Sheet music by John Dankworth

Sir John Dankworth known in his early career as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist, and writer of film scores. With his wife, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he was a music educator and also served as her music director. After studying at London’s Royal Academy of Music (where his jazz interests were frowned upon) and then national service in the army, he began a career on the British jazz scene. He attended the Paris Jazz Festival in 1949 and played with Charlie Parker. Parker’s comments about Dankworth led to the engagement of the young British jazz musician for a short tour of Sweden with the soprano-saxophonist Sidney Bechet. Dankworth was voted Musician of the Year in 1949. In 1950, Dankworth formed a small group, the Dankworth Seven, as a vehicle for his writing activities. Dankworth was made a Knight Bachelor in the 2006 New Year’s Honours List.