Great Scott's: the Nov lineup @ Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club

And if you're heading to London, November is a great month for jazz-lovers, especially at the 'shrine' Ronnie Scott's.


Audiences at Ronnie Scott’s in November will be treated to performances from some of the biggest names in jazz including Roy Haynes, Curtis Stigers, James Carter, Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, Abdullah Ibrahim and an incredible all star band comprising John Beasley, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Tain Watts and Buster Williams.



For further information, please contact Air, on 020 7386 1600

Joe Baxter joe@airmtm.com Sheela Bates Sheela@airmtm.com



Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, 47 Frith Street , London W1D 4HT

Box Office: 020 7439 0747



Ronnie Scott’s Newsletter November 2008



30th October – 1st November: Roy Haynes, support from Mike Janisch £20/£26/£36

Fans of jazz’s rhythm men have been well served by Ronnie’s of late, with the great Louis Hayes’ appearances at the club in August going down a well-deserved storm. Following on from Hayes in October is the spectacular Roy Haynes, who has backed some of the most influential players in the history of the music; Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Gary Burton, Miles Davis, Pat Metheney, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Sarah Vaughan and Stan Getz have all had their tunes driven by Haynes’ pulsing beat, and he was a regular player with Charlie Parker and Lester Young in the 1940s and ‘50s. The man’s sixty year recording and performing career has informed him with a truly awesome sense of timing, swing and rhythm and he is rightly held in great regard as one of the most innovative drummers around. Despite his advancing years, his playing never feels anything but fresh and new, constantly searching for new ideas and modes of expression.

Opening for Haynes is celebrated UK bassist Mike Janisch with his TransAtlantic Collective, the group he founded in 2005 with award winning New York saxophonist Patrick Cornelius. Janisch has earned rave reviews for his unshakable sense of swing, and continues to impress both in the UK and abroad.



2nd: James Carter, £20/£26/£36

Reedsman James Carter picked up the Down Beat magazine critics’ choice award for baritone saxophone three years running, but his versatility also extends to flute, clarinet and other members of the sax family. His music comes from a strong tradition, with the influence of classic forward-thinking players such as Eric Dolphy, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane shining through, but nonetheless he always keeps his mind open to new ideas, his eclectic tastes adding a subtly nuanced lyricism to his compositions. Showcasing his skills on his latest release, Present Tense, Carter is joined by his core group of trumpeter and flugelhorn player Dwight Adams, pianist D. D. Jackson, bassist James Genus and drummer Victor Lewis, along with guitarist Rodney Jones and percussionist Eli Fountain. Audiences can expect a display of virtuosic playing on a variety of instruments as Carter performs at his only UK date for this exclusive one-night-only show.



3rd – 4th: Mike Stern, £25/£30/£40

The appearance of Mike Stern at Ronnie Scott’s is both an honour for the club and a real treat for music lovers. The guitarist has made a name for himself as perhaps the foremost player of jazz, and especially fusion, on his chosen instrument, and has an astonishing repertoire of collaborators in his musical CV – he was a part of Miles Davis’ electric band in the early ‘80s, playing with the great man for three years, played with the legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius’ Word Of Mouth band, performed with the likes of David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, Dave Weckl, Steve Smith, Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Richard Bona, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Kenny Garrett, Bela Fleck and countless others. His influence on the sound of contemporary electric guitar in jazz is quite simply huge, and to this day he remains a towering, almost peerless figure in his field.



5th – 8th: Curtis Stigers, £30/£36/£46

Even when he was learning his craft at local jazz jam sessions hosted by pianist extraordinaire Gene Harris, Curtis Stigers was earmarked as a talent to watch. The singer’s extraordinary rise through the ranks of the international music scene has seen him take on the pop charts in his early professional days, with several US top ten singles and appearances on Hollywood blockbuster soundtracks, including The Bodyguard, before once again finding himself returning to the jazz world, where he is now championed as one of the most distinctive and respected vocalists performing today. His approach to his own material and that of other, past vocal greats, manages to be both original and fresh, but with a real sense of where his music is coming from. His singing has attracted such varied admirers and collaborators as Eric Clapton, Prince, Joe Cocker, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall and many more. Ronnie Scott’s is delighted to welcome one of the most popular and gifted singers working in the world today for an extended four night, six show run. Book early, these seats will be going fast!



