Alec Dankworth

British Jazz Awards winner Alec Dankworth is the bass player son of Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine. After studying at Berklee College of Music, he became a member of various groups in the UK – notably the Clark Tracey Quintet, the Julian Joseph Quartet and Nigel Kennedy.

In 1995 Alec joined the Van Morrison group touring Europe and America and recording three albums, including The Healing Game. 1997 saw a move to New York, where he performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra with a residency at ‘Birdland’. A year later Alec joined The Dave Brubeck Quartet, performing Quartet, Pops and Choral concerts including the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Carnegie Hall. Returning to London in 2001, Alec worked with John Dankworth and Cleo Laine and has performed regularly at the annual ‘Music in the Garden’ festivals held in aid of the Wavendon Foundation of which he has been a trustee since 2009.

In 2012 Alec joined Ginger Baker’s Jazz Confusion, featuring Pee Wee Ellis. Alec currently runs various groups including Spanish Accents, The Million Dollar Band and most recently World Spirit featuring Emily Dankworth on vocals. Alec also works with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and with Zoe Rahman, and teaches at the Guildhall School of Music.