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Sir John Dankworth, a mainstay of the British jazz scene for over 60 years, has died, his management has said. Saxophonist Sir John, who was 82, wrote the theme tune for The Avengers and served as musical director to the likes of Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald.
Dankworth Management's Becky Stevenson said he had died on Saturday at King Edward VII Hospital, London. Sir John, who was knighted at Buckingham Palace in 2006, was married to the singer Dame Cleo Laine. The couple met in 1950 while he was auditioning for singers with his band, the Dankworth Seven.
He also leaves a son and a daughter, both jazz musicians.
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