''What the Dickens!'' is a 1963 recording by

Johnny Dankworth Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Variant ...

, accompanied by his orchestra and guests, some of the leading UK jazz musicians of the day. It is a suite based on characters and scenarios associated with

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

. It was recorded in London on July 29 and 31, August 7, October 4, 1963 and released as a

vinyl album A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts near ...

Track listing

#"Prologue" (2:26) #"Weller Never Did" Pickwick Papers (1:58) #"Little Nell" The Old Curiosity Shop (2:51) #"The Infant Phenomenon" Nicholas Nickleby (2:12) #"Demdest Little Fascinator" Nicholas Nickleby (3:09) #"Dotheboys Hall" Oliver Twist (4:24) #"Ghosts" A Christmas Carol (2:23) #"David and the Bloaters" David Copperfield (2:57) #"Please Sir, I Want Some More" Oliver Twist (2:01) #"The Artful Dodger" Oliver Twist (1:39) #"Waiting for Something to Turn Up" David Copperfield (2:46) #"Dodson and Fogg" Pickwick Papers (1:55) #"The Pickwick Club" Pickwick Papers (3:15) #"Serjeant Buzfuz" Pickwick Papers (2:15) #"Finale" (2:29)

Personnel

Guests

Tubby Hayes Edward Brian "Tubby" Hayes (30 January 1935 – 8 June 1973) was an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, best known for his tenor saxophone playing in groups with fellow sax player Ronnie Scott and with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar. Early life H ...

– tenor saxophone *

Ronnie Ross Albert Ronald Ross (2 October 1933 – 12 December 1991) was a British jazz baritone saxophonist. Life Born in Calcutta, India, to Scottish parents, Ross moved to England in 1946 and was educated at the Perse School in Cambridge. He beg ...

- baritone saxophone *

Ronnie Scott Ronnie may refer to: *Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name * "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album '' Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijkstadion, an association football stadium ...

- tenor saxophone *

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerg ...

– tenor saxophone *

Jimmy Deuchar James Deuchar (26 June 1930 – 9 September 1993) was a Scottish jazz trumpeter and big band arranger, born in Dundee, Scotland. He found fame as a performer and arranger in the 1950s and 1960s. Deuchar was taught trumpet by John Lynch, who lear ...

- trumpet * Ron Stephenson – drums *

Bobby Wellins Robert Coull Wellins (24 January 1936 – 27 October 2016) was a Scottish tenor saxophonist who collaborated with Stan Tracey on the album ''Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood"'' (1965). Biography Robert Coull Wellins was ...

– tenor saxophone * Ken Napper – bass *

Tony Coe Anthony George Coe (born 29 November 1934) is an English jazz musician who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, flute as well as soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. Career Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, Coe started out on clarinet and was self- ...

- tenor saxophone, clarinet * Peter King - tenor saxophone * David Snell - harp

Orchestra

*Leader: John Dankworth *Gus Galbraith - trumpet *Leon Calvert - trumpet, flugelhorn *Dickie Hawdon - trumpet, tenor horn *

Kenny Wheeler Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC (14 January 1930 – 18 September 2014) was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he was also active ...

- trumpet, tenor horn *Tony Russell - trombone *Eddie Harvey - valve trombone *Ron Snyder - tuba *Roy East - alto saxophone, flute, clarinet *John Dankworth - alto saxophone, clarinet *

Vic Ash Victor "Vic" Ash (9 March 1930, in East London – 24 October 2014) was an English jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. He was of Jewish ancestry. Biography Ash began playing professionally in 1951 when, with Tubby Hayes, he joined the band o ...

- tenor saxophone, clarinet *

Art Ellefson Arthur Albert Ellefson (17 April 1932 – 2018) was a Canadian jazz saxophonist who worked in the UK during the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Having learned trumpet and euphonium as a boy, he began playing tenor saxophone at 16 and began his career ...

- tenor saxophone, bass clarinet *

Alan Branscombe Alan Branscombe (4 June 1936 – 27 October 1986) was an English jazz pianist, vibraphonist, and alto saxophonist. Biography Branscombe was born in Wallasey, Cheshire (now Merseyside), in 1936. His father and grandfather were also professi ...

- vibraphone, xylophone, piano *

Spike Heatley Brian John Heatley (17 February 1933 – 10 November 2021), better known as Spike Heatley, was a British jazz double bassist. Early life Heatley was born in Muswell Hill, North London in February 1933. Career He appeared with Vic Ash's sextet ...

- basses *Johnny Butts - drums *Roy Webster - percussion {{Authority control 1963 albums John Dankworth albums Fontana Records albums