The club
Ronnie Scott's is London's best-known jazz club, at 47 Frith Street in the middle of Soho. It runs two shows most nights, with table service, a full menu and a late set that often stretches past midnight. Seating is close and cabaret-style; the tables nearest the stage are worth the premium.
History
Saxophonists Ronnie Scott and Pete King opened the club on 30 October 1959 in a basement on Gerrard Street, wanting to bring the energy of New York's jazz scene to London. It ran as a musicians' co-operative in its early years, with jam sessions going long into the night, and it was the first UK club to host American players regularly. It moved to the larger Frith Street room in 1965. Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Chet Baker have all played here.
Good to know
Book ahead because walk-ups rarely get a table for the first show. There's a separate upstairs bar with its own late-night programme, and the club is a couple of minutes from Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road stations.
