Ronnie ScottOBE (born Ronald Schatt; 28 January 1927 – 23 December 1996) was a British jazztenor saxophonist and jazz club owner.[1] He co-founded Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London's Soho district, one of the world's most popular jazz clubs, in 1959.
Memorial to Ronnie Scott, Golders Green Crematorium
Ronnie Scott was born in Aldgate, East London, into a Jewish family.[2][3] His father, Joseph Schatt, was of Russian ancestry, and his mother Sylvia's family attended the Portuguese synagogue in Alie Street.[4][5][6] Scott attended the Central Foundation Boys' School.[7]
Scott began playing in small jazz clubs at the age of 16. His claim to fame was that he was taught to play by "Vera Lynn's father-in-law!". He toured with trumpeter Johnny Claes from 1944 to 1945 and with Ted Heath in 1946.[1] That same year, he appeared as one of the band members in George in Civvy Street. He worked with Ambrose, Cab Kaye, and Tito Burns. He was involved in the short-lived musicians' co-operative Club Eleven band and club (1948–50) with Johnny Dankworth. Scott became an acquaintance of the arranger/composer Tadd Dameron, when the American was working in the UK for Heath, and is reported to have performed with Dameron as the pianist, at one Club Eleven gig.[8]
Scott was a member of the generation of British musicians who worked on the Cunard liner Queen Mary intermittently from 1946 to around 1950. The ship would sail to New York City where they were exposed to Bebop, the new form of jazz being played in the clubs there.[1] Scott was among the earliest British musicians to have been influenced by Charlie Parker and other players of modern jazz.
In 1952, Scott joined Jack Parnell's orchestra and from 1953 to 1956 led a nine-piece band and quintet which included Pete King, with whom he later opened his jazz club, Victor Feldman, Hank Shaw, and Phil Seamen. He co-led The Jazz Couriers with Tubby Hayes from 1957 to 1959 and was leader of a quartet that included Stan Tracey (1960–67).[1]
Charles Mingus said of him in 1961, "Of the white boys, Ronnie Scott gets closer to the negro blues feeling, the way Zoot Sims does."[10] Scott recorded infrequently during the last few decades of his career. He suffered from depression. While recovering from surgery for tooth implants, he died at the age of 69 from an accidental overdose of barbiturate prescribed by his dentist. The Westminster coroner's inquest in February 1997 recorded a verdict of 'death by misadventure'.
Ronnie Scott's widow, Mary Scott, and her daughter, Rebecca Scott, wrote the memoir A Fine Kind of Madness: Ronnie Scott Remembered, with a foreword by Spike Milligan. The book was published in 1999 in London by Headline Book Publishing.
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club at 47 Frith Street, Soho, London.
Scott is perhaps best remembered for co-founding, with former tenor sax player Pete King, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, which opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London's Soho district, with the debut of a young alto sax player named Peter King (no relation), before later moving to a larger venue nearby at 47 Frith Street in 1965.[11] The original venue continued in operation as the "Old Place" until the lease ran out in 1967, and was used for performances by the up-and-coming generation of domestic musicians.[12]
Scott regularly acted as the club's genial Master of Ceremonies, and was noted for his repertoire of jokes, asides and one-liners. A typical introduction might go: "Our next guest is one of the finest musicians in the country. In the city, he's crap". Another memorable announcement was: "Next week we're proud to have a quartet featuring Stan Getz and violinist Stuff Smith. It's called the 'Getz-Stuffed quartet'." Ronnie often used in later days the services of John Schatt to book rock bands for Ronnie Scott's upstairs.
After Scott's death, King continued to run the club for a further nine years, before selling the club to theatre impresario Sally Greene in June 2005.
In September 2013, while the club was being redecorated, a 12-metre-square (39 ft2) hoarding was placed on the Frith Street façade as a tribute to its eponymous founder, bearing a giant photograph of Ronnie Scott by Val Wilmer, alongside one of his legendary one-liners: "I love this place, it's just like home, filthy and full of strangers."[13]
Selected band line-ups
As well as participating in name orchestras, Scott led or co-led numerous bands featuring some of Britain's most prominent jazz musicians of the day.
