One of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians from 1970 onward, Danish reedman
Jesper Thilo has appeared on many records with American artists in addition to recording with his fellow countrymen. His tenor sound is reminiscent of
Zoot Sims.
Thilo, who has also occasionally played alto and clarinet, first recorded as a leader for Storyville in 1973, and in the 1980s and 1990s on Storyville his sidemen at various times included
Hank Jones,
Kenny Drew,
Clark Terry,
Roland Hanna, and
Harry "Sweets" Edison.
Thilo also appeared on
Miles Davis'
Aura (with compositions and arrangements by fellow Dane
Palle Mikkelborg), released by
Columbia in 1989. After the turn of the millennium
Thilo has continued recording for a variety of labels, including several releases on Stunt Records: Remembering Those That Were (2009),
On Clarinet (2010), and Scott Hamilton Meets Jesper Thilo (2011). ~ Scott Yanow