Songbook Revisited, Barbara Jay, Tina May, Lee Gibson (Spotlite, 2000) The Farewell Concert, Ted Heath (Avid, 2002) The Musical Worlds of Laurie Johnson, Laurie Johnson (Avid, 2003)