Stan Tracey
Stan Tracey CBE – born in Denmark Hill, South London, England on December 20,
1926 – was a jazz pianist and composer often referred to as the ‘Grandfather of
British Jazz’. Stan Tracey played a key role in forging a distinctive sound for
the UK jazz scene and inspired British musicians to focus on original material
over cover versions. He became a professional musician at the age of 16, as an
accordion player, which was his first instrument. Three years later, he was
playing in Ralph Reader’s Gang Shows while he was a member of the Royal Air
Force (RAF), which then led to playing...
