Jazz musician who excelled at piano, saxophone, guitar, composition, and arrangement. He had no training and was completely self-taught.
He was in a go-karting accident as a young man that left two of his right fingers without their upper joints.
His career had many early stops and starts as he searched for his niche. Finally, in 1987, he successfully debuted as a solo act at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.
His father was a Cambridge University music graduate, yet possessed curious religious beliefs about his children and their pursuit of so-called devilish music.
He was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 1991 for his album Celebration that featured Saxophonist Courtney Pine.
