OBITUARY: John Speight, OAM.
John Speight, long-serving and influential artistic director of the Manly Jazz Festival, died this week (January 21) after a short illness. He was 71.
The North Manly resident was a teacher at Harbord Public School for more than 30 years. When most schools were barely teaching doh-reh-mi, Speight’s pupils had jazz on their curriculum. Among his protégées in the Northside Jazz Band the ensemble he led for many years, were the young James Morrison, Dale Barlow, Lloyd Swanton, Andrew Gander, Phil Scott, Ralph Pyl, Naomi Warne, Donald Rate - now stars of jazz among hundreds who owe their musical lives to their inspirational mentor.
The Manly Daily’s well-regarded jazz column was also his bailiwick for more than 20 years. Talking to the Manly Daily about his father, virtuoso sax player Andrew Speight said: “He had a consummate taste in music. I grew up in a house where the best of the best in music was played.
“My father was a great teacher. He saw potential in everybody. He used to get the best musicians together, encourage them, and then get out of their way and let them get on with it.”
As well as a musical powerhouse at the piano, John Speight was also an organiser of rare talent, steering the Manly Jazz Festival for all but one of its 30 years. He also worked on the Thredbo Jazz Festival and Jazz in the Domain. His Order of Australia was awarded in 1999 - not surprisingly for services to music.
He is survived by his wife Niddrie, daughters Emma and Caroline, and son Andrew.
