James Valentine, former Models and Jo Jo Zep saxophonist who later became a leading ABC presenter, has died aged 64 after a two-year cancer battle
by Paul Cashmere
James Valentine, the Australian musician best known for his work with Models and Jo Jo Zep before a long career in broadcasting, has died at the age of 64. Valentine passed away at home on April 23, 2026, surrounded by family, after choosing voluntary assisted dying following a two-year battle with oesophageal cancer.
While widely recognised for his decades on radio, Valentine’s origins were firmly in music, emerging from the early 1980s Melbourne scene as a saxophonist with a grounding in jazz and pop. His death brings renewed focus to a formative period in Australian music when hybrid acts were blending soul, rock and new wave, and where Valentine’s playing became part of that evolution.
Born in Ballarat, Victoria, Valentine moved to Melbourne to study before quickly shifting his attention to live performance. His early ambition was to become a jazz musician, but the reality of the local circuit drew him into more commercial settings. In 1982 he joined Jo Jo Zep, the band led by Joe Camilleri, known for its fusion of R&B, ska and rock. The group was already established, and Valentine’s role on saxophone placed him within a tight horn-driven arrangement style that demanded precision and restraint rather than solo excess.
That experience became a bridge to his next major chapter. Through connections formed on the circuit, Valentine became involved with a covers project that included members of Models. When that project ended, he was invited to join Models as they transitioned into their most commercially successful era. By late 1984, Valentine was a full-time member, relocating to Sydney with the band and contributing to a shift in their sound that leaned into polished pop production with a strong visual identity.
Valentine’s saxophone work is featured on Models’ landmark album Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight from 1985, a record that delivered multiple hit singles and defined the band’s place in Australian pop. His playing added texture to the arrangements rather than dominating them, complementing the band’s synthesiser-driven direction. He remained with the group through Models’ Media in 1986, another key release in their catalogue, before departing ahead of the band’s eventual split in 1988.
Reflecting on that period, Valentine once noted the abrupt shift from jazz ambitions to mainstream success, describing how quickly he found himself embedded in a high-profile touring act. The transition required adaptation, both musically and visually, as Models embraced a stylised image that contrasted with his earlier training.
After Models, Valentine continued to work within the Australian recording industry, joining Absent Friends in 1989. The group, formed by former Models members and collaborators, pursued a more atmospheric and layered sound. Their sole album Here’s Looking Up Your Address in 1990 sits as a distinctive entry in the post-Models catalogue, with Valentine contributing on saxophone and clarinet. The project, while short-lived, has maintained a level of critical interest for its songwriting and musicianship.
Around the same time, Valentine also contributed to Wendy Matthews’ debut solo album Émigré, further embedding him within a network of musicians who defined Australian adult contemporary and pop music at the turn of the decade. These collaborations highlight the interconnected nature of the scene, where players moved fluidly between bands and studio work.
Valentine’s musical career effectively spanned a decade, from the early 1980s through to the early 1990s, a period of transition in Australian music as pub rock gave way to more produced, radio-oriented sounds. His role across Jo Jo Zep, Models and Absent Friends places him within that shift, contributing to records that remain part of the country’s recorded music history.
His later move into broadcasting did not erase that foundation. Instead, it informed his approach, with an understanding of performance, timing and audience engagement that mirrored the dynamics of live music. However, it is his recorded output and live work during those early years that define his direct contribution to the music industry.
Valentine’s family confirmed his passing in a statement, noting he died peacefully at home. “James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him,” they said. “Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying.” He is survived by his wife Joanne and children Ruby and Roy.
His death also arrives at a time when there is renewed interest in Australian music from the 1980s, with reissues and retrospectives bringing attention back to artists of that era. Valentine’s work with Models in particular continues to be revisited as part of that broader reassessment, placing his contributions within an ongoing cultural conversation.
Memorial details are expected to be announced in the coming days. Valentine’s legacy, while often associated with his voice on radio, is equally rooted in the recordings and performances that shaped a generation of Australian music.
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