John Dankworth

British jazz composer, saxophonist, clarinetist, and band leader. Born September, 20, 1927, Woodford, Essex, England, UK. Died February 7, 2010, Marylebone, London, England, UK (age 82). Usually billed as Johnny Dankworth early in his career. A pioneer of bebop in England, he founded, in 1948, the Club Eleven (ten musicians and a manager) and rented a Soho cellar which briefly served as the first performance venue in London specifically dedicated to modern jazz and, in 1950, the Dankworth Seven (which lasted until 1953), then led big bands until 1960; his main arranger (later orchestrator) was David Lindup. From the end of the 1950s, Dankworth worked as a film composer, later as music director for his wife, jazz singer Cleo Laine. The couple founded "The Stables" ("The Stables Theatre") music venue in 1970, in the old stables block in the grounds of their home in Wavendon (a village near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire). Co-founder of Music Activity Management in 1966.