Legendary London jazz club Ronnie Scott’s is celebrating its 60th anniversary by magically going back in time.
The world famous Soho club – which has hosted performances by all the superstars of jazz in its time such as Johnny Griffin, Roland Kirk, Al Cohn and Stan Getz – is putting on two weeks of shows in a pop-up club which recreates its first tiny basement club in all its bohemian glory.
The pop-up club – which will be temporarily located in another legendary Soho basement den Gerry’s – even features the original drinks and food menus from the club, where you could buy a steak for just £1.
Other memorabilia – including original photos, posters, neon signs and furniture – makes patrons feel as they are grooving in a fifties time warp.
The opening night featured a musical explosion of British classics that would have been played 60 years ago on that opening night, alongside audio memories from friends of the club from years gone by.
Saxophonist Alex Garnett – who leads Ronnie Scott’s All Star trio – will be playing Ronnie’s original tenor sax, performing a composition by Ronnie who founded the club in 1959.
A special guest on the first night was veteran saxophonist Pete King who, like the house band, got a rapturous reception for the privileged audience who were exclusively invited to the first night.
The series of shows will feature some amazing live renditions of legendary albums from that era including Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’, Horace Silver’s ‘Blowin’ The Blues Away’, Dave Brubeck Quartet’s ‘Time Out’ and John Coltrane’s ‘Giant Steps’, as well as wonderful tributes to artists like Sonny Rollins, Stan Tracey and Wes Montgomery.
Ronnie Scott’s Managing Director Simon Cooke said "Gerry’s felt appropriate as the original site is unavailable, so this felt like the next best thing. The original Ronnie Scott’s was a fairly no-frills affair, with a stage, a bar and an audience, so we’re reproducing the club as it was in 1959."
The Old Place pop-up at Gerry’s is part of a year-long celebration of the club’s 60th anniversary.
Ronnie Scott’s has staged several events over the course of the year, including the release of their definitive Jazz 60 playlist, a summer-long residency at Pikes in Ibiza, a roaring 60th anniversary street party and most recently, an instrument amnesty organised by the Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation which resulted in more than 350 instruments donated to beneficiaries across the UK and abroad.
The birthday celebrations will culminate in a special 60th anniversary gala concert featuring Van Morrison and Imelda May on October 30 at The Royal Albert Hall.
Ronnie Scott’s celebrates 60th anniversary
