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Apr 20, 2021 · Cleo Laine had been a singing talent of the first order since the 1950s and often performed and recorded with husband and sax player John Dankworth. Dankworth is present on one cut on this album.
Laine auditioned successfully, at the age of 24, for John Dankworth's small group, the Johnny Dankworth Seven. Laine later played with his big bands, Johnny Dankworth & His Orchestra as well as Johnny Dankworth & His New Radio Orchestra, with which she performed until 1958.
Cleo Laine & Dudley Moore /Smilin' Through I first met Cleo Laine and her husband, John Dankworth, back in 1958 when I was a student, and playing jazz piano at a May Ball, at Oxford.
In 1952 jazz singer Cleo Laine joined The John Dankworth Band; in 1958, she and Dankworth married. They continue their collaboration: Dankworth produces and arranges Laine's albums and manages her career. Their latest effort is the album "Smilin' Through," which features Dudley Moore on piano.
On the bill that night was the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra supported by the Dudley Moore Trio. Cleo was not with the band that night, no doubt she was already on her way to super stardom!
She lived with her husband, the late Sir John Dankworth in Wavendon, Buckinghamshire, where in 1969 they founded their first charity, The Wavendon Allmusic Plan, with the aim of helping people broaden their views about music through performance and musical education.
LP, Album, Stereo. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1982 Vinyl release of "Smilin' Through" on Discogs.