Alan Dean's Beboppers
1949
Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Johnny Dankworth (alto sax), Hank Shaw (trumpet), Tommy Pollard (piano), Pete Chilver (guitar), Joe Muddel (double bass), Laurie Morgan (drums), Alan Dean (vocal)
Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Hank Shaw (trumpet), Victor Feldman (piano), Sammy Stokes (double bass), Lennie Bush (double bass), Phil Seamen (drums)
Ronnie Scott Big Band
– 1955
Ronnie Scott, Pete King (tenor sax); Joe Harriott, Doug Robinson (alto sax); Benny Green (baritone sax); Stan Palmer, Hank Shaw, Dave Usden, Jimmy Watson (trumpet); Jack Botterill, Robin Kaye, Mac Minshull, Ken Wray (trombone); Norman Stenfalt (piano); Eric Peter (double bass); Phil Seamen (drums)
On 7 April 1957, The Jazz Couriers, co-led by Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott, debuted at the new Flamingo Club in Wardour Street, Soho. The group lasted until 30 August 1959.
Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Tubby Hayes (tenor sax, vibraphone), Terry Shannon (piano), Phil Bates (double bass), Bill Eyden (drums)
Ronnie Scott Quartet
1964
Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Stan Tracey (piano), Malcolm Cecil (double bass), Jackie Dougan (drums)
Ronnie Scott Trio
1970
Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Mike Carr (keyboards, vibraphone), Tony Crombie (drums, piano)
ronnie, scott, 1960s, 1970s, song, writer, songwriter, born, ronald, schatt, january, 1927, december, 1996, british, jazz, tenor, saxophonist, jazz, club, owner, founded, jazz, club, london, soho, district, world, most, popular, jazz, clubs, 1959, obebackgroun. For the 1960s 1970s pop song writer see Ronnie Scott songwriter Ronnie Scott OBE born Ronald Schatt 28 January 1927 23 December 1996 was a British jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz club owner 1 He co founded Ronnie Scott s Jazz Club in London s Soho district one of the world s most popular jazz clubs in 1959 Ronnie ScottOBEBackground informationBirth nameRonald SchattBorn28 January 1927Aldgate EnglandDied23 December 1996 1996 12 23 aged 69 GenresJazzInstrument s Tenor saxophone Contents 1 Life and career 2 Ronnie Scott s Jazz Club 3 Selected band line ups 4 Discography 4 1 As sideman 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksLife and career Edit Memorial to Ronnie Scott Golders Green Crematorium Ronnie Scott was born in Aldgate East London into a Jewish family 2 3 His father Joseph Schatt was of Russian ancestry and his mother Sylvia s family attended the Portuguese synagogue in Alie Street 4 5 6 Scott attended the Central Foundation Boys School 7 Scott began playing in small jazz clubs at the age of 16 His claim to fame was that he was taught to play by Vera Lynn s father in law He toured with trumpeter Johnny Claes from 1944 to 1945 and with Ted Heath in 1946 1 That same year he appeared as one of the band members in George in Civvy Street He worked with Ambrose Cab Kaye and Tito Burns He was involved in the short lived musicians co operative Club Eleven band and club 1948 50 with Johnny Dankworth Scott became an acquaintance of the arranger composer Tadd Dameron when the American was working in the UK for Heath and is reported to have performed with Dameron as the pianist at one Club Eleven gig 8 Scott was a member of the generation of British musicians who worked on the Cunard liner Queen Mary intermittently from 1946 to around 1950 The ship would sail to New York City where they were exposed to Bebop the new form of jazz being played in the clubs there 1 Scott was among the earliest British musicians to have been influenced by Charlie Parker and other players of modern jazz In 1952 Scott joined Jack Parnell s orchestra and from 1953 to 1956 led a nine piece band and quintet which included Pete King with whom he later opened his jazz club Victor Feldman Hank Shaw and Phil Seamen He co led The Jazz Couriers with Tubby Hayes from 1957 to 1959 and was leader of a quartet that included Stan Tracey 1960 67 1 From 1967 to 1969 Scott was a member of the Kenny Clarke Francy Boland Big Band 1 which toured Europe and included Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis Simultaneously he ran his