Rendell was born in Plymouth, England, and raised in London where he attended the City of London School, to which he gained a choral half-scholarship. The school was evacuated during the Second World War to Marlborough College, where Rendell heard Jazz for the first time. His father, Percy, was the musical director of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company; his mother Vera (née Trewin) was also a musician.[1] His father died when Rendell was 16.[2]
Rendell had begun to play the piano aged five, but switched to saxophone in his teens.[1] While he began his working life in the Southgate branch of Barclay's Bank, he soon left to become a professional musician.[2] He began his career on alto saxophone but changed to tenor saxophone in 1943.[3][4] During the rest of the 1940s, he was in the bands of George Evans and Oscar Rabin.[3] Beginning in 1950, he spent three years in a septet led by Johnny Dankworth.[3] He performed with Billie Holiday in Manchester, England, before playing in the bands of Tony Crombie and Ted Heath.[3][4] After touring in Europe with Stan Kenton,[4] he played in Cyprus with Tony Kinsey.[3] He was a member of Woody Herman's Anglo American Herd in 1959.[3] During the late 1950s and early 1960s he led bands, including one with Ian Carr that lasted until 1969, one with Barbara Thompson in the 1970s, and as the sole leader in the 1980s and 1990s.[3] In particular, the Rendell-Carr Quintet gained an international reputation. It performed at the Antibes Festival, France and was the Band of the Year for three years in succession in the Melody Maker poll.[2] He performed in festivals in England and France and worked with Johnny Dankworth, Michael Garrick, and Brian Priestley.[3]
Rendell taught at the Royal Academy of Music for three years in the early 1970s. The 1972 the Don Rendell Quintet LP Space Walk was his last to be produced by Denis Preston, and his last as a leader on a major label (EMI Columbia). It included four original compositions from Rendell.[5] In 1976, his group called the Don Rendell Five, which featured saxophonist Barbara Thompson, issued Just Music on the small Spotlite label, showcasing Thompson. The group began touring and playing festivals while winning acclaim at home for their style of post-bop music. Rendell kept his session work up, appearing on the 1976 album A Lover and His Lass by Cleo Laine & the Johnny Dankworth Seven. Two years later, in 1978, he issued a double-A-side 12" single with the Don Rendell Five which again included Barbara Thompson as a member of "Roundabouts and Swings" b/w "Blues for Adolphe Sax." In 1979 the saxist issued his Ambitious live nonet project, Earth Music, performed at that year's Greenwich Festival. While it resonated with older fans, it became lost with the British music press's attention to the punk and post-punk music of this period.
A Jehovah's Witness convert in 1956, Rendell said his new outlook meant he felt like an ordinary person for the first time in many years.[2]
Rendell died at the age of 89 on 20 October 2015 in London after a short illness.[6] He was survived by his wife, Joan (née Yoxall), whom he married in 1948, his daughter, Sally, his sister, Doris, and three grandchildren.
Discographyedit
As leader/co-leaderedit
Meet Don Rendell (Tempo, 1955)[10"]
Playtime (Decca, 1958)
Roarin' (Jazzland, 1961)
Shades of Blue with Ian Carr (Columbia, 1965) – rec. 1964
Dusk Fire with Ian Carr (Columbia, 1966)
Phase III with Ian Carr (Columbia, 1968)
Change Is with Ian Carr (Columbia, 1969)
Live with Ian Carr (Columbia, 1969)
Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises with Ian Carr, Neil Ardley (Columbia, 1970)
^ abcdVacher, Peter (29 October 2015). "Don Rendell". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
^ abcde"Don Rendell, saxophonist - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
^ abcdefghijGilbert, Mark (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 3 (2 ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 400. ISBN1-56159-284-6.
^ abcJurek, Thom. "Don Rendell". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
^Journeys in Modern Jazz: Britain 26 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Decca CD and booklet by Tony Higgins (2021).
— selected highlights from the British section, 1960–1974
April 10, 2024
rendell, donald, percy, rendell, march, 1926, october, 2015, english, jazz, musician, arranger, mainly, active, tenor, saxophonist, also, played, soprano, saxophone, flute, clarinet, birth, namedonald, percy, rendellborn, 1926, march, 1926plymouth, englanddied. Donald Percy Rendell 4 March 1926 20 October 2015 1 was an English jazz musician and arranger Mainly active as a tenor saxophonist he also played soprano saxophone flute and clarinet Don RendellBirth nameDonald Percy RendellBorn 1926 03 04 4 March 1926Plymouth EnglandDied20 October 2015 2015 10 20 aged 89 1 London EnglandGenresJazzOccupation s MusicianInstrumentsTenor SaxophoneSoprano SaxophoneFluteClarinetYears active1943 2015 Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life and death 3 Discography 3 1 As leader co leader 3 2 As sideman 4 References 5 External linksCareer editRendell was born in Plymouth England and raised in London where he attended the City of London School to which he gained a choral half scholarship The school was evacuated during the Second World War to Marlborough College where Rendell heard Jazz for the first time His father Percy was the musical director of the D Oyly Carte Opera Company his mother Vera nee Trewin was also a musician 1 His father died when Rendell was 16 2 Rendell had begun to play the piano aged five but switched to saxophone in his teens 1 While he began his working life in the Southgate branch of Barclay s Bank he soon left to become a professional musician 2 He began