Tommy Whittle
Tommy Whittle, born on October 13, 1926, in Grangemouth, Scotland, was a British
jazz saxophonist. He began playing clarinet at age 12 and switched to tenor
saxophone at 13 under Alan Davie's guidance. In the 1940s, Whittle played with
notable figures such as Johnny Claes and Lew Stone. He joined Ted Heath's band
in 1946, staying until 1952. Later, he became a featured soloist with Cyril
Stapleton's BBC Show Band and formed his own quintet. Whittle was voted
Britain's top tenor-sax player by New Musical Express in 1955 and topped the
Melody Maker poll the following year. He colla...
