Dennis is the best, no bones about it

And the Bentley-bred bluesman can’t stop scooping the silverware. His group Badbone and Co were named best band in last year’s BBC Jazz awards, while Dennis got the nod as best trombonist this year in the inaugural Ronnie Scott Jazz Awards.

Dennis also became one of six new Freemen of Doncaster earlier this month.

He told The Star: “I’m not sure which is the biggest honour - becoming a Freeman or being named Best Trombonist.

“You can’t really compare the two - I’m just pleased to accept both of them.”

Other honours may yet be in the pipeline: Dennis has been nominated in the Educator of the Year category in this year’s Parliamentary Jazz Awards, and is a nominee in the forthcoming Urban Music Awards.

Dennis cut his teeth at the age of 14 studying and performing with The Doncaster Youth Jazz Association, and was also a member of the Askern Brass Band.

He was a member of legendary all-black jazz big band The Jazz Warriors and he has played on records by Courtney Pine, Baba Maal, Jamiroquai, US3, Brand New Heavies and Blur.

But, despite grabbing all the gongs going, Dennis says that maybe the biggest honour he’s received is being asked to play in the band of funk legend Maceo Parker.

As well as having a distinguished solo career, sax player Parker was a central part of James Brown’s groundbreaking ’60s band and made history again the following decade, as part of the Parliament - Funkadelic organisation.