Self-taught Jazz pianist whose music still inspires today
In a long a varied career Roger Webb worked with Vera Lynn, Bette Davis, Rex Harrison, Johnny Mathis and Shirley Bassey. His formative years were spent as a band leader, before finding his feet as composer, with his compositions being heard in such films as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Boogie Nights, Creepshow, Sicko and What's Up Nurse?, TV shows The Sweeney, Love Thy Neighbour, George & Mildred and The Gentle Touch, and on commercials for Ford, Boddington's and KFC.
Roger Webb was born in Bristol in 1934. A talented and self-taught pianist, Webb got his first taste of playing jazz on the radio when completing his national service with the Royal Air Force in Egypt. Briefly tempted by a career in journalism, he considered university, until the offer of work as a pianist in clubs around Liverpool saw him change course.
His talents were soon spotted by an agent, Billy Baker, who found him work in playing with a 16-piece band. Recording contracts followed and, in 1964, The Roger Webb Trio release John, Paul and all that Jazz, featuring Jazz version of hits from The Beatles. The late 1960's bought a number of releases from Roger Webb and his Orchestra.
After several years working as a pianist, he started arranging and composing music. He also served as musical director for individual artists’ live performances and recordings, such as Shirley Bassey, Rex Harrison and Johnny Mathis, and on shows including The Golden Shot and International Cabaret, where he met his wife, Margot, who appeared in the chorus line; they married in 1968.
In 1971 de Wolfe Music published Vocal Patterns - The Roger Webb Sound and Moonshade, the first of many albums Webb would write for the Production Music library. Both were albums of smooth jazz and easy listening, featuring the vocal talents of Barbara Moore (who herself would go on to write a number of de Wolfe LPs).
Away from the world of Production Music, his work took him around the world and won him several awards, including the Unicef Danny Kaye Award at the International Song Contest for his song Make Your Own Rainbow, with lyrics by Norman Newell, and first prize in the Paris International Film Festival for the musical score on the 1980 film The Godsend. A year later, he was nominated for a Golden Globe award for the television production Death of a Centrefold.
He released many recordings, beginning with John, Paul and All That Jazz, a collection of cover versions of Beatles hits; the album has just been re-released. Other albums contained popular standards with his own group, the Roger Webb Trio, or larger orchestras. He enjoyed most success, however, with the music he wrote during three decades for film and television.
Roger Webb's work continues to inspire, with his library music continuing to be used in productions today. A number of compositions have been sampled other artists, including Swizz Beatz and Blackalicious. Even composers within the de Wolfe stable have re-purposed Webb's work, with Dom James adding Christmas lyrics to his big band pieces to make Swinging Songs For Christmas, and Blockhead sampling two of his tracks for BITE 001, the first release on de Wolfe's new BITE HARD label.
Roger Webb died in December 2002.