Jazzobit: Michael Garrick

Michael Garrick, jazz pianist and composer, has died.

Garrick was mostly self-taught - he'd been drummed out of music classes for throwing a snatch of Glen Miller into a classical class recital - and formed his own quartet while still an English Literature student at UCL. Across a long career, Garrick worked with a number of names, expected and surprising, from Anita Wardell to Spike Milligan.

He was heavily involved in jazz education, alongside his composing, playing, and running his own jazz label. He was made a CBE in the birthday honours last year.

Michael Garrick was 78; he had been admitted to hospital with chest problems last week. Jonny Trunk's obituary for The Wire is highly recommended.