The_Guardian_-_2016-12-29

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Jazz
Dave Shepherd obituary
One of Britain’s finest jazz clarinettists inspired by his hero Benny Goodman
Dave Shepherd’s style and grace in playing was mirrored by his dapper, well-groomed appearance
and easy bandstand manner. Photograph: David Sinclair
Peter Vacher
Wednesday 28 December 2016 17.11 GMT Last modified on Wednesday 28 December 2016
22.00 GMT
The jazz clarinettist Dave Shepherd, who has died aged 87, was often billed as Britain’s answer to
Benny Goodman, his instrumental facility, centred tone and driving attack comparable to that of his
American idol. The sobriquet never rankled with Shepherd: he toured frequently with Goodman’s
celebrated pianist Teddy Wilson and regularly put together whole quintet presentations (sometimes
using other Goodman alumni) based on the maestro’s music. It was reported that Goodman himself
once said: “He plays more like me than I do.”
If Goodman’s music was often technically demanding, it never seemed to daunt Shepherd, whose style
and grace in playing was mirrored by his dapper, well-groomed appearance and easy bandstand
manner. “Dave was the finest swing clarinettist in the country and perhaps, in the world,” said the
trumpeter Digby Fairweather, a frequent associate, adding: “He was always the most handsome man
in the band.” Indeed, it was reputed that Shepherd had once modelled for Brylcreem, when it was the
trendiest of male hair preparations.
He was born in Walthamstow, east London, to Cecilia (nee Sadgrove), a machinist, and Joseph
Shepherd, a semi-pro pianist who worked for the gas company. Dave adopted the clarinet aged 15
after seeing Freddy Mirfield’s Garbage Men, the group whose clarinettist was the young John
Dankworth. Shepherd was soon proficient enough to play at gigs with the trumpeter Freddy Randall,
while taking lessons from Randall’s clarinettist Bernie Izen and working as a shorthand-typist at the
War Office.
His national service posting in 1947 was to the British Forces Network radio station in Hamburg.