Jesper Thilo | |
|---|---|
 Aarhus 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Jesper Thilo (1941-11-28)28 November 1941 (age 83) |
| Origin |  Copenhagen,Denmark |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Saxophonist,bandleader |
| Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophones Alto saxophone Clarinet Flute |
| Labels | Storyville Records,Music Mecca |
Jesper Thilo (born 28 November 1941) is aDanishjazz musician, mainly known as atenor saxophonist,alto saxophonist andclarinetist. He is considered to be one of the top Europeanstraight-ahead jazz musicians of the post-1970 period.[1]Ben Webster andColeman Hawkins were early influences, while he later developed a highly personal sound reminiscent ofZoot Sims.
Thilo first recorded as a leader forStoryville Records in 1973 and in the 1980s on Storyville his sidemen at various times includedKenny Drew,Clark Terry andHarry "Sweets" Edison. In the 1980s, he also played in theErnie Wilkins's Almost Big Band. Thilo also appears on theMiles Davis albumAura recorded in 1985. In 1991, he worked withHank Jones in aquintet.
Jesper Thilo was born onChristianshavn inCopenhagen in 1941 to a pianist-actress mother and a father who was an architect.[2] He started to play clarinet at age 11 and from 1955 to 1960 he played clarinet andtrombone in various amateurDixieland jazz bands with occasional paid jobs as a musician. Early he knew that he wanted to become a professional jazz musician but to get an education he chose to study classical clarinet at theRoyal Danish Academy of Music[3]
While still a student at the Academy, Thilo joined Arnved Meyer's orchestra where he played from 1960 to 1964 and again from 1967 to 1974 and it was Arnved Meyer who convinced him to shift tosaxophone. In Meyer's band he played with musicians such asBen Webster,Benny Carter,Harry Edison,Roy Eldridge andColeman Hawkins.[4] During this part of his career his virileSwing style chiefly inspired by Webster and Hawkins.[3] Besides his engagement in Meyer's orchestra, Thilo also played in his own band, a quintet which he had founded in 1965 and co-lead with Torolf Mølgaard and Bjarne Rostvold.
From 1966 to 1989, Thilo was a member of theDR Big Band where he under bandleaders such asPalle Mikkelborg andThad Jones mainly playedalto saxophone but occasionally also tenor saxophone,soprano saxophone,baritone saxophone,concert flute, clarinet orbass clarinet.[4]
Through the 1980s, he played inErnie Wilkins' Almost Big Band. Other collaborators have includedWild Bill Davison andNiels Jørgen Steen.[4]
In 1989, he left the DR Big Band and Ernie Wilkins's orchestra to lead his own bands with members such as Søren Kristiansen, Olivier Antunes, Hugo Rasmussen og Svend-Erik Nørregaard.
Compilations:
WithTommy Flanagan
WithThad Jones
WithRoland Hanna
WithMiles Davis
WithScott Hamilton
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