Kenny Clare

Kenneth Cloudsley Clare (8 June 1929 – 11 January 1985) was a British jazz drummer.

Early life Born in Leytonstone, Essex, England, Clare learnt to play the drums at the age of 13.

Career In 1947, Clare joined the Royal Air Force and played with various service bands. He played with Oscar Rabin on UK radio in his early 20s.

He stood in for Kenny Clarke from 1963 until 1966 in the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band when Clarke was unavailable.

Clare worked extensively for radio, television, film, and commercials.

Personal life and death Clare was admitted to Westminster Hospital, London in November 1984 and had several operations for the removal of cancer from the esophagus. He died on 11 January 1985, aged 55. The singer Tony Bennett held a benefit concert after his death as a tribute to Clare, who was a fan of Bennett.

Clare was survived by his wife, a freelance London-based session singer, Marjorie Daw, whom he married in 1952. They had both been members of the Oscar Rabin Band in the early 1950s; she also sang with the Don Smith Orchestra, her stage name was See Saw Majorie Daw taken from the nursery rhyme. In 1958 she recorded a solo EP (Extended Play record) on Columbia Records called, 'Personally'.

His two adopted twin daughters, Susan and Lesley, both died from breast cancer. Clare's enthusiasm never drained,

Legacy In November 2015, just over 30 years after his death, he was honoured with the installation of a blue plaque on his former east London home in Richmond Road, Leytonstone, London.

Discography With the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band 17 Men and Their Music (Campi, 1967) All Smiles (MPS, 1968) Latin Kaleidoscope (MPS, 1968) Fellini 712 (MPS, 1969) Volcano (Polydor, 1969) Rue Chaptal (Polydor, 1969) All Blues (MPS, 1969) Clarke Boland Big Band en Concert avec Europe 1 (Tréma, 1969 ) Off Limits (Polydor, 1970) November Girl (Black Lion, 1970 ) - with Carmen McRae Change of Scenes (Verve, 1971) - with Stan Getz