Feted jazz singer Cleo Laine also died this week. I have never been much into jazz and as a consequence never really paid much attention to her career beyond being aware of her from TV appearances and the like but I knew she was a big influence on the jazz world.

However, I always liked the description of jazz in the TV series The Beiderbecke Affair as falling into three kinds: “cool”; “hot”; or “when does the tune start.”

As far as I can see Laine only had two singles which could be described as UK hits, both from 1960.

The first was co-written by David Dearlove and Laine’s second husband and longtime musical collaborator Johnny Dankworth.

Cleo Laine: Let’s Slip Away

The second is more “pop”py, perhaps unsurprisingly as it was written by Hal David (more famous for his work with Burt Bacharach) along with Sherman Edwards.

Cleo Laine: You’ll Answer To Me

Clementine Dinah Bullock (Cleo Laine): 27/10/1927 – 24/7/2025. So it goes.

I’m not much of a jazz fan – not at all in fact; my favorite quote about it is, “There are three types of jazz, ‘Cool,’ ‘Hot’ and ‘When does the tune start?'” from the ITV drama The Beiderbecke Affair, but even I had heard of Dave Brubeck – and he was most definitely ‘Cool.’

Take Five is the tune that most people associate with him so here, instead, is Blue Rondo à la Turk from the signature album, Time Out.

Dave Brubeck Quartet: Blue Rondo à la Turk

Dave Brubeck: 6/12/1920 – 5/12/2012. So it goes.