his career on alto saxophone but changed to tenor saxophone in 1943 3 4 During the rest of the 1940s he was in the bands of George Evans and Oscar Rabin 3 Beginning in 1950 he spent three years in a septet led by Johnny Dankworth 3 He performed with Billie Holiday in Manchester England before playing in the bands of Tony Crombie and Ted Heath 3 4 After touring in Europe with Stan Kenton 4 he played in Cyprus with Tony Kinsey 3 He was a member of Woody Herman s Anglo American Herd in 1959 3 During the late 1950s and early 1960s he led bands including one with Ian Carr that lasted until 1969 one with Barbara Thompson in the 1970s and as the sole leader in the 1980s and 1990s 3 In particular the Rendell Carr Quintet gained an international reputation It performed at the Antibes Festival France and was the Band of the Year for three years in succession in the Melody Maker poll 2 He performed in festivals in England and France and worked with Johnny Dankworth Michael Garrick and Brian Priestley 3 Rendell taught at the Royal Academy of Music for three years in the early 1970s The 1972 the Don Rendell Quintet LP Space Walk was his last to be produced by Denis Preston and his last as a leader on a major label EMI Columbia It included four original compositions from Rendell 5 In 1976 his group called the Don Rendell Five which featured saxophonist Barbara Thompson issued Just Music on the small Spotlite label showcasing Thompson The group began touring and playing festivals while winning acclaim at home for their style of post bop music Rendell kept his session work up appearing on the 1976 album A Lover and His Lass by Cleo Laine amp the Johnny Dankworth Seven Two years later in 1978 he issued a double A side 12 single with the Don Rendell Five which again included Barbara Thompson as a member of Roundabouts and Swings b w Blues for Adolphe Sax In 1979 the saxist issued his Ambitious live nonet project Earth Music performed at that year s Greenwich Festival While it resonated with older fans it became lost with the British music press s attention to the punk and post punk music of this period In 1984 he began tuition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama 3 He also wrote instruction books on flute and saxophone 3 His private pupils included the actor Warren Mitchell an amateur saxophonist 2 Personal life and death editA Jehovah s Witness convert in 1956 Rendell said his new outlook meant he felt like an ordinary person for the first time in many years 2 Rendell died at the age of 89 on 20 October 2015 in London after a short illness 6 He was survived by his wife Joan nee Yoxall whom he married in 1948 his daughter Sally his sister Doris and three grandchildren Discography editAs leader co leader edit Meet Don Rendell Tempo 1955 10 Playtime Decca 1958 Roarin Jazzland 1961 Shades of Blue with Ian Carr Columbia 1965 rec 1964 Dusk Fire with Ian Carr Columbia 1966 Phase III with Ian Carr Columbia 1968 Change Is with Ian Carr Columbia 1969 Live with Ian Carr Columbia 1969 Greek Variations amp Other Aegean Exercises with Ian Carr Neil Ardley Columbia 1970 Space Walk Columbia 1972 Live at the Avgarde Gallery Manchester with Joe Palin Spotlite 1975 live rec 1972 Just Music with Barbara Thompson Spotlite 1976 Earth Music Spotlite 1979 Time Presence DR 1988 If I Should Lose You Spotlite 1992 What Am I Here For Spotlite 1996 Reunion Spotlite 2002 Live in London with Ian Carr Harkit 2003 live rec 1965 Phase III Live with Ian Carr BGO 2004 rec 1967 68 Touch Links of Gold amp A Portuguese Portrait Spotlite 2004 Original 1964 68 Recordings Live from the Antibes Jazz Festival with Ian Carr Spotlite 2007 Live at the Union 1966 with Ian Carr Reel Recordings 2010 live rec 1966 Live at Klooks Kleek Record Collector Magazine 2017 2LP As sideman edit With Neil Ardley A Symphony of Amaranths Regal Zonophone 1972 On the Radio BBC Sessions 1971 Dusk Fire 2017 With Johnny Dankworth Lifeline Philips 1973 Movies n Me RCA 1974 A Lover and His Lass with Cleo Laine Esquire 1976 With Amancio D Silva Integration Columbia 1969 Konkan Dance Vocalion 2006 With Michael Garrick Black Marigolds Argo 1966 A Jazz Cantata Erase 1969 The Heart Is a Lotus Argo 1970 Mr Smith s Apocalypse Argo 1971 Home Stretch Blues Argo 1972 Troppo Argo 1974 Parting Is Such Jazz Academy 1995 Prelude to Heart Is a Lotus Gearbox 2013 A New Serious Music Rhythm amp Blues 2021 With Stan Tracey The Latin American Caper Columbia 1969 We Love You Madly Columbia 1969 With others Kenny Graham Presenting Kenny Graham Vocalion 2008 Joe Harriott Genius Jazz Academy 2000 Ted Heath Our Kind of Jazz Decca 1959 Richard Hewson Love Is Splash 1978 Mike Nevard s British Jazzmen Leonard Feather Presents Cool Europe Verve 1994 Split album with Jutta Hipp Brian Priestley Love You Gladly Cadillac 1988 Cyril Stapleton All Time Big Band Hits Richmond 1959 Guy Warren Afro Jazz Columbia 1969 References edit a b c d Vacher Peter 29 October 2015 Don Rendell The Guardian Retrieved 13 August 2019 a b c d e Don Rendell saxophonist obituary The Daily Telegraph 2 November 2015 Retrieved 13 August 2019 a b c d e f g h i j Gilbert Mark 2002 Kernfeld Barry ed The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz Vol 3 2 ed New York Grove s Dictionaries p 400 ISBN 1 56159 284 6 a b c Jurek Thom Don Rendell AllMusic Retrieved 12 August 2019 Journeys in Modern Jazz Britain Archived 26 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine Decca CD and booklet by Tony Higgins 2021 Stephen Graham RIP Don Rendell marlbank net External links editDon Rendell discography at Discogs nbsp Don Rendell reminisces The Melody Maker Jazz Polls selected highlights from the British section 1960 1974 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Don Rendell amp oldid 1217805133, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
