Frank Horrox born 15 February 1924

Frank Horrox  (February 15, 1924 - February 21, 1972) was an English jazz pianist, arranger and composer. 

Frank was born in Bolton, Lancashire, as Frank Entwistle Horrocks. He began playing piano at the age of five and later studied at Trinity College of Music, where he won three exhibitions. He turned professional at the age of seventeen with Bertini’s band, then worked with Dick Denny at the Edinburgh Palais and toured as accompanist for comedian Arthur Askey in 1942. 

He served in the Army from late 1942 until May 1947 and was featured in “Stars In Battledress” shows. After demobilization he worked as staff arranger for publishers Campbell Connelly. In 1947 he worked with Reggie Goff before joining Vic Lewis In 1948 to June 1949 (where he met his future wife trombonist Ruth Harrison). He then joined the Basil Kirchin band then a brief return with Vic Lewis before joining Paul Fenoulhet. 

He joined Ted Heath (replacing Dave Simpson) from October 1949 to July 1952. He then joined Lew Stone at the Pigalle, London for six months. He also did extensive freelance arranging and work on the film “The Blue Lamp”(with Jack Parnell). He rejoined Ted Heath from February 1953 until September 1957. Horrox also wrote arrangements for Heath and can be heard playing bop solos on Lullaby of Birdland (1953, Decca F10200) and Our Waltz, from the album Ted Heath’s 100th London Palladium Sunday Concert (1954, London LL1000), and he may be seen with Heath in the film Dance Hall (1950). 

                              

He played with Raymond Gordon’s Orchestra at the London Hippodrome from September to November 1957 then he rejoined Heath for an American tour in 1958 and recorded at Carnegie Hall.  In 1960 Horrox released an EP on the Embassy label titled “Jazz Sesion” which comprised Don Rendell on tenor, Albert Hall on trumpet, Jeff Sothcott on bass and Don Lawson on drums. 

Thereafter he was mainly active as a freelance pianist and arranger for many musical directors including Alyn Ainsworth, Frank Chacksfield, ken Thorne etc., but also played jazz gigs with small band, sometimes playing organ.  Throughout his career he had been involved in a bit less than 100 recording sessions, some involving musical dignitaries visiting London, including drummer Louie Bellson. His own favourite pianists were American jazzmen, and Horrox took pride in his arrangements of standards such as "Love for Sale." His ensembles played regularly on British film and theatre scores.

His later session work included recordings with The Melachrino Orchestra, The Jack Nathan Orchestra, Neil Richardson & His Orchestra and the Romantic Strings Orchestra to name but a few.

Frank Horrox sadly succumbed to Cancer at the age of 48 years old, at a clinic in Bavaria, Germany on 21 February 1972. 

(Edited mainly from Who’s Who of British Jazz 2^nd Edit plus snippets from AllMusic, Discogs, IMDb and Oxford Music On Line)