Dankworth Dynasty | Jacqui Dankworth

"Had I not been sitting about three feet away from the action I would have suspected some kind of electronic trickery because the arrangement was so complex, the timing so nifty and Ms Dankworth’s vocal control so exquisite" (The Observer)

Multi- award winning Jacqui Dankworth MBE (b. 5 February 1963) is an alumna and fellow of Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Early in her career she worked as an actress with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre and in West End theatres for roles including ‘Cinderella’ in Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’ and in the 2003 film ‘Shoreditch’ (starring Shane Ritchie) singing ‘My Man’. Her first album ‘As the Sun shines Down on Me’ (Candid) gained widespread radio exposure via Sir Michael Parkinson and thereafter she recorded with Courtney Pine (‘Devotion’ 2003) following up with four more solo albums including ‘Detour Ahead’ (2004) ‘Back to You’ (2009, arranged by father John) ‘It happens Quietly’ (2011) and ‘Live to Love’ (2013) . In addition to a variety of creative collaborations over the years with (amongst others) Marvin Hamlisch, Paloma Faith, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Digby Fairweather and George Melly and Chick Corea, Jacqui now tours internationally with husband Charlie Wood and in 2019 visited The Jazz Centre UK to concertize with Charlie and unveil the prizewinning portrait of her mother Cleo Laine by Duncan Shoosmith.

Click the button below to learn more about the Dame Cleo Laine Exhibit.