Farewell, Sir John

Jack Bowers

Senior Contributor since 1997

A former newspaper writer / editor who has been writing about big-band Jazz for more than fifteen years.

Recent articles (1,750 total)

Published: March 4, 2010

John Dankworth 1191426 Images of Jazz—Copyright © 2009 Brian O'Connor Some of us are old enough to remember when Sir John Dankworth John Dankworth
1927 - 2010
saxophone was simply Johnny Dankworth, and quite simply one of the finest jazz musicians Great Britain has ever produced. Johnny became Sir John in 2006 when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, nine years after his wife, the marvelous singer Cleo Laine Cleo Laine
b.1927
vocal , was made a Dame of the British Empire.

As befits a Knight of the Realm, Dankworth, who died February 6 at age 82, wore many hats during his long and illustrious career: accomplished saxophonist, bandleader, composer, educator, goodwill ambassador, philanthropist and Laine's music director since 1971. As a writer for films and television, he was widely known for his themes for The Avengers, Danger Man, Tomorrow's World, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Darling and Modesty Blaise, among others. In 1969, he and Laine founded the Wavendon Allmusic Plan and a theatre, The Stables, at Wavendon in Buckinghamshire, whose 300-seat concert hall serves as a proving ground for young musicians and a venue for promoting jazz. In 1985, Dankworth founded the London Symphony Orchestra's Summer Pops program, and eight years later formed the Dankworth Generation Band with his son, the bassist Alec Dankworth. A daughter, Jacqui, followed in her mother's footsteps and is a well-known jazz singer.

Born in 1927, Dankworth was raised in Walthamstow in outer London, where he began his musical journey by studying piano and violin before switching to clarinet, a change influenced by his exposure to the music of Benny Goodman Benny Goodman
1909 - 1986
clarinet . Before entering the Royal Academy of Music, Dankworth moved from clarinet to saxophone, settling on alto after hearing the great Charlie Parker Charlie Parker
1920 - 1955
sax, alto . Following service in World War II (1943-47), Dankworth and his friend Ronnie Scott Ronnie Scott
1927 - 1996
sax, tenor joined Geraldo's Navy, a band that traveled between Britain and the U.S. on the Cunard fleet of luxury liners. After working with Bert Ambrose Bert Ambrose
b.1896 's band and the Skyrockets, Dankworth, named Musician of the Year in 1949 by readers of Melody Maker magazine, formed the Johnny Dankworth Seven, a co-op group based loosely on the music of the trailblazing Miles Davis Miles Davis
1926 - 1991
trumpet band. Members of the Seven included trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar Jimmy Deuchar
b.1930 , tenor saxophonist Don Rendell Don Rendell
b.1926 , trombonist Eddie Harvey Eddie Harvey
b.1925 , pianist Bill Le Sage Bill Le Sage
b.1927 and drummer Tony Kinsey Tony Kinsey
b.1927 .

In July 1953, Dankworth formed his first big band, which lasted until 1964. Laine, who joined the Dankworth Seven as vocalist in 1951 and was married to Dankworth seven years later, continued as the band's featured singer. By the mid-1960s she had become a soloist in her own right, and Dankworth devoted much of his time after the early 1970s to serving as her music director and as a composer of music for film and television. Although in failing health for several months, he was to have performed at a concert at The Stables on February 6 2010. Instead, Dame Cleo announced from the stage that he had passed away that day. He leaves a remarkable legacy that endures owing to his devotion to jazz and to the many younger musicians who have benefited, and will continue to do so, from his singular generosity and counsel.

Albuquerque Jazz Festival

New York-based trumpeter Scott Wendholt Scott Wendholt
b.1965
trumpet , a mainstay with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the John Fedchock John Fedchock
b.1957
trombone , Toshiko Akiyoshi Toshiko Akiyoshi
b.1929
piano and Bob Mintzer Bob Mintzer
b.1953
saxophone big bands and assorted other groups in and around the Big Apple, was in Albuquerque from February 18-20 to take part in the annual Albuquerque Jazz Festival, an event that focuses for the most part on local high school and middle school ensembles. The marquee event on Saturday evening was a concert performance at Eldorado High School with the Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra under director / trumpeter Bobby Shew Bobby Shew
b.1941
trumpet . The AJO opened the show with "Do It Again," arranged by Fred Sturm, the classic Tom Kubis Tom Kubis
arrangement of "When You're Smiling" and Duke Ellington Duke Ellington
1899 - 1974
piano 's fleet-footed "Cottontail" before inviting Wendholt onstage to perform a pair of his compositions, "Times Line" and "Beyond Thursday," followed by Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk
1917 - 1982
piano 's "'Round Midnight" and, saving the best for last, a spirited duel with Shew on Clifford Brown Clifford Brown
1930 - 1956
trumpet 's buoyant "Joy Spring."

