The Ronnie Scott’s Club Quintet - The Ronnie Scott’s Story @ Gala Theatre, Durham. May 12.

James Pearson (pno/narration); Alex Garnett (ten/narration; Freddie Gavita (tpt); Sam Burgess (bs); Chris Higginbottom (dms).

(Review by Lance).

The show opened with a clip of Ronnie Scott from the film Misterioso. The one where Ronnie is in his office practicing then breaking off to answer the phone. "What time do we start? What time can you get here?"
The audience laughed and that was the pattern throughout the evening. All the old chestnuts were rolled out sometimes on screen by Ronnie, sometimes as part of Garnett's narration. Although most of us knew the punchlines, even after all these years, they're still funny.
As well as telling the story in his own laconic style (along with occasional observations by Pearson) Garnett blew some fine tenor tailored to suit the occasion. On trumpet, 29-year-old Gavita captured the mood of those early years with shades of Jimmy Deuchar and the Hamer brothers.  James Pearson, the current house pianist at Ronnies, impressed, particularly with his Bill Evans-like version of My Foolish Heart. Sam Burgess also scored on bass whilst Higginbottom had the drummers in the audience going home and digging out the practice pad!

The set list centered around the music of various Scott bands - in particular the quintet - as well as numbers associated with some of the headliners who'd performed at the club over the years.

Some of my Best Friends Are Blues (Scott); Boogie Stomp Shuffle (Mingus); Night in Tunisia (Dizzy); A Pint of Bitter (Tubbs); My Foolish Heart (Bill Evans); Through the Night Roared the Overland Express (Couriers); Theme From Alfie (Rollins); Milestones (Miles); Drum feature (Buddy) Cute (Basie); Chelsea Bridge (Duke dedicated to Joe Temperley who'd died the previous day); Sack of Woe (Cannonball) and, finally, The Claw (Scott) which had the band blowing on stage whilst the Ronnie Scott Quintet were on screen playing on an old TV show 3-2-1. You remember Ted Rodgers and Dusty Bin?

There was more, much more happening video-wise but those were some of the highlights. Earlier I spoke to Garnett, Burgess and Higginbottom (pictured l-r) in The John Duck pub.

Catch them somewhere soon at a venue near you.

22^nd May - Chelmsford, The Civic Theatre

24^th June - Wimborne, Tivoli Theatre

6^th – 10^th July - Henley-on-Thames Henley Festival

17, 24 & 31 July - York, Great Yorkshire Fringe.

Lance.