Trivia

He was a British bandleader who also recorded n the late 1950s, Latin-flavoured album as Nino Rico and as Chaquito.

He won an Ivor Novello Award in 1976 for "Introduction and Air to a Stained Glass Window".

He was a composer and has written the music for some 27 films, scored over 500 compositions and made over 2000 records which span the broad scope from light music, to Latin American, to Oriental.

In 1960, he began to make his own records, with The Cascading Strings, as part of the Philips record label's easy listening albums.

He also collaborated with vocalists including Cleo Laine and Nana Mouskouri.

He was the BBC Radio Orchestra's principal guest conductor for 17 years and continued to be recognised as one of the best and most innovative orchestral composers and arrangers of his time.

More unusual was his record Melodies of Japan (1963), a reworking of the traditional folk music of the far east. He adapted Japanese folk melodies to styles ranging from lush strings to rocking bass-guitar-driven pop to moody cool lounge ala Martin Denny or Arthur Lyman.

In the mid-1970s, he regularly recorded under his own name, producing albums such as A Man for All Seasons and The Detectives.

Encouraged by his parents, who realised he was exceptionally musical, John studied the violin with the virtuoso teacher Alfredo Campoli and went on to take lessons in counterpoint and harmony at the London College of Music.

He scored several films and TV shows, including Serena (1962), Impact (1963), The Night Caller (1965) and Don't Drink the Water (1974).

After a brief stint as a violinist with his father's band, by the late 1940s he was performing by himself and working as a staff arranger with Philips Records.

He was one of five children of Maria (née Rossi) and Frank Gregori, who was the leader of a dance band that played at the Italian restaurant Quaglino's.

His first broadcast as an arranger, for the BBC Revue Orchestra, aired in 1944.

From 1974 to 1991 he was the conductor of the BBC Radio Orchestra.

He composed his last film score in 2002.