Please answer the following question: Facts: - instrument: piano - death place: bakewell , derbyshire , england - years active: 1960 -- 2004 - birth name: neil richard ardley - death date: 23 february 2004 - genre: jazz - birth date: 26 may 1937 - name: neil ardley - background: non_vocal_instrumentalist - birth place: wallington , surrey , england - occupation: pianist , composer , author Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of neil ardley .
A:
neil richard ardley -lrb- 26 may 1937 -- 23 february 2004 -rrb- was a prominent english jazz pianist and composer , who also made his name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science and technology , and on music .