After an intermission, the AJO delved into a pair of tantalizing charts by Sturm, "The Goodbye Look" and Australian-inspired "Didgeridoo," before Wendholt and the ensemble wrapped things up with the trumpeter's "Her Allure," the well-named "Abstraktes Bild," Johnny Green's classic "Body and Soul" and Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter
b.1933
saxophone 's free-flowing "Black Nile." Besides Wendholt and Shew, the evening's admirable soloists included tenor saxophonist Lee Taylor, trombonist Ben Finberg and pianist Chris Ishee. Bassist Maren Hatch and drummer Chase Ellison provided a durable foundation for their improvisations. A delightful concert from beginning to end.

Remembering Stacy Rowles

A day-long memorial service and celebration of the life of trumpeter Stacy Rowles Stacy Rowles
1955 - 2009 , who died October 27 2009 at age 54 from injuries sustained in an auto accident a month earlier, was held January 10 in the recently remodeled auditorium at the Musicians Union in Hollywood, California. A number of groups and musicians performed including several with whom Rowles had played including The Peak Experience, led by bassist Mike Peak; the Jazz Birds, a quintet formed by Rowles and the late multi-instrumentalist Betty OHara Betty OHara
in the 1980s; and saxophonist Ann Patterson's superb big band, Maiden Voyage. The attendance was large, the sentiments heartfelt, the result a wonderful tribute to a brilliant and well-loved musician.

New Jazz Film to Probe Early Deaths

Howard Fischer, an attorney who founded the New York Jazz Museum in 1972, is producing and directing a new film, They Died Before 40, designed to examine and shed light on the early deaths of such jazz luminaries as Charlie Parker, Herschel Evans Herschel Evans
b.1909 , Charlie Christian Charlie Christian
1916 - 1942
guitar, electric , Fats Waller Fats Waller
1904 - 1943
piano , Jimmy Blanton Jimmy Blanton
1918 - 1942
bass, acoustic , Bunny Berigan Bunny Berigan
1908 - 1942
trumpet , Clifford Brown, Chick Webb Chick Webb
1905 - 1939
drums , Chu Berry Chu Berry
1910 - 1941
sax, tenor and more. "Through archival film footage, photographs, reminiscences and expert discourse," Fischer writes, the film will delve into the lives of these musicians, "develop an appreciation of their artistry and reveal how and why their careers were cut short." Dan Morgenstern Dan Morgenstern
b.1929 , director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University and a renowned jazz historian, author, editor and archivist, is to serve as a consultant for the film that will also examine the lives and careers of Bix Beiderbecke Bix Beiderbecke
1903 - 1931
cornet , Fats Navarro Fats Navarro
1923 - 1950
trumpet , Oscar Pettiford Oscar Pettiford
1922 - 1960
bass , Eric Dolphy Eric Dolphy
1928 - 1964
reeds , Paul Chambers Paul Chambers
1935 - 1969
bass, acoustic , Serge Chaloff Serge Chaloff
b.1923
sax, baritone , Sonny Berman Sonny Berman
b.1925 , Frank Teschemacher Frank Teschemacher
b.1906 , Lee Morgan Lee Morgan
1938 - 1972
trumpet and about a dozen others. Film footage, photographs and documents are being sought along with reminiscences from friends, family members, musicians and others who knew any of those to be profiled. Contact Howard Fischer by phone at 212-579-0689 or by e-mail, hfis646942@aol.com

On the Calendar

New York City's Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is setting up camp in Assisi, Italy, this summer, offering an intensive week-long workshop / performance program July 10-15 2010 for students, musicians and educators from around the world. The agenda includes big band master classes, small group workshops, a composers forum, music industry seminars, student ensemble performances, band director workshops and advanced classes for professional musicians. For information, contact Thomas Bellino, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, 917-699-5339, or via e-mail, vjo2010@gmail.com

And don't forget the Los Angeles Jazz Institute's Spring Jazz Festival, to be held May 27-30 at the Sheraton Four Points LAX Hotel in Los Angeles. The four-day event includes films, panel discussions, special presentations, performances by the Gerry Mulligan Gerry Mulligan
1927 - 1996
sax, baritone Concert Jazz Band and Sextet, the Teddy Charles Teddy Charles
1928 - 2012
vibraphone Tentet, Terry Gibbs Terry Gibbs
b.1924
vibraphone , the Gil Evans Gil Evans
1912 - 1988
composer/conductor and Elliot Lawrence Elliot Lawrence
b.1925 big bands, and musical tributes to Al Cohn Al Cohn
1925 - 1988
sax, tenor and Zoot Sims Zoot Sims
1925 - 1985
sax, tenor , Stan Getz Stan Getz
1927 - 1991
sax, tenor , Bob Brookmeyer Bob Brookmeyer
1929 - 2011
trombone , Johnny Mandel Johnny Mandel
b.1925
arranger , Quincy Jones Quincy Jones
b.1933
producer , George Russell George Russell
1923 - 2009
piano , Manny Albam Manny Albam
1922 - 2001
arranger , Johnny Carisi Johnny Carisi
b.1922 and Alec Wilder. For information or to register, phone 562-985-7065.

And that's it for now. Until next time, keep swingin'!

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