Jazz musician, composer, and arranger, born in London, UK. He trained at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and has been a leading figure in the British popular music and jazz scene since the 1950s. An accomplished saxophonist, and bandleader since 1953, he has also composed works for combined jazz and symphonic ensembles, such as The Diamond and the Goose (1981) for choir and orchestra, and film scores including Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960). With his wife, the singer Cleo Laine (1927 ), he has recorded many acclaimed musical albums. In 1969 they founded a charity, the Wavendon Allmusic Plan, which led to the establishment of The Stables arts centre in the grounds of their Buckinghamshire home. He founded the London Symphony Orchestra Summer Pops in 1985, and in 1993 formed the Dankworth Generation Band, with his son Alec, and continues to lead his own quintet and tour with Laine. He was knighted in 2006.
Sir John Dankworth, CBE (born 20 September 1927) is a prolific British jazz composer, orchestrator and performer.
After a spell at London’s Royal Academy of Music, and another in the army, he began an illustrious career on the British jazz scene, being voted Musician of the Year in 1949. Parker's comments about Dankworth led to the engagement of the young British jazzman for a short tour of Sweden with the legendary soprano-saxist Sidney Bechet.
In 1950 Dankworth formed a small group known as the Dankworth Seven as a vehicle for his writing activities as well as a showcase for several young jazz soloists, including himself (alto sax), Jimmy Deuchar (trumpet), Eddie Harvey (trombone), Don Rendell (tenor sax), Tony Kinsey (drums), Bill le Sage (piano), and Eric Dawson (bass). The band went on to perform at New York’s Birdland (jazz club), and shortly afterwards shared the stage with the Duke Ellington band (which at that time included Clark Terry, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Paul Gonsalves and Jimmy Hamilton) for a number of concerts. Dankworth’s band also performed at a jazz event at New York’s Lewisohn stadium where Louis Armstrong joined them for a set.
During the ensuing years, Dankworth’s friendship with Clark Terry led to Terry being a featured soloist on Dankworth’s 1964 album The Zodiac Variations, together with Bob Brookmeyer, Zoot Sims, Phil Woods, Lucky Thompson and other guests. Other Dankworth recordings during this period featured many other respected jazz names. Some were full-time members of the Dankworth band at one time or another, like Kenny Wheeler, Peter King, Mike Gibbs, John Taylor and Tony Coe, while others were occasional participants such as Dudley Moore, Dave Holland, John McLaughlin and Tubby Hayes.
Beginning in 1958, Dankworth enjoyed a second career as a popular composer of film and television scores (often credited as "Johnny Dankworth").
In 1961.
During this active period of recording, the Dankworth band nevertheless found time for frequent live appearances and radio shows, including tours in Britain and Europe with Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan and Gerry Mulligan, and concerts and radio performances with Lionel Hampton and Ella Fitzgerald.
Dankworth’s friendship with Duke Ellington continued until the latter’s death in 1974. Dankworth has also retained his Ellington links by performing with the Ellington Orchestra under the direction of Duke’s son, Mercer Ellington.
Other jazz musicians with whom Dankworth has performed include George Shearing, Toots Thielemans, Benny Goodman, Herbie Hancock, Hank Jones, Tadd Dameron, Slam Stewart, Oscar Peterson - the list is almost endless.
Dankworth’s active jazz life, which also includes many appearances and recordings with his wife, singer Dame Cleo Laine, shows no signs of abating.
From 1984 to 1986, Dankworth was professor of music at Gresham College, London, giving free public lectures.
He appeared with Craig David on Later with Jools Holland on BBC Two.
Dankworth and Laine's children are both jazz musicians: Alec Dankworth is a bassist, currently also in his father's band, and Jacqui Dankworth is a singer.
John Dankworth was made a Knight Bachelor in the 2006 New Year's Honours List, the first British jazz musician to receive such an honour.
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