Stern, Holland, Lovano, Cowley and Kuti set to fire-up Ronnie Scott’s
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Spring has sprung and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club has announced a hot line-up of British and international jazz heavyweights set to appear throughout April and May and into the summer.
First among a blaze of fiery fusioneers is virtuosic guitarist Oz Noy who appears with his hard-hitting power trio of drummer Gary Novak and bassist Etienne Mbappe (the latter a member of John McLaughlin’s acclaimed 4th Dimension band) who all appear tomorrow night (14 April). Unusually this will be followed by a late set from the kicking Chicago 10-piece Hypnotic Brass Ensemble who perform their infectious blend of brass-led hip-hop and jazz influenced music – doors open at 10.30pm.
Popular US jazz-fusion guitar hero Mike Stern, whose illustrious CV of course includes working alongside greats such as Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius and Billy Cobham and countless others, brings his new quartet to the club for three nights 16-17 April. The band includes rising bass guitar star Janek Gwizdala, alongside trumpet luminary Randy Brecker and acclaimed drummer Steve Smith, all combining on Stern’s blues-infused originals. On Saturday 18 April Russian pianist Yelena Eckemoff will play an opening set before Stern, with a great trio featuring top Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen and UK drummer Martin France. Revered vocalist Diane Schuur returns to the club on 20-21 April to perform her distinctive take on the Great American songbook while modern day sax colossus James Carter storms back to the Ronnie’s stage with his Organ Trio, featuring B3 man Gerard Gibbs and drummer Elmar Frey (22-23 April).
Brit-jazz pianist Neil Cowley then pays tribute to the music and humour of iconic comedian and jazz musician Dudley Moore over two nights (24-25 April), to mark what would have been Moore’s 80th birthday as well as celebrate the 50th anniversary of what is considered his hippest jazz recording, The Other Side of Dudley Moore, which showcased his virtuosic skills as a top-level jazz musician. For these dates Cowley will be joined by bassist Geoff Gascoyne and drummer Sebastiaan De Krom on a set featuring standards, originals, Moore anecdotes and Cowley’s own very British sense of humour.
US drum icon Dave Weckl appears with his Acoustic Band (27-28 April) featuring great Japanese pianist Makoto Ozone, while sax giant Joe Lovano brings his hard-grooving Village Rhythms Band to the club (and the UK) for the first time (30 April-1 May) before headlining on the Saturday night at Cheltenham Jazz Festival. US-based British bassist Dave Holland follows this for one night with his brilliant jazz-rock Prism band (2 May) whose stellar line-up of pianist Craig Taborn, guitarist Kevin Eubanks and drummer Eric Harland (still TBC for this date). Further top-notch American jazz stars appearing include two nights from leading trumpeter Dave Douglas with ionic saxophonist Lee Konitz (3-4 May), jazz vocal star Jane Monheit (7-8 May), bebop guitar virtuoso Pat Martino with his Trio (11-12 May), cult bassist/singer Meshell Ndegeocello (13-14 May), and Grammy-winning soul-jazz diva Lalah Hathaway, who performs four shows over two nights (15-16 May). Blue Note-signed singer José James’ one night singing the songs of Billie Holiday has already sold out (19 May) and is followed by bassist Kyle Eastwood and his fine UK-based band all playing music from his new Timepieces album (20-23 May). The month closes out with another week-long residency from soul-jazz singer Marlena Shaw (25-30 May).
Another notable appearance in both May and June will be saxophonist Seun Kuti (son of the legendary Afrobeat king Fela Kuti), who brings his father’s storming Egypt 80 band to the club on both 9 May and on 12-13 June. This month also sees performances by rising US singer Cécile McLorin Salvant (2-3 June), pianist Jacky Terrason (4-5 June), Byron Wallen/Jean Toussaint’s Roots and Herbs Art Blakey Project (6 June), Hammond Eggs with Randy Brecker and Bob Mintzer (20 June) and a week’s residency from singer/saxophonist Curtis Stigers (22-27 June). While July sees Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League appear with his funky four-piece FORQ (5 July), soul-funk diva Chaka Khan (6, 7 and 9 July) and the launch of barnstorming Brit-jazz big band Beats & Pieces new album, All In, on 8 July.
– Mike Flynn
For full listings and tickets go to www.ronniescotts.co.uk