John Russell 'Jack' Parnell (born 6 August 1923) is an English bandleader
and musician.
He was born into a theatrical family in London. His father
Russ Carr was a music hall
artist, before becoming a theatrical agent. His uncle Val
Parnell was the General Manager of the London
Palladium.
Parnell was educated at the Brighton & Hove Grammar
School and studied the piano from the age of five. He studied drums for
a year with Max Abrams. He made
his debut, playing the drums for a concert party on the front at Scarborough in 1939. He then worked
in a ballroom
in Cambridge,
before serving with the RAF for three years. He played in a
five-piece line-up led by Buddy Featherstonhaugh at Bomber
Command Headquarters in High Wycombe. While he was in the RAF,
he met Vic Lewis and together
they formed the "Vic Lewis/Jack Parnell Jazzmen". He worked with the Ted
Heath Band (1944-1951). He formed his
own 12-piece line-up in 1951
and a 16-piece line-up in 1955.
During the 1940s
and 1950s,
he was voted "Best Drummer" in the Melody Maker poll for seven years in
succession. He composed many television themes, including "Family
Fortunes", "Golden Shot" and "Love Story" (for which he won the Harriet
Cohen Award) In 1973,
he became the first British musician to win an Academy
Award, for the Barbra Streisand television special
produced for ATV.
He was appointed musical director for ATV
in 1956, a
post he held until 1981
and served as the conductor for The Muppet Show orchestra for the
entire run of the series.
In the 1970's he formed the group The Best of British Jazz with Don
Lusher, Kenny Baker, Tony
Lee, Betty
Smith and Tony Archer, which
performed until 1985. The group had a second incarnation from 1985 to
December 1999, releasing two CDs: "The Best of British Vol 1"
(CDSIV 6146) and "The Best of British Jazz Live"
(MER 99100CD).
He has three sons and two daughters and in 1983 moved to Southwold, Suffolk. He
likes the music of Bach and playing golf.
Currently (September 2006) the Jack Parnell Trio backs a guest
musician every Tuesday evening at The Green Man pub in Rackheath,near Norwich.
Forthcoming events can be found at jazzservices.org.uk
by selecting Gigs -> Gigs by Region ->
S East and searching for The Green Man.
External links
