Archie Semple
Archibald Stuart Nisbet "Archie" Semple (1 March 1928 – 26 January 1974) was a Scottish jazz clarinetist and bandleader, active principally within the trad jazz idiom. Biography He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Semple played locally in Edinburgh at the start of his career, often with his trumpeter brother John. He moved to London, England, and led several of his own bands before joining Mick Mulligan in 1952. He then worked with Freddy Randall during the 1953–54 season and then with Roy Crimmins and Alex Welsh from 1955 to 1963, becoming one of Welsh's most important sidemen. He recorded as a leader in the late 1950s and early 1960s as well, but retired due to health problems caused by heavy drinking in the middle of the decade. His influences included Edmond Hall and Pee Wee Russell. He has been regarded as a 'very distinctive player with a rich and quirky musical imagination'. Many regarded Semple as a strong presence on the British traditional jazz scene at the time. He made very few recordings under his own name, although a session was recorded which comes mainly from the archives of the 77 Records label, a British record company and label set