Sir John Dankworth, Johnny, played with many of the jazz greats showing his skill and the regard he was held in from an early age.
It's a who's who of jazz, Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Charlie Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie as well as working with Nat 'King' Cole, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and of course his wife Dame Cleo Laine.
Johnny died on the afternoon of 6th February 2010 that evening a show had been planned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his Stables Theatre, Dame Cleo went ahead with the show only announcing his death at the end of the show.