Dankworth biography
John dankworth biography
Emily dankworth...
Sir John Dankworth's life of jazz
Sir John maintained his affection for the older, traditional style of jazz
Sir John Dankworth, who has died aged 82, was one of the British jazz scene's leading lights.
Born in Woodford, Essex, in 1927, the young Dankworth had violin and piano lessons before taking up the clarinet and alto saxophone.
By the age of 17 he had won a place at the Royal Academy of Music. After years of studying, interrupted by a short spell in the Army, he was voted British Musician of the Year in 1949.
Dankworth biography
The same year he attended the Paris Jazz Festival, where he played with the legendary Charlie Parker - the man who had inspired him to take up the saxophone.
In 1950 he formed the Dankworth Seven, meeting his future wife, Dame Cleo Laine, while auditioning for singers.
The couple married in 1958, by which time he had swapped his seven-piece for a big band orchestra.
John Dankworth (right) was a film score composer as well as a performer |