9th: The King’s Cross Hot Club, £20

The King’s Cross Hot Club joyously recreates the café-jazz atmosphere of Paris in the 1930s, playing a brilliantly executed mixture of music famously made popular by artists such as Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and Edith Piaf. Formed by guitarists Phil Grispo and Bruce Beach, the group’s gypsy-jazz sound is augmented by piano, bass, violin, brass and vocals, the drum-less set-up allowing ample opportunity for the group to establish an undeniably swinging sense of rhythm. They have performed at a number of international jazz festivals since they came together less than a decade ago, and continue to win acclaim for their lively, upbeat swing, with their Ronnie’s performance being a great way to round off the week.



10th – 12th TBC



13th – 15th: Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz Agents, £20£/26/£36 (except Friday 14th, only 1 house 6pm -9.30pm, onstage 7.30pm, no support, £15/20/30)

Undoubtedly one of jazz's most important voices, Vincent Herring has recorded over fourteen CDs as a leader and over two hundred as a sideman. His long list of credits includes The Freddie Hubbard Quintet, Nat Adderley Quintet, Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Steve Turre, Cedar Walton Quartet, Jack De Johnette's Special Edition, Louis Hayes and Nancy Wilson amongst many others. For these dates he will be performing with Earth Jazz Agents, a spirited band with which he has been touring intensely for over seven years. The band has developed an original, contemporary sound which is an energetic blend of jazz, funk and soul. With Vincent Herring on saxophone, Anthony Wonsey on piano & keyboards, Richie Goods on electric & acoustic bass and Joris Dudli on drums.

On the 14th November, Ronnie’s will also play host to BBC Radio 3’s launch of the 2008 London Jazz Festival, with Jez Nelson’s Jazz On 3 programme being recorded live in the club.


16th: Soul Family, £20/£26

Hosted by the wonderfully charismatic and talented soul singer Natalie Williams and her band, Soul Family Sunday offers the chance to catch some of the best R&B, soul and jazz musicians in the UK up close and personal. While guests vary from month to month, there is always the opportunity to hear music of the highest quality where the stars of the British scene showcase their material in an exciting ad hoc setting.



17th: Chris Potter, £15/£20/£30

The kind of artist who in his earlier days was often described as a ‘rising star’, saxophonist and reedsman Chris Potter has now outgrown that accolade – his star has well and truly risen and he is know revered as one of the most promising talents to have come out of the current US jazz scene. His training took in stints with the likes of trumpeter Red Rodney, Kenny Werner, Paul Motion, Ray Brown, James Moody, Herbie Hancock and Steely Dan, as well as playing a crucial role in the various bands of master bassist Dave Holland. His saxophone playing takes an aesthetic cue from the great exponents of the instrument, especially Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins, but like any creative soul Potter is willing to embrace influences and ideas from any genre that passes him by, adding a fresh and acutely contemporary aspect to his playing. His group features a selection of similarly exciting firebrands, as showcased on his latest album Underground; guitarist Adam Rogers, keyboardist Craig Tabourn and drummer Nate Smith.



18th: Christine Tobin – album launch, £15/£20/£30

Tobin has been a firm favourite of the UK jazz scene for some time, and deservedly so – the singer has a real knack of drawing the listener into her world, with all of her own compositions and her interpretation of standards bearing her own distinctive mark. She picked up the 2008 BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist, after several past nominations, and has toured the country and abroad winning fans and critical acclaim wherever she performs. Coming from the tradition that includes the likes of Bessie Smith, Better Carter, Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell, Tobin launches her seventh studio album Secret Life Of A Girl at Ronnie Scott’s in the company of the James Pearson Trio, featuring the club’s musical director Pearson on piano, Sam Burgess on bass and Chris Dagley on drums.



