[Dixielandjazz] Cleo Laine

[James Kashishian]

While channel surfing last nite, I ended up watching a Jazz Festival
film with singer Cleo Laine and her band.  She was absolutely
wonderful....swinging, so much in tune, and so much feeling.  Her name
is new to me!  Where has she been all my life?  From the accent, she is
British, I would say.  The sax/clarinet player, leader was a fellow
named Dankworth.  I believe the drummer was also called Dankworth.
Wasn't there a British Big Band led by a Dankworth?  Same family? 

Information on this lovely lady?

She did a medley of Hoagy Charmichael songs (saying he had recently
died....does that jive with the date I saw at the end of the
film?....1982) which was a fabulous musical arrangement, plus was sung
with all the deserving feeling.  So many tunes we know and don't even
realize that Hoagy wrote them, in many cases.

Jim