MUSIC legend Stan Tracey (CBE) was awarded a lifetime achievement gong by John Prescott at the Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Society Awards last week.

He was joined by his family, including daughter-in-law Sylvia Tracey, to collect the services to jazz award at the prestigious event which was hosted by Moira Stuart.

The 86-year-old St Albans-based pianist and composer beat off three other contenders for the accolade and gave the best speech of the night according to Sylvia, who said she was “very proud of him”.

She added: “Last time he was there it was to pick up an award for an album and they introduced him as the godfather of jazz, but now he said ‘I’m more like the Captain of the Titanic!’.”

Sylvia, a jazz singer, described Stan as having a great sense of humour and although pleased with his award he is quite humble about it.

After seven decades in the jazz industry he is still going strong and has an album coming out in June called The Flying Pig, dedicated to the fallen heroes of the First World War.

As Sylvia puts it he is “still playing at the top of his field” and has got a lot of amazing gigs coming up.

The octogenarian will be playing at Herts Jazz Festival this year in Welwyn Garden City.