Jazz Jam Sessions at Ronnie Scott’s Upstairs Bar
Wednesday Night’s Jazz Jam Sessions at the historic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club are an intimate, and relaxed, yet stimulating experience. Formerly one of London’s best-kept secret’s known only to seasoned jazz heads, this swinging yet sophisticated scene unfolds in the Upstairs Bar of the club, an elegantly lit oasis of tinkling glass and smoky mirrors. Cool, urbane, and totally London, the Upstairs Bar (Ronnie’s Bar, as it’s affectionately called) recalls the atmosphere of the jazz speakeasies seen in vintage films. Having established itself as a separate venue from the main club beneath the historic stairs, Ronnie’s Bar boasts regular weekly programming from Tuesday through Sunday nights, featuring genres spanning Brazilian music to tap dancing! The Wednesday Jam Sessions are only 5 pounds entrance before 9pm, proving that one doesn’t have to limit cultural intake for reasons of the economic downturn!
The guest band changes weekly, and during my visit, I had the pleasure of listening to the Brandon Allen band. Other bands playing during the week are Jonathan G’s group, the Kitt Downs Band, along with the regular presence of the Ronnie Scott house band. Professional musicians and vocalists, as well as talented amateurs, drop by to improvise and interact with whichever guest band is playing, and the collaborations are as unpredictable and whimsical as the genre of jazz itself.
Doors open around 9pm for the Jam sessions, leaving plenty of time to mingle, have a cocktail or two, or simply unwind before the music starts at around 10:30 pm. But don’t bother to wager on who’s playing on any given night-you maybe surprised! The Upstairs Bar always has its share of surprise guests dropping in: last week, actor Kevin Spacey hit the stage and crooned a few tunes with the house band. Just the thing to help soothe those mid-work week blues.
