DAVE Brubeck had six children, five of them became musicians, and all of them have had some rather swinging shoes to fill.

His eldest Darius is even named after the jazzman’s mentor, the French composer and teacher Darius Milhaud.

But the keyboardist has gone on to carve out his own legacy,.

He spent much of his adult life in South Africa as an educator and as the head of the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of Natal.

Performing in the country with his band the Afro Cool Concept, Darius has travelled the world and taken his love of jazz with him. 

He runs his own record label Gathering Forces, writes orchestral music as the resident composer at the Bellagio Study and Conference Center in Italy.

He also leads the Brubeck Plays Brubeck trio featuring his brothers Chris and Dan.

After moving to London to and teaching jazz courses at the University of Nottingham and at Brunel University 10 years ago, Darius will enter the studio next year to record some fresh new material.

Brubeck is buoyed with his quartet live in concert featuring Dave O’Higgins on the saxophone, Matt Ridley on the bass, and Wesley Gibbens on the drums.

The cream of the jazz crop take a worthy place on the Ropetackle’s growing jazz programme.

DARIUS BRUBECK QUARTET -Ropetackle Centre, High Street, Shoreham, Thursday, April 21
Starts 8pm, tickets £15, call 01273 464440