Studs Bennett, born the Tommy James Quartet, would have liked to have died as he had lived – in a mild state of bewilderment. As it was he slipped away quietly at home, with his wife Ella, two children and the Orange County Fire Department at his bedside.

Bennett rose to prominence at Le Club Biscuit Bourbon in San Francisco with his mean, dispirited rendition of Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport, still considered by jazz buffs to be amongst the most mournful renditions of life in the Australian outback. Fat Willy Boston guested on alto didgeridoo.

After Studs’ father, the Sam Walker Trio, died when his boat accidentally struck a crate of iceberg lettuce, Studs moved out west to concentrate really really hard. He chose the tiny Pacific island of Guadalcanal and embarked upon what many would later say was the golden age of his musical tenancy, cutting the famous recording of the old Cliff Lazarenko/Jocky Wilson classic “Double Top”. Then the war began.

Studs was interned on Midway island and whilst under lock (and sometimes key when he’d been extra naughty) he cut three sensational albums, “We’re Talking Tora Tora Tora!”, “Studs Bennett Live in a Small Tin Box” and finally his ghostly masterpiece “Banzai Banjo’s!” For the latter he won the coveted Imprisoned Jazz Musician of the Year Award.

After the war he concentrated his efforts on assembling an all-star sextet with Bunny Watson on slide trombone and Sonny Silver on a normal one. Herb Stuffing dueted on clarinet.

In 1947 Bennett played a White House Inaugural Gala for John F. Kennedy, even though the fledgling Kennedy was 16 and had never been to the White House. It aroused so much controversy Joseph Kennedy was minded to go to the gala and take his son home. Studs recalls Joseph’s words to his wayward boy as the black stretch limo rolled down the White House drive, “Now you sit still on the back seat where I know you’ll be safe.”

Through the ‘50’s Bennett was, as ever, his old self, some even said maybe more so. Appearing in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee he took the third amendment, which it turned out, enshrined his right to rear livestock and grow root vegetables.

Before retiring in 1964 Studs came out of retirement, after that he realised a long held, deeply significant personal ambition – to go to the bathroom on his own. In retirement he finally found the time to play with his children – David, a 48 year old Chief Economist with the Bank of Massachusetts, and Stella, wife to the Cultural Attaché for Nyasaland.

In 1977 Studs began to complain of crippling pains in his feet. He didn’t stop complaining until New Years day 1993, breaking all previous records and in the process raising well over $112 for charity. On examination it transpired Studs had been wearing shoes four sizes too small since the Berlin Airlift of 1947 – though no one knows if these two events were connected.

Studs died peacefully in his sleep at 4 am on Monday May 5th 2008. His final wish was to be buried in a vegetable allotment next to his dogs Bertha and Trojan. The dogs struggled at first but eventually gave up the fight.

Studs Bennett will perhaps be best remembered by those who knew him best.