19th - 22nd: Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, £30/£36/£46

The British jazz scene would certainly be a very different place without the contribution of these two national treasures. The husband and wife duo of John and Cleo have, both together and independently, done it all when it comes to music; performing, recording and entertaining for decades, they have both been honoured by the Queen for their services to jazz music and by many of their peers in the form of various awards and accolades (including this year’s Gold Award at the BBC Jazz Awards), released hit albums, toured the world and performed with fellow big names too numerous to list here, suffice to say that it would be the envy of any professional musician performing today. Having just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary and continue to both play to delighted crowds and serve as icons of British music.



23rd: Laurence Cottle Big Band and Claire Martin, £20/£26/£36

Laurence Cottle’s powerful electric bass playing is well known on the national circuit, and he is acknowledged as much for his compositional skills as for his technical ability on the instrument. A solid background as a session player for artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Sting, Cher and Eric Clapton, his main love has always been leading from the back as a jazz player, and it is his Big Band that he brings to the Ronnie’s stage for this occasion, playing a mixture of his own tunes and standards. He is joined by Claire Martin, acclaimed and award-winning singer and broadcaster who is a regular visitor to the club. Claire lends her smoky, sultry and sassy vocals to the proceedings for an evening of powerhouse UK jazz entertainment.



24th – 26th: John Beasley, Jeff Tain Watts , Buster Williams, Bennie Maupin - All Star Band!, £25/£30/£40

Ronnie Scott’s is used to having big names pass through its doors, but it isn’t often that a line-up such as this comes anyone’s way. The combination of pianist John Beasley, drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, bassist Buster Williams and reeds player Bennie Maupin is a dream come true for jazz fans the world over, and their performance here is a special moment for London’s best jazz venue. Their collective CVs probably contain the names of most of the jazz musicians who have played in the last fifty years, and they are stunning players in their own right, with dozens of recordings and thousands of performances between them. Their music is the product of four lives spent at the very top of their game, honed by years of tireless practice and perfected on bandstands across the world. An unmissable opportunity to witness a truly all star ensemble.



27th: Future Talent Gala Fundraiser 2008

Founded by Katharine, Duchess of Kent in 2004, Future Talent is a very special music charity that provides opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the UK to learn, enjoy, and benefit from a musical education. Hosted by James Pearson from the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, the evening will feature performances by very special guests as well as winners of this year’s Future Talent Champions Awards which were announced earlier this year. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact Future Talent on 020 7388 8848 or visit http://www.futuretalent.org/ronniescotts/



28th & 29th: Julian Joseph, £20/£26/£36

As well as being an ambitious and highly skilled pianist whose work has placed him at the top of many a jazz fan’s pile, Julian Joseph is also a celebrated broadcaster, sharing presenting duties on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-Up with fellow Ronnie’s visitor Clare Martin, who performs earlier in the month with Laurence Cottle. As comfortable in a big band set up as he is playing in smaller ensembles, his music takes in both contemporary and traditional influences – his last big project was a jazz opera based on the life of George Bridgetower, the virtuoso violinist who rose to prominence in the 18th and 19th Centuries as one of the first black musicians to receive widespread acclaim and recognition in Britain. Also an active contributor to jazz education, Joseph comes to Ronnie Scott’s to play a selection of the music he has crafted during the course of his career.



30th November – 4th December: Abdullah Ibrahim, £35/£40/£50

Earlier in November Ronnie Scott’s was privileged to offer the remarkable collaboration of John Beasley, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Watts and Buster Williams playing together. Now the club welcomes another member of jazz’s elite, this time eschewing the company of his peers to present a solo concert of his latest material, as Abdullah Ibrahim launches his latest album Senza. Ibrahim has secured his place in the jazz halls of fame, having been brought to the world’s attention after being ‘discovered’ by Duke Ellington, who in 1965 brought him to New York from his native South Africa where he quickly immersed himself in the scene and began playing alongside artists such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane. His music has always connected very deeply with his homeland and his previous work displays African musical roots from both jazz and other genres, and his affectation for the avant-garde scene has lent his playing a sense of esoteric lyricism held by few others. Senzo (Japanese for ‘ancestor’) catches him in a different light, exploring the possibilities of the solo piano in a subtly reflective but explorative light, and it is this side of him that he will be showcasing for his residency at Ronnie Scott’s.



Set Times

Doors open 6pm

Monday to Thursday