LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Jazz musician Plas Johnson, whose silky tenor saxophone played the Grammy-winning “Pink Panther” theme song, died July 15, aged 94, Los Angeles radio station KKJZ reported.

The son of a professional saxophonist, Johnson specialised in jump-blues and R&B before becoming a well-respected live and studio session player who backed many greats — including Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Barbra Streisand.

Along with Peter Sellers’ legendary comedic performance as bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau in the 1963 film, Henry Mancini’s slinky theme song was led by Johnson’s saxophone solo before a full horn section splashed in.