Jacqui Dankworth performs songs of her father at Concert in the Churches (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Jacqui Dankworth performs songs of her father at Concert in the Churches

5:20pm Monday 28th June 2010 in

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Being under the spotlight when someone you care for has just died is almost unimaginably painful to contemplate. For brother and sister Jacqui and Alec Dankworth, however, their home concert at The Stables in Wavendon in February this year, provided an opportunity to honour their father Sir John Dankworth. Their mother Dame Cleo Laine was right there with them to pay tribute to her husband of 52 years, who had passed away only a few hours earlier.

“I’ve been through a whole range of emotions since then,” admits Jacqui. “It’s been quite tough but that’s to be expected. I was there a lot when he was ill as we were working on an album together. I remember about two years ago mum broke her leg and he was looking after her, then they went on holiday to America and it was after that he got ill.”

United in song, the Dankworths are highly regarded among Britain’s finest national treasures when it comes to jazz music. Jacqui will be performing tracks from her latest album Back To You at her forthcoming Concerts in Churches concert, which will include such evergreens as Blue Moon and her new song The Man, co-authored with her late father. She is just putting the finishing touches to the as yet untitled album they worked on together, which is due for release later this year. For the album, Jacqui called on a dear family friend and John’s “right-hand man”, Ken Gibson.

“Ken is like an extended member of the family. There couldn’t have been anyone else that could do the arrangements. It Happened Quietly may end up being title of the album. It’s a ballad of dad's and Buddy Kay wrote the lyrics. I sang it at his celebration service.”

It Happened Quietly may end up being title of the album. It’s a ballad of dad's and Buddy Kay wrote the lyrics. I sang it at his celebration service

Jacqui Dankworth

Raised in Apsley Guise, near Milton Keynes, Jacqui went to boarding school in Letchworth.

Jacqui tells me she studied to become an actress because “there wasn’t anything else I wanted to do” and she went on to perform with the Royal Shakespeare Company, followed by the National Theatre and with John Dexter's Company, playing a multitude of critically acclaimed roles. Musicals followed and before long Jacqui was playing principal roles in the West End.

Music was in her blood, however, and Jacqui began touring with her brother Alec's quintet, visiting Hawaii, Hong Kong and Indonesia. She then appeared in a staged performance of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale at the Purcell Room, London, and worked with award winning jazz composer/saxophonist Tim Garland on a song cycle - Songs Of Love And Liberty, alongside singers Norma Winstone and Christine Tobin.

Most recently Jacqui has been combining her skills as a performer as well as a singer by mentoring actress Meera Syal for a forthcoming documentary entitled My First Love, which airs on Sky Arts 2 this month. In the show, Meera returns to her past love of jazz singing, culminating in a performance to a specially-invited audience, recorded at Ronnie Scott’s.

“Meera’s a very warm person,” says Jacqui. “I take my hat off to her. She threw herself in and embraced the challenge, which is not an easy thing to do when you’re singing. It’s a very personal thing. it’s not easy, especially in front of the cameras.”

Jacqui will be back under the spotlight for Concerts in Churches at Marlborough Road Methodist Church, St Albans on Thursday, July 8.

Details: 01449 738829, www.concertsinchurches.com