octet which included John Surman and Kenny Wheeler and a trio with Mike Carr on keyboards and Bobby Gien on drums 1971 1975 Scott s other bands often included John Critchinson on keyboards and Martin Drew on drums He did occasional session work which included performing the solo on Lady Madonna the 1968 single by the Beatles playing on Roy Budd s score for the film Fear Is the Key 1972 and performing the tenor sax solo on I Missed Again the 1981 single by Phil Collins In the 1981 New Year Honours Scott was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE for services to jazz music 9 Charles Mingus said of him in 1961 Of the white boys Ronnie Scott gets closer to the negro blues feeling the way Zoot Sims does 10 Scott recorded infrequently during the last few decades of his career He suffered from depression While recovering from surgery for tooth implants he died at the age of 69 from an accidental overdose of barbiturate prescribed by his dentist The Westminster coroner s inquest in February 1997 recorded a verdict of death by misadventure Ronnie Scott s widow Mary Scott and her daughter Rebecca Scott wrote the memoir A Fine Kind of Madness Ronnie Scott Remembered with a foreword by Spike Milligan The book was published in 1999 in London by Headline Book Publishing Ronnie Scott s Jazz Club Edit Ronnie Scott s Jazz Club at 47 Frith Street Soho London Main article Ronnie Scott s Jazz Club Scott is perhaps best remembered for co founding with former tenor sax player Pete King Ronnie Scott s Jazz Club which opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London s Soho district with the debut of a young alto sax player named Peter King no relation before later moving to a larger venue nearby at 47 Frith Street in 1965 11 The original venue continued in operation as the Old Place until the lease ran out in 1967 and was used for performances by the up and coming generation of domestic musicians 12 Scott regularly acted as the club s genial Master of Ceremonies and was noted for his repertoire of jokes asides and one liners A typical introduction might go Our next guest is one of the finest musicians in the country In the city he s crap Another memorable announcement was Next week we re proud to have a quartet featuring Stan Getz and violinist Stuff Smith It s called the Getz Stuffed quartet Ronnie often used in later days the services of John Schatt to book rock bands for Ronnie Scott s upstairs After Scott s death King continued to run the club for a further nine years before selling the club to theatre impresario Sally Greene in June 2005 In September 2013 while the club was being redecorated a 12 metre square 39 ft2 hoarding was placed on the Frith Street facade as a tribute to its eponymous founder bearing a giant photograph of Ronnie Scott by Val Wilmer alongside one of his legendary one liners I love this place it s just like home filthy and full of strangers 13 Selected band line ups EditAs well as participating in name orchestras Scott led or co led numerous bands featuring some of Britain s most prominent jazz musicians of the day Alan Dean s Beboppers 1949 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Johnny Dankworth alto sax Hank Shaw trumpet Tommy Pollard piano Pete Chilver guitar Joe Muddel double bass Laurie Morgan drums Alan Dean vocal Ronnie Scott Orchestra 1954 1955 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Derek Humble alto sax Pete King tenor sax Hank Shaw trumpet Ken Wray trombone Benny Green baritone sax Victor Feldman piano Lennie Bush double bass Phil Seamen drums Ronnie Scott Quintet 1955 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Hank Shaw trumpet Victor Feldman piano Sammy Stokes double bass Lennie Bush double bass Phil Seamen drums Ronnie Scott Big Band 1955 Ronnie Scott Pete King tenor sax Joe Harriott Doug Robinson alto sax Benny Green baritone sax Stan Palmer Hank Shaw Dave Usden Jimmy Watson trumpet Jack Botterill Robin Kaye Mac Minshull Ken Wray trombone Norman Stenfalt piano Eric Peter double bass Phil Seamen drums The Jazz CouriersOn 7 April 1957 The Jazz Couriers co led by Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott debuted at the new Flamingo Club in Wardour Street Soho The group