Biography

Joe Temperley (1927-2016) carried on Harry Carney’s legacy, joining the Duke Ellington Orchestra (under the direction of Mercer Ellington) after Carney’s death in 1974. Born and raised in Scotland, Temperley began his career playing in dance bands around Glasgow. He moved to New York in 1965, and subsequently worked with Woody Herman’s band, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, and notably the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He left the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1991, then joining the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He stayed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra until his death in 2016, and became one of the group’s most celebrated members. Towards the end of Temperley’s life, Jazz at Lincoln Center programmed several concerts dedicated to commemorating Temperley’s accomplishments. Outside of his big band work, Joe Temperley recorded six albums as a leader, and appears on multiple film soundtracks.