I Can't Get Started - Music

Donald Percy "Don" Rendell B. 1926 Is An English Jazz Musician And Arranger Specialising On Tenor Saxophone But Also Playing Soprano Saxophone Flute And Clarinet. Born On Born 4th March 1926 To Two Musicians In Plymouth England Rendell's Jazz Career Began At The Age Of Fifteen With The Alto Sax Though After A Few Years He Switched To Tenor. He Started His Professional Career Playing With Big Bands First On U.S. Bases For The U.S.O. In 1944 And Then With Various Bands Including The Oscar Rabin Band. In 1950 He Became A Member Of The Johnny Dankworth Seven With Which He Played Until 1953 It Was During This Time That He First Achieved Fame But When Dankworth Decided To Put Together A Big Band Rendell Parted Company With Him. As Well As Gigging As A Guest Soloist Around London’s Jazz Clubs He Started To Lead His Own Groups From 1954 These Often Featured Fellow-Tenorist Ronnie Ross. He Also Spent Time Working With Tony Crombie And Ted Heath Went On Tour In Europe With Stan Kenton In 1956 Played With Woody Herman's Anglo-American Herd In 1959 And Led A Group Accompanying Billie Holiday When She Toured In The U.K. His Own Groups Featured Musicians Such As Graham Bond Michael Garrick Barbara Thompson And Ian Carr. In 1963 He And Carr Formed The Rendell–Carr Quintet Which Performed And Recorded For Some Seven Years. Rendell’s Style Owes Much To Lester Young And He Has Added Many Other Influences Along The Way But Almost From The Beginning He Had A Distinctive Style Of His Own. He Has Long Been A Leading Jazz-Educator And Has Taught For The Guildhall School Of Music And Drama In London Since 1984. read less