Dave Shepherd

David Joseph Shepherd (7 February 1929 – 15 December 2016) was an English jazz clarinettist and bandleader.

Shepherd was born in Walthamstow, London, England, to Cecilia (nee Sadgrove), a machinist, and Joseph Shepherd, a semi-professional piano player whose other job was working for the local gas company.

He began on piano before switching to clarinet at age 16 in 1945.

He studied under a clarinettist from the Hamburg State Opera Orchestra while stationed in Hamburg after World War II.

Shepherd has been described by fellow jazz musician Digby Fairweather as "Britain's greatest swing clarinettist since 1948".

Shepherd was married twice.

At first to the jazz vocalist Jo Searle, with whom he had a daughter Rochelle, which ended in divorce.

Upon his return to England he played with Reg Rigden (1950), Joe Daniels and his 'Hotshots' (1951–53), and Freddy Randall (1954–55).

He played with Billie Holiday and Gerry Mulligan on their tours of Britain.

He also played with Mary Lou Williams several times in the 1950s.

He played in New York City in 1956 with Ted Kotick, then returned to England to play with Jazz Today Unit (1956–57) and with the Jazz at the Philharmonic (1957).

In the 1960s and 1970s, he played with Randall again and with Teddy Wilson, as well as at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1973 and in South Africa in 1975.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Shepherd was heard a lot more on radio with his quartet used on BBC Radio 2's Jimmy Young programme as well as Round Midnight, Breakfast Special and Music While You Work.

Shepherd's career was centred in the UK, and he worked regularly with trombone player Roy Williams, Len Skeat and many more.

In 1966, aged 37, he married his second wife, Mary Evans.

Both Evans and Rochelle survive him.{

He was a frequent guest with his line up called The Dave Shepherd Quintet on BBC Radio 1's Sounds of Jazz, introduced by the presenter Peter Clayton during the mid 1970s and broadcast on Sunday evenings.

The sessions were recorded at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios earlier in the week.

Shepherd based his style on Benny Goodman and was praised for his accuracy and "unfailing swing and a quality of musical elegance".

He performed with Peter Boizot's Pizza Express All Stars Band at the Pizza Express Jazz Club from 1980 to 1999.

He led several of his own bands, and has done extensive work producing music for film and television.

Shepherd continued to solo and make guest appearances until shortly before his death on 15 December 2016, in the Macmillan Unit of Christchurch Hospital, Hampshire.