Following the ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Sir John and his family of musical frontrunners celebrated the occasion at London jazz club Live On The Park in Knightsbridge. Along with Sir John’s wife “The First Lady of Jazz” Dame Cleo Laine, daughter and acclaimed vocalist Jacqui Dankworth and his son, the dynamic bass player Alec Dankworth, the celebrations were attended by several of Sir John’s celebrity friends, including Esther Rantzen and actor Kevin Whately. Familiar names from the music industry were also present including legendary broadcaster and critic Ned Sherrin, world renowned clarinetist Emma Jones and British jazz stalwart, and musical director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Bill Ashton MBE.

“I’m delighted to have received this great honour”, said Sir John. “We’ve waited too long for a knighthood in the jazz world. It is a great personal honour, but more importantly it recognizes the great legacy of jazz in the UK as well the strength of the current jazz scene.”

The proceedings began in style as Bill and NYJO, braving the cold, welcomed Sir John outside the venue as he arrived from the palace. In a scene more suited to a Hollywood movie NYJO burst into performance as Sir John emerged from his Rolls Royce with his saxophone in hand. Sir John and NYJO proceeded to play their way down the stairs to the club, much to the delight of the waiting guests. NYJO continued to entertain the guests throughout the afternoon, with Sir John joining in with these jazz stars in the making to play several tunes.

It was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon which left everyone wondering who the next member of the Dankworth family to receive this prestigious accolade might be…

Sir John’s career began as a clarinetist in 1944. In 1949 he played with Benny Goodman, Sydney Bechet and Charlie Parker. He has since recorded and performed with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Clark Terry, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Marian McPartland and Toots Thielmanns among many others.

In other music forms the list of collaborators extends to Yehudi Menuhin, John Williams, James Galway, Craig David, Rod Argent and Sophie Tucker. His film composing achievements comprise over 40 feature films including ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning’ and ‘The Servant’. His brainchild — with Dame Cleo Laine, his wife since 1958 — Wavendon Stables, is now one of UK’s premier music performance centres and since 1970 has employed an estimated 40,000 musicians. It continues to extend its influence and its list of famous performers.

In 1970 Sir John instigated London’s first jazz class at a major music college, namely the Royal Academy of Music, his own place of education. Sir John maintains to this day a rigorous touring schedule in which he and Dame Cleo perform their repertoire worldwide.