Jazz legend Sir John Dankworth dies aged 82
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Sunday, 07, Feb 2010 06:56
By Sarah Garrod
Sir John Dankworth, a man seen as one of the founders of British jazz music, has died at the age of 82.
The 'legend' passed away yesterday, with his wife the singer Cleo Laine announcing his passing at a concert last night in which she performed with the couple's children.
Sir John died at the King Edward VII hospital in London, just hours before his wife and children took to the stage in a performance at The Stables, a venue they had set up together, which marked its 40th anniversary yesterday.
Following the news The Stables said it was greatly saddened by the news of Sir Johnny's death, adding he had a remarkable vision and energy when both he and Dame Cleo founded Wavendon Allmusic Plan Ltd (WAP), the charity that owns The Stables, back in 1969.
Stephen Clarke, chairman of WAP paid tribute to the inspiration that Sir John, saying: "John and Cleo had the vision in 1969 to convert the stables at the end of their drive into a performance venue with a diverse programme of musicians and for audiences of all ages.
"Their continued support and that of their many friends and volunteers has enabled The Stables to become the outstanding venue that it is today. It is a fitting tribute that on the day of Sir John's death that we celebrated on stage the 40th anniversary of The Stables with some of the many artists who have performed with Sir John at The Stables. Sir John's passion for good music will remain the organisation's guiding principle, and the Stables his enduring legacy."
Monica Ferguson, chief executive of The Stables went on to add: "Sir John's influence on both jazz and the music industry as a whole has been immense and we are deeply saddened by this tragic news. His support over the years was steadfast, and our resolve now is to ensure that The Stables continues to deliver great music experiences for everyone."
Sir John, who was knighted in 2006, started his own jazz orchestra in the 1950s and went on to work with the likes of big name musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole. As a composer he wrote the theme tunes for The Avengers and Tomorrow's World, and films including Modesty Blaise, The Servant and Saturday Night And Sunday Morning.
Following the news of his death tributes have poured in for the 'Jazz Legend'. Jamie Cullum said on his Twitter page Sir John was "a genius", while Jazzwise magazine said he was "one of the totemic figures of British jazz" and the country's "first major jazz musician".
Sir John appears on the Jools Holland show with Craig David: