Frank Deniz

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Frank Deniz (1912–2005) was a British jazz guitarist from Cardiff. He played in London from the 1930s and made radio broadcasts in the 1950s. With his brothers José and Laurence, he formed the Hermanos Deniz Cuban Rhythm Band.

Frank grew up in a musical family. His father, Antoni Deniz, was African from Cape Verde, and his mother, Gertrude Blanch, had English and African-American roots. They played music at home in Cardiff, where Sundays drew Portuguese Africans to share songs and tunes. Frank’s brothers also became musicians. From age 15 he joined his father on sea voyages. In 1931 his father fell ill and died in a hospital in Odessa.

Between voyages, Frank played music, inspired by Teddy Bunn and Eddie Lang. He married pianist Clara Wason in 1936, moved to London, and worked as a musician in Soho. In 1937 they played in Ken “Snakehips” Johnson’s orchestra and later at Adelaide Hall’s Florida Club with Fela Sowande.

During World War II, Frank joined the Merchant Navy in 1940. He kept playing with friends like Eric Winstone and Edmundo Ros and formed his own band, the Spirits of Rhythm. He was wounded in 1944 when his ship was torpedoed near Anzio. BBC bandleader Stanley Black helped his career by hiring him regularly and introducing him to others. He joined Harry Parry’s Radio Rhythm Club Sextet, which had a regular radio series.

In 1953 he and his brothers formed the Hermanos Deniz Cuban Rhythm Band, which had regular broadcasts through the 1950s and beyond. He and Laurence wrote music for the film Our Man in Havana (1959). He also toured Britain with Hoagy Carmichael. Later he played with the Hermanos Deniz at the Talk of the Town for many years, until retiring in 1980.

In retirement the family spent summers in Spain. Clare, Frank’s wife, developed Parkinson’s disease in the 1990s, and Deniz cared for her. He died on 17 July 2005 at his home in Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire; he was predeceased by his wife and his brothers. He was survived by his daughters Lorraine and Claire (the cellist Clare Deniz).