Dame Cleo Laine, Jazz legend passes away at 97

Dame Cleo Laine, Jazz music icon, passed away at the age of 97.

In her long spanning career, she was the first British singer to win Grammy Award in the category of Jazz, as per BBC.

Having performed with iconic names such as Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, her greatest collaborator was her husband, late musician and composer John Dankworth, with whom she established her career in the 1950s.

The couple who set up the Stables arts centre in Buckinghamshire, said in a statement it was "greatly saddened today by the news that one of its founders and Life President, Dame Cleo Laine has passed away."

David Meadowcroft, chairman of the Stables charity, said: "Dame Cleo was a remarkable performer who was loved by audiences around the world and her commitment to ensuring young people had access to great music and music education will continue through the work of The Stables."

Chief executive and artistic director Monica Ferguson said, "Dame Cleo was admired greatly by fans, other musicians and by The Stables staff and volunteers,” adding, "She will be greatly missed but her unique talent will always be remembered."

Dame Cleo Laine was one of the most recognized jazz artists in music history, with a powerful voice, with one critic describing her as one of Britain's two great contributions to jazz - the other being gin.

While the Sunday Times once described her as "quite simply the best singer in the world."