DONALD (DON) PERCY RENDELL 4 MARCH 1926 – 20 OCTOBER 2015

Another of the titans of British Modern Jazz has left us.

Don Rendell died in London aged 89 on 20 October after a short illness.

Born in Plymouth to parents who both were musicians, he played piano at the age of 5 and took up the alto sax in 1942 before turning professional in 1943. His first choice instrument was the tenor sax but he played all the reed instruments and also flute at various times in his career.

His grounding was in the ‘Palais’ dance bands of the 1940s before joining the Dankworth Seven in March 1950 and staying there for the next 3 years. He formed his own Sextet in 1950 and made his first recordings as leader in 1954.

Don was at the forefront of British Modern Jazz for over 50 years and played with all the greats including a UK and European tour with Stan Kenton in 1956 and a UK tour with Woody Herman in 1959. 

His associations with Ian Carr and Michael Garrick during the 1960s and 1970s were particularly noteworthy but he was mainly concerned with his own small groups from 1970 onwards and he recorded extensively for the Spotlite label towards the end of his playing career. He later combined his playing with teaching at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music.

He also gave private tuition and his advert offering his services could be seen in the Jazz Journal until quite recently.

Don was everything one could ask of a Musician.  A first rate instrumentalist, composer, arranger, teacher and above all, the perfect gentleman.

The short recording  included here (‘On The Way’ – his own composition) has Don with The Joe Palin Trio at the Avgarde Gallery, Manchester in 1973.

R.I.P. Don Rendell – we shall never see your like again.