Jazz pianist Romano Mussolini dies at 78

Musician Romano Mussolini, the son of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, has died at the age of 78.

The jazz pianist and painter died Friday, according to the website for the right-wing Alternativa Sociale political movement led by his daughter, Alessandra.

The site said that Mussolini was admitted to hospital more than two weeks ago after suffering kidney and gall bladder problems.

He was the youngest son of five children born to the Second World War dictator, who was killed in late April 1945.

Mussolini was raised to appreciate music and although jazz was banned during the fascist regime, he developed a love for the genre and eventually become one of Italy's earliest jazz connoisseurs.

His father, who played the violin, preferred classical music.

In interviews over the past few years, Mussolini fondly recalled performing classical pieces alongside his father, who was killed when the young musician was 17.

After the Second World War, Mussolini set himself apart from his father's legacy by pursuing a musical career and initially playing under assumed names.

However, by the 1960s, the pianist had risen to fameusing his own name with the Romano Mussolini All Stars band. In addition to composing music, the self-taught musician released a critically acclaimed album entitled Jazz Allo Studio 7 in 1963 and went on international tours, playing with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Chet Baker.

In the past few years, Mussolini began to open up about his relationship with his father, includingpublishing the 2004 book My Father Il Duce. In it, he describes the little known side of his father: a music-lover who cared deeply for his family.