In Memoriam

Like the stars may you shine

Be faithful and true

'Til death takes you from us

Or us from you

Water Rat Register Number: 801. Initiated into the Order on 13 June 1997.

Proposer: Dr Jim Marshall. Seconder: Bert Weedon, OBE

John (Johnny) Dankworth was an iconic figure in British Jazz – he was also the first major jazz musician and the first British bebopper to be knighted. Together with his wife, the jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he became known far beyond the jazz fraternity as an international musical star – particularly in America.

He was born in Essex and grew up in Walthamstow, in a musical family. He began playing the clarinet after gaining a liking of the music of Benny Goodman. He later took up the saxophone which he studied at the Royal Academy of Music. After his National Service he rapidly became well-known on the British jazz scene. In 1949 he was voted Musician of the year and played with Charlie Parker at the Paris Jazz Festival. This was followed with a tour of Sweden with Sidney Bechet. At this period of his life he was usually credited as “Johnny Dankworth”.

In 1950 he formed a small group known as the Dankworth Seven. This group lasted for three years when Dankworth wound it up to form his Big Band. The band was an immediate success and in 1959 they were invited to the Newport Jazz Festival. The band went on to perform at the Birdland Jazz club in New York and then shared the stage with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Dankworth’s friendship with Ellington continued until the latter’s death. It was whilst performing at New York’s Lewisohn Stadium that the band were joined by Louis Armstrong for a set. By this time Cleo Laine was a regular singer with the band. In 1958 she and Dankworth were married. After their marriage she gave up as the band’s regular singer. Among his other compositions were African Walt which became a hit on both side of the Atlantic and was covered by many artists particularly Cannonball Adderly who hat a minor hit in the U.S. During this very busy period of recording, the band made frequent live appearances, including tours with Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Gerry Mulligan, Lionel Hampton and Ella Fitzgerald.

Dankworth has always had a great interest in the education of jazz music and has held many seminars and master classes and concerts at The Stables, the theatre, created by him and his wife in the grounds of their home. In 2008 the violin concerto he composed for Christian Garrick was given its premier on 1st March 2008 in partnership with the Nottingham Youth Orchestra. From 1984 to 1986 he was professor of music at Gresham College, London, where he gave free lectures. He also ran, for many years, the Allmusic summer schools at the Stables.

Sir John and Dame Cleo’s two children are both jazz musicians: Alex is a bassist who is also a member of his father’s band and Jacqui is a singer.

In 1997 John Dankworth was initiated into the Grand Order of Water Rats and in the New Year’s Honours List for 2006 he was made a Knight Bachelor of Music.

On Saturday 6th February a concert, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the opening of their theatre, The Stables, took place – it was not until the end of the concert that Dame Cleo informed the audience that John had died that afternoon. What finer tribute could be paid to a great musician.

Secretary to the Trustees, John-Adrian

Water Rat Register Number: 578. Initiated into the Order on 15 October 1961

Proposer: Johnnie Riscoe. Seconder: Harry Ristori.

One of Britain’s earliest pop stars, Malcolm Vaughan, had a string of chart hits in the 1950s during a career he kept in parallel with a comedy act he had formed with Kenneth Earle a few years previously. The BBC banned one of his chart successes, St Therese of the Roses, because of its religious overtones, but it still reached number three in the Top Twenty. The rock ‘n’ roll era swept Vaughan to one side in the early 1960s, but he still managed to find work in clubs, the occasional pantomime and summer show until his retirement in 1982.

Malcolm Vaughan, born Malcolm Thomas in a mining village near Merthyr Tydfil in 1929, began his career in the theatre in 1944. In response to a newspaper advertisement for a Welsh boy aged about 14, he was cast in Emlyn Williams’ comedy, The Druid’s Rest, at the St Martin’s Theatre in the West End of London. His singing abilities were noted in his next part in a musical comedy, Jenny Jones, at the London Hippodrome. Indeed, the eminent critic, James Agate, said he was “allowed to talk too much and sing too little.” There followed a variety show, which the bandleader-cum-impresario, Jack Hylton, took over; a role in a Thornton Wilder play, directed by Laurence Olivier at the Piccadilly Theatre; and the first stage version of the adventures of Larry Lamb, which had become immensely popular on BBC Radio’s Children’s Hour.

After National Service, Vaughan appeared in the pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Empire Theatre, Bristol, where he got to know Ken Macey, one half of a double act, Macey and Mayne. Ken Macey and Malcolm Thomas began talking about forming a double act themselves, fusing comedy with Vaughan’s singing. Macey was re-named Kenneth Earle and Thomas became Malcolm Vaughn [sic]. The act lasted for 18 years. A turning point came in 1955 when they shared a bill at the Chiswick Empire with the bandleader/disc jockey, Jack Jackson. So impressed was Jackson that he contacted Wally Ridley of HMV, who went to see them. Ridley was similarly impressed – not by the act, but by Vaughn’s singing. He signed him up and Malcolm’s first record, Ev’ry Day of My Life, reached number five in what was then known as the Hit Parade. The Daily Mirror added to the hype: “This boy’s terrific. He’s new. He’s sensational.” But, sensing that this new career may not last, Malcolm insisted on continuing to work with Earle. In fact, for every pound that Malcolm earned in royalties, he gave ten shillings [5OP] to Earle.

On that first record label, ‘Vaughn’ was printed ‘Vaughan’ and the new name stuck. Other hits followed, including My Special Angel [1957] and More Than Ever [1958]. Appearing in the Channel Islands in 1955, Earle and Vaughan were asked to judge a beauty show. The winner they chose was a buyer with a national newspaper Gaye Hands. Several months elapsed before Vaughan phoned her, by which time she had forgotten who he was. But they started seeing each other and, when they married in 1956, huge numbers of Vaughan’s fans thronged the church.

Earle and Vaughan made their first appearance at the London Palladium in The British Record Show in 1956; they were back there in January 1957 to take part in Independent Television’s first major success, Sunday Night at the London Palladium; and in November 1957 Vaughan returned on his own to join other 1950s stars, including Dickie Valentine, David Whitfield and Ronnie Hilton, in the Royal Variety Show.

Earle and Vaughan dissolved their partnership in 1972 and Vaughan’s last professional work was in a summer show in Morecambe ten years later.

Malcolm Vaughan, singer, was born on 22 March, 1929. He died on 9 February, 2009, aged 79.

Richard Anthony Baker

Malcolm Vaughan's biography “The Reluctant Star” written by Edward Thomas was published in 2009. The book contains a CD of 10 of Malcolm’s recording from 1976 to 1984.

Secretary to the Trustees, John-Adrian

To hear Malcolm singing 'MoreThan Ever' ('Come Prime') play the 'Youtube' video below.