Saxophonist and jazz educator Don Lamphere was born in Wenatchee, Washington on June 26, 1928. The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz calls Lamphere’s playing “exhilaratingly inventive” and over his career he played with some of the giants of the be-bop era.

Don found his father’s tenor saxophone in the family basement and shortly thereafter was playing himself. He played his first professional gig at the age of 13 and at age 17 he sat in with the Jimmie Lunceford band when they came to town. After briefly studying music at Northwestern University, Lamphere headed for New York City where he played with Fats Navarro and Max Roach. For a while he played in the Woody Herman band. However, after playing briefly with Sonny Durham in 1951 Lamphere’s life and career were threatened by his drug addiction.

Don returned to his hometown and worked in his father’s music store. He met his future wife at that time and she encouraged him to start playing again. They moved to Boston and then New York and Don had short gigs with Charlie Barnet and Claude Thornhill when addiction reared its ugly head once again. Don and his wife both struggled with these issues for years and his musical career was on hold for most of the 1960s.  In 1969 Don became a born again Christian and was able to kick drugs and alcohol from that time on.

Beginning in the 1980s Don Lamphere recorded a series of successful albums that many critics claimed provided listeners with his best playing ever. He also mentored many young jazz musicians including pianist Marc Seales. He was a regular figure at the annual Bud Shank Jazz Workshop and taught numerous private students. Don often performed on college campuses and had a regular gig at Tula’s Restaurant and Jazz Club in Seattle.  He also played with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and co-hosted a local jazz radio program in Seattle. Don passed away from hepatitis in 2003.

Here is a link to Don Lamphere playing with Marc Seales' New Stories:

"THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES"