It was the erratic heartbeat of 1950s/60s Soho — a dim basement bar fitted out in flat board and trembling with the genius of Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughn and Count Basie. Now, the original Ronnie Scott's — opened in 1959 — returns to Soho. But only for two weeks.
To mark its 60th anniversary, legendary jazz club Ronnie Scott's will recreate its first venue, which was established by Ronnie Scott and Pete King in 1959.
The original venue on 39 Gerrard Street is now a Taiwanese restaurant, so 'The Old Place' will be created in Gerry’s members club (a Soho institution in its own right). It'll be retrofitted into the nascent club, with flat boards from the original venue, as well as artwork and photos of the vintage Ronnie Scott's. Organisers are promising a 'no frills affair': bar, stage, jazz.
And as for that jazz: expect performances of stone cold classics including Miles Davis' Kind of Blue; Giant Steps by John Coltrane; and Dave Brubeck's Time Out. Check out the full line-up.
In 1965, Ronnie Scott's moved to 47 Frith Street, where it remains today.
The Old Place runs from 19-31 August 2019. Some shows are already sold out. Visit the Ronnie Scott's website to grab tickets while you can.
