Jesper Thilo

Jesper Thilo (28 November 1941 – 25 April 2026) was a Danish jazz musician, mainly known as a tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist, and clarinetist. He is considered to be one of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians of the post-1970 period. Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins were early influences, while he later developed a highly personal sound reminiscent of Zoot Sims. Thilo first recorded as a leader for Storyville Records in 1973 and in the 1980s on Storyville his sidemen at various times included Kenny Drew, Clark Terry, and Harry "Sweets" Edison.