Tributes paid to jazz great John Dankworth (From Swindon Advertiser)

Tributes paid to jazz great John Dankworth

7:00am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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“IT was the ultimate display of the theatrical saying ‘the show must go on’.”

That is how Sheila Harrod, leader of Swindon’s Kentwood Choir, described the display of dignity and professionalism shown by Dame Cleo Laine and her family at a concert just hours after the death of her husband, jazz legend Sir John Dankworth.

Mrs Harrod was one of 400 people who had gathered at The Stables theatre, which is in the grounds of the couple’s Buckinghamshire home, for a night of music and entertainment celebrating the venue’s 40th anniversary on Saturday night.

But shortly after 11pm the celebratory mood was pierced when Dame Cleo announced that her 82-year-old husband had died in hospital that afternoon.

It is a loss that has left jazz fans around the world mourning the loss of one of the industry’s greatest artistes.

“We all knew that John had been ill recently,” said Mrs Harrod, who has been a friend of the couple for more than a decade.

“I saw them last at Cheltenham Town Hall and he looked very frail then, but he played brilliantly.

“No-one in the audience had any idea what had happened. I’d spoken to their PA and asked how John was and they’d said he wasn’t good and that he was hospital but didn’t give any indication about the truth.

“Hearing about his death was a terrible blow and a lot of people burst into tears.”

John was president of the Kentwood Choir, along with his wife. They had been planning the celebration concert for months and Dame Cleo wanted it to proceed as normal as that is what her husband would have wanted.

The concert featured performances from the couple’s children Alec and Jacqui (who are also jazz musicians), Maureen Lipman, Victoria Wood, Prunella Scales, Timothy West, Paul O’Grady and many more.

All of the performers were told what had happened before they went on stage for their performance.

“It was a magnificent concert, they were all absolutely bang on,” said Mrs Harrod.

“It is even more outstanding when you think that they all knew John had died just a few hours before.

“After the announcement, they had to try to pick up the mood and performed one of John’s arrangements of It Don’t Mean A Thing, and they really did lift the atmosphere.

“It was a fantastic show and I am so proud to say I was there.

“John was a true gentleman and will be missed by everyone. He was a wonderful friend.”

Wiltshire jazz musician Jamie Cullum paid tribute to the star on his Twitter page, saying: “Sir John Dankworth, a great man and one of our finest musicians and composers, has died. Rest in peace, sir.”

Sir John was born in Essex in 1927 and took up the alto saxophone after hearing Charlie Parker’s music.

He was a contemporary of Ronnie Scott, and the pair were amongst a group of musicians who set up cult London venue Club Eleven.

He met Dame Cleo in 1950 while he was auditioning singers for his band, the Johnny Dankworth Seven. They married in 1958.

During his career Sir John was musical director for some of the greatest jazz performers in history including Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald.

He also composed cinemas scores for films such as Modesty Blaise and Accident and the signature tunes for TV programmes including The Avengers and Tomorrow’s World. He was knighted in 2006.