A legendary London music venue is heading to Yeovil as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club comes to the Westlands Entertainment Centre on November 11.
The performance, which begins at 7.30pm, will be led by the club’s artistic director alongside the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. It is designed to take audiences behind the scenes of one of the world’s best-known jazz venues through live music, storytelling, rare archive photography and video footage.
From Soho dive bars to an international jazz institution
The show traces Ronnie Scott’s history from its early days in Soho, when it faced financial struggles and frequent police raids, through to its later status at the centre of the international jazz scene.
Audiences will hear stories about the old Soho world in which musicians, celebrities and gangsters crossed paths. The production also explores how the club became neutral ground within fiercely contested gang territory and recalls its encounters with notorious figures including the Krays, who were rumoured to have taken Ronnie Scott “for a little drive”.
“Set amid the dive bars and jook-joints of old Soho, the concert traces the club’s remarkable journey from the hand-to-mouth finances and frequent police raids of its early years through to its place at the heart of the international jazz-scene,” a spokesperson said.
Jazz classics and stories from behind the doors
Alongside the historical account, the performance will feature classic music associated with jazz greats who have appeared on Ronnie Scott’s stage. The music will be woven together with stories of wayward musicians, police raids, gangsters and the personalities connected with the club.
The production also revisits the wider cast of characters who passed through Ronnie’s doors, including pop and film stars, politicians and royalty. Its central focus, however, remains the musicians whose performances helped shape the venue’s identity.
“Life at Ronnie’s is vividly reimagined through music, as well as stories of the extraordinary characters who passed through its doors: pop stars and film stars, politicians, and royalty – but, above all, the musicians who made the club what it is.”
The organisers describe the result as a critically acclaimed celebration of the venue’s history, atmosphere, artists and music.
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club will be at Westlands Entertainment Centre in Yeovil from 7.30pm on November 11. Tickets and further information are available through the Westlands Entertainment Centre booking page.
