Pete King (Saxophonist)

Peter Stephen George King ( born August 23, 1929 in Bow, London, † 21 December 2009) was a British jazz musician, together with Ronnie Scott Jazz Club Ronnie Scott's founded and ran until 1994.

King learned as a young clarinet and tenor saxophone with Harry Lewis, the father of Vera Lynn. Initially, he worked in the automotive entertainment of London Transport, but he soon became a professional musician. He first played in the dance orchestras of Leslie Hutchinson, Teddy Foster, Ambrose and Oscar Rabin and Jack Parnell, where he took the place of Ronnie Scott in 1952. Together with several musicians from the Orchestra of Parnell and Ronnie Scott, he eventually formed an ensemble that was committed to modern jazz. In 1957 he was the manager of the Jazz Couriers ( where Tubby Hayes and Scott worked with them). As a saxophonist, he recorded with Kathy Stobart and Vic Feldman.

Founded in 1959 and Scott King the internationally renowned jazz club Ronnie Scott's in Soho, the King served as Manager and continue operation even after Scott's death in 1996, before he sold it in 2005 to Sally Green.

Lexigraphic entries

• Richard Cook Jazz Encyclopedia London 2007; ISBN 978-0-141-02646-6