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Farewell, Sir John
Some of us are old enough to remember when Sir 
John Dankworth
saxophone1927 - 2010
Cleo Laine
vocals1927 - 2025
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
clarinet
1909 - 1986
Charlie Parker
saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955
Ronnie Scott
saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1996
Ambrose
violin
1896 - 1971
Miles Davis
trumpet
1926 - 1991
Jimmy Deuchar
trumpet
b.1930
Don Rendell
saxophone
b.1926Eddie Harvey
trombone
b.1925
Bill Le Sage
vibraphone
1927 - 2001Tony 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
trumpet
b.1965
John Fedchock
trombone
b.1957
Toshiko Akiyoshi
piano
b.1929
Bob Mintzer
saxophone
b.1953
Bobby Shew
trumpet
b.1941Tom Kubis
arranger
Duke Ellington
piano
1899 - 1974
Thelonious Monk
piano
1917 - 1982
Clifford Brown
trumpet
b.1930
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
saxophone
1933 - 2023
Remembering Stacy Rowles
A day-long memorial service and celebration of the life of trumpeter 
Stacy Rowles
trumpet and vocals
1955 - 2009
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
saxophone
1909 - 1939
Charlie Christian
guitar, electric
1916 - 1942
Fats Waller
piano
1904 - 1943
Jimmy Blanton
bass, acoustic
1918 - 1942
Bunny Berigan
trumpet
1908 - 1942
Chick Webb
drums
1905 - 1939
Chu Berry
saxophone, tenor
1908 - 1941
Dan Morgenstern
author
1929 - 2024
Bix Beiderbecke
cornet
1903 - 1931
Fats Navarro
trumpet
1923 - 1950
Oscar Pettiford
bass
1922 - 1960
Eric Dolphy
woodwinds
1928 - 1964
Paul Chambers
bass, acoustic
1935 - 1969
Serge Chaloff
saxophone, baritone
b.1923Sonny Berman
b.1925Frank Teschemacher
clarinet
1906 - 1932
Lee Morgan
trumpet
1938 - 1972
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, [email protected]
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
saxophone, baritone
1927 - 1996
Teddy Charles
vibraphone
1928 - 2012
Terry Gibbs
vibraphone
b.1924
Gil Evans
composer / conductor
1912 - 1988
Elliot Lawrence
piano
1925 - 2021
Al Cohn
saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1988
Zoot Sims
saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1985
Stan Getz
saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1991
Bob Brookmeyer
trombone
1929 - 2011
Johnny Mandel
arranger
b.1925
Quincy Jones
arranger
1933 - 2024
George Russell
composer / conductor
1923 - 2009
Manny Albam
arranger
1922 - 2001
John Carisi
trumpet
1922 - 1992
And that's it for now. Until next time, keep swingin'!
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7. Century Jazz Ensemble, Live (Self Published)
8. UAB SuperJazz, Featuring Ellis Marsalis (UAB Entertainment)
9. Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra, Transplants (Ruzztone Music)
10. Richard Galliano / Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Ten Years Ago (Milan)
11. Warren Smith Composers Workshop Ensemble, Old News, Borrowed Blues (Engine Records)
12. Count Basie Orchestra, Basie Swings Standards (Pablo)
13. Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra, el viaje (PGM)
14. Swiss Jazz Orchestra / Michael Zisman, Close Encounter (SJO)
15. U North Texas Two O'Clock Lab Band, Too Two (UNT Jazz)
Photo Credit
Brian O'Connor
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