lasted until 30 August 1959 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Tubby Hayes tenor sax vibraphone Terry Shannon piano Phil Bates double bass Bill Eyden drums Ronnie Scott Quartet 1964 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Stan Tracey piano Malcolm Cecil double bass Jackie Dougan drums Ronnie Scott Trio 1970 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Mike Carr keyboards vibraphone Tony Crombie drums piano Ronnie Scott Quintet 1990 Ronnie Scott tenor sax Dick Pearce trumpet John Critchinson piano Ron Mathewson double bass Martin Drew drums Discography Edit1948 Boppin at Esquire Indigo 1958 The Couriers of Jazz Carlton 1965 The Night Is Scott and You re So Swingable Redial 1965 When I Want Your Opinion I ll Give it to You Jazz House 1969 Live at Ronnie Scott s Columbia 1977 The Pablo All Stars Jam Pablo 1977 Serious Gold Pye 1974 Scott At Ronnie s 1990 Never Pat a Burning Dog Jazz House 1997 If I Want Your Opinion Jazz House 1997 The Night Has a Thousand Eyes Jazz House 2000 Boppin at Esquire Indigo 2002 Ronnie Scott Live at the Jazz Club Time Music As sideman Edit With the Kenny Clarke Francy Boland Big Band Handle with Care Atlantic 1963 Now Hear Our Meanin Columbia 1963 1965 Sax No End SABA 1967 Out of the Folk Bag Columbia 1967 17 Men and Their Music Campi 1967 All Smiles MPS 1968 Faces MPS 1969 Latin Kaleidoscope MPS 1968 Fellini 712 MPS 1969 All Blues MPS 1969 More Smiles MPS 1969 Clarke Boland Big Band en Concert avec Europe 1 Trema 1969 1992 Off Limits Polydor 1970 November Girl Black Lion 1970 1975 with Carmen McRae Change of Scenes Verve 1971 with Stan GetzWith Victor Feldman Suite Sixteen Contemporary 1955 1958 With Phil Collins Face Value 1981 Tenor saxophone solo on I Missed AgainWith The Beatles Lady Madonna 1968 Tenor saxophoneSee also EditList of jazz clubsReferences Edit a b c d e Colin Larkin ed 1997 The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music Concise ed Virgin Books p 1062 ISBN 1 85227 745 9 Ronnie Scott jazz s coolest Jew The Jewish Chronicle 3 July 2009 via PressReader A Fine Kind of Madness Ronnie Scott Remembered Eastlondonhistory com Ronnie Scott Everything2 com Ronnie Scott 1927 1996 Jazzhouse org Retrieved 25 March 2019 JCR UK Alie Street Synagogue Federation closed Aldgate London E1 Jewishgen org Retrieved 25 March 2019 Alumni Central Foundation Boys School 2013 Retrieved 8 October 2015 Combs Paul 2012 Dameronia The Life and Music of Tadd Dameron Ann Arbor MI The University of Michigan Press p 102 ISBN 978 0472114139 United Kingdom list No 48467 The London Gazette Supplement 31 December 1980 p 12 Ronnie Scott Brian Priestley in Carr et al Robert Sandall Ronnie Scott s says goodbye sticky carpets hello decent food and air conditioning The Daily Telegraph 24 June 2006 47 Frith Street Archived from the original on 5 May 2012 Retrieved 18 August 2013 Ronnie Scott s tribute to founder The Daily Telegraph 28 August 2013 Bibliography EditClarke Donald ed The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music Viking 1989 Kernfeld Barry Dean ed The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz Macmillan Press 1988 Kington Miles Gelly Dave The Giants of Jazz Schirmer Books 1986 Larkin Colin The Encyclopedia of Popular Music 3rd edition Macmillan 1998 Ruppli Michel Novitsky Ed The Mercury Labels A discography Vol V Record and Artist Indexes Greenwood Press 1993 Ronnie Scott with Mike Hennessey Some of My Best Friends are Blues autobiography London Northway Books 2002 ISBN 978 0 9550908 3 7 Ronnie Scott s Jazz Farrago compilation of best features from Jazz at Ronnie Scott s magazine Hampstead Press 2008 ISBN 978 0 9557628 0 2 Ian Carr Digby Fairweather amp Brian Priestley Jazz The Rough Guide ISBN 1 85828 528 3 Richard Cook amp Brian Morton The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD 6th edition ISBN 0 14 051521 6External links EditRonnie Scott biography by Jason Ankeny for Allmusic Ronnie Scott discography Pete King obituary Daily Telegraph 21 December 2009 Portraits of Ronnie Scott at the National Portrait Gallery London Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ronnie Scott amp oldid 1124942321, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
