Stanley Black

Stanley Black was one of the most prolific and eclectic British bandleaders of the postwar era, appearing almost daily on BBC radio and recording dozens of LPs and film scores in a vast array of styles. Born in London on June 14, 1913, Black began studying piano at the age of seven under the tutelage of Rae Robinson; he went on to attend the Mathay School of Music, and was just 12 when the BBC Symphony Orchestra performed one of his original compositions (a distinction he earned by winning a contest in Melody Maker). By age 18, Black was touring with bandleader Maurice Burman,...