John Russell 'Jack' Parnell (born 6 August 1923) is an English bandleader and musician. August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... A bandleader is the director of a band of musicians. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ...

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. London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Music Hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which reached its peak of popularity between 1850 and 1960. ... Valentine Charles Val Parnell was a British television producer and theatrical impresario. ... The term general manager is a title used by an executive in a business operation, although the duties of the position vary according to the context. ... The London Palladium in 2004 The London Palladium is one of the most famous of Londons West End theatres. ...

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. Statistics Population: 50,135[1] Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TA040880 Administration District: Scarborough Shire county: North Yorkshire Region: Yorkshire and the Humber Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: North Yorkshire Historic county: Yorkshire (North Riding) Services Police force: North Yorkshire Police Fire and rescue: {{{Fire... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated puprose of which is holding dances (balls). ... Shown within Cambridgeshire Geography Status: City (1951) Region: East of England Admin. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Bomber Command is an organizational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. ... High Wycombe in the UK High Wycombe, (previously Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe as late as 1911[1]) South Buckinghamshire, is 29 miles (46. ... You might be looking for: Edward Heath (1916–2005) — Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ... The 1950s was the decade spanning from the 1st of January, 1950 to the 31st December, 1959. ... Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was (until its closure) the worlds oldest weekly music newspaper. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Barbara Joan Streisand, sometimes known by her nickname Babs, (born April 24, 1942 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American singer, theatre and film actress, composer, film producer and director. ...

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. The title of music director is used by many symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra. ... ATV can refer to: All-terrain vehicle, the a personal recreational vehicle normally consisting of a motorcycle-like engine, four balloon tires and a fiberglass body; a four-wheeler. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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). Don Lusher OBE ( November 6, 1923 – July 5, 2006) was a jazz and big band trombonist best known for his association with the Ted Heath Jazz Band. ... Kenny Baker at a science fiction convention Kenny Baker (born August 24, 1934) is a British actor best known as the man inside of R2-D2 in the popular Star Wars film series. ... Tony Lee (1970-) is a British writer. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

He has three sons and two daughters and in 1983 moved to Southwold, Suffolk. He likes the music of Bach and golf. View of town, pier and beach Southwold is an ancient town in the Waveney district in Suffolk, East Anglia, England, at the mouth of the River Blyth. ... Suffolk (pronounced SUF-fk) is a large traditional and administrative county in the East Anglia region of eastern England. ... Bach redirects here. ... This article is about the sport. ...

Currently (September 2006) the Jack Parnell Trio backs a guest musician every Tuesday evening at The Green Man pub in Rackheath, 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

• "Jack Parnell – master of many trades" article by Louis Barfe at Sounds On.
• The Jack Parnell Orchestra big band line-ups from 1951-1958 at jazzprofessional.com.
• Jack Parnell's entry in the Muppet Wiki