Johnny Dankworth

Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (born 20 September 1927), known in his early career as Johnny Dankworth, is an English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist. Born in Woodford, Essex he grew up in Walthamstow in its suburb of Highams Park and attended Sir George Monoux Grammar School in Walthamstow. He was brought up in a family of musicians. He had violin and piano lessons before settling eventually on the clarinet at the age of 16, ... more

Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (born 20 September 1927), known in his early career as Johnny Dankworth, is an English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist. Born in Woodford, Essex he grew up in Walthamstow in its suburb of Highams Park and attended Sir George Monoux Grammar School in Walthamstow. He was brought up in a family of musicians. He had violin and piano lessons before settling eventually on the clarinet at the age of 16, after hearing a record of the Benny Goodman Quartet. Soon after that, inspired by Johnny Hodges, he added the alto saxophone to his armoury. After a period at London’s Royal Academy of Music, and national service in the army, he began a career on the British jazz scene, being voted Musician of the Year in 1949. During that year he attended the Paris Jazz Festival and played with Charlie Parker. Parker's comments about Dankworth led to the engagement of the young British jazzman for a short tour of Sweden with the soprano-saxophonist Sidney... less