Ronnie Scott/Tubby Hayes

[Larry Kart]

Very familiar with Hayes thanks to two Proper Boxes and other individual albums, and have a basically very positive impression of Tubbs, though his fairly uniform high energy level can get a bit wearing. Of Scott I only have a Proper box of early material, which was not terribly promising -- warm, generic, not that individual playing, but again it was early stuff. My most recent batch of Hayes material includes two Jazz Couriers albums, and here Scott has come into his own. Typically his lines are a fair bit longer. than Tubbs' -- preferences  in that respect are a matter of taste, though I admire Scott's seemingly hard-won development there (he wants to look as far down the road as he can); at times he somewhat reminds me of vintage Harold Land. I I need to hear more Scott, wonder how and if he develops further (any recommendations?) I know how Tubbs' future goes until the very end.

[sidewinder]

I’ve always felt that some of Ronnie Scott’s finest work was with the sax section of the Clarke/Boland Big Band, where he was featured fairly frequently in solos. So pretty well all of those MPS albums really.

I think Acrobat have done a collection of his early Esquire releases, which are well worth a listen. Also the Jazz Couriers stuff of course.

I’ve always felt that he was strongly influenced by Hank Mobley and heard that he used to get all of Hank’s Blue Note albums when they came out. He’s in print also as saying that he disliked studio recording as it didn’t capture him well. Having said that, ‘Serious Gold’ on Pye is really good, as is that live CD put out by Acrobat with Mike Carr and Bobby Gein of a mid 70s pub gig in Wiltshire (albeit a location recording, not audiophile).

Was fortunate to see him play at his club quite a few times and hear some really fine playing, in some excellent bands. Generally, if there was a US main act on his band would often open the show. The first band of his I think I saw was the one with Louis Stewart on guitar, followed by the quintet with Dick Pearce on trumpet/flugelhorn. Later on he added Mornington Lockett on second tenor. Used to hear that Mobley influence pretty strongly, although some Getz influence also. As you mention, he could build up those long solo lines logically and to great effect.

Also an incredible stand-up comedian. Always hilarious, although incredibly his own opinion was that he was embarrassing and not funny. In truth, totally the opposite.

Edited March 30, 2023 by sidewinder

[Kevin Bresnahan]

12 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

 Having said that, ‘Serious Gold’ on Pye is really good, as is that live CD put out by Acrobat with Mike Carr and Bobby Gein of a mid 70s pub gig in Wiltshire (albeit a location recording, not audiophile).

"Serious Gold" is only available on LP. The Acrobat CD is called "On A Clear Day".

That same band plus Loughty Amao playing conga on one track, can be found on this RCA LP:

Ronnie Scott discography: http://henrybebop.co.uk/scott.htm & http://henrybebop.co.uk/scott2.htm

[sidewinder]

Yes, ‘Scott at Ronnie’s’, another good one.

There’s also his ballad album ‘The Night is Scott and You’re So Swingable’. That came out on Fontana LP and on CD on Redial. A rare studio outing from the 60s and an interesting ballad/MOR link to Land with his ‘A Lazy Afternoon’ session.

[BillF]

1 hour ago, sidewinder said:

I’ve always felt that some of Ronnie Scott’s finest work was with the sax section of the Clarke/Boland Big Band, where he was featured fairly frequently in solos. So pretty well all of those MPS albums really.

I think Acrobat have done a collection of his early Esquire releases, which are well worth a listen. Also the Jazz Couriers stuff of course.

I’ve always felt that he was strongly influenced by Hank Mobley and heard that he used to get all of Hank’s Blue Note albums when they came out. He’s in print also as saying that he disliked studio recording as it didn’t capture him well. Having said that, ‘Serious Gold’ on Pye is really good, as is that live CD put out by Acrobat with Mike Carr and Bobby Gein of a mid 70s pub gig in Wiltshire (albeit a location recording, not audiophile).

Was fortunate to see him play at his club quite a few times and hear some really fine playing, in some excellent bands. Generally, if there was a US main act on his band would often open the show. The first band of his I think I saw was the one with Louis Stewart on guitar, followed by the quintet with Dick Pearce on trumpet/flugelhorn. Later on he added Mornington Lockett on second tenor. Used to hear that Mobley influence pretty strongly, although some Getz influence also. As you mention, he could build up those long solo lines logically and to great effect.

Also an incredible stand-up comedian. Always hilarious, although incredibly his own opinion was that he was embarrassing and not funny. In truth, totally the opposite.

Nice account, Sidewinder. 👍

[BillF]

I met Ronnie only once - in the mid-1960s when he brought a quintet starring Freddie Hubbard to Leeds University. Together with Ed Dipple who organised the gig, I chatted with Ronnie whose remarks I won't repeat, other than to say they were equally humorous and scatological. 😃

[adh1907]

I like this clip of Ronnie Scott with Ben Webster. His tone seems a bit harsher than Mobley's at this stage. The Tracey solo is challenging (in a good way) and Webster seems to draw it to an early close!

Scott's early style was v smooth and Getz-like, but I think that was the dominant tone for European tenor players in the the early 50s before hard bop arrived over here.

regards

Anthony

 

[mjzee]

This reminds me of the one time I visited Ronnie Scott's club.  I was in London in 1981, and thought I could just pay admission (ala the Village Vanguard) and see the show.  Nope; London's laws stated that only members could be admitted.  So I had to buy a one-day "membership;" I don't remember if that was also the price of admission, or if that was extra.  The club's acoustics were echo-ey.  I saw Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, with Susanna McCorkle opening.

[sidewinder]

14 hours ago, mjzee said:

This reminds me of the one time I visited Ronnie Scott's club.  I was in London in 1981, and thought I could just pay admission (ala the Village Vanguard) and see the show.  Nope; London's laws stated that only members could be admitted.  So I had to buy a one-day "membership;" I don't remember if that was also the price of admission, or if that was extra.  The club's acoustics were echo-ey.  I saw Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, with Susanna McCorkle opening.

I caught one night of that particular Blakey double bill with McCorkle. Her band had Keith Ingham on piano I think.

Yes, I remember that ‘membership’ thing. All to do with West End licensing laws back then I think. The other thing was that to buy (fairly extortionate) alcohol after midnight you had to also order food of some description. The popular option was some form of non-descript sandwich. On the other hand, I quite liked Ronnie’s spag bol offering.

Back in 1981 the club was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy due to tax arrears and a severe recession. In the end the club was bailed out thanks to generosity of various friends such as Chris Blackwell of Island Records.

It was a very different Soho then compared to now. Much cleaned up and obviously affluent now, although I feel that much of the likeable and unique edgy character of the area has now gone. A shame.

Edited April 1, 2023 by sidewinder

[fent99]

Another vote for Serious Gold. Lovely set. I only went to Ronnie's a few times in the 90s and have fond memories of Ronnie playing Send in the Clowns which is lovely on Serious Gold.

I really like:

Ronnie Scott and the Band - October 25th and 26th, 1968 (Realm 52661, #also CBS 63742)
Realm LP titled "Live" at Ronnie Scott's.....CBS titled "Ten years at Ronnie Scott's".
Kenny Wheeler (tp,flhn), Chris Pyne (tb), Ray Warleigh (as,fl), Ronnie Scott (ts), John Surman (bs,sop), Gordon Beck (p,org), Ron Mathewson (b), Kenny Clare, Tony Oxley (d).
Great band, and 2 drummers one being Tony Oxley is interesting. It's especially good in an extended cd from the 2000s.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

On 3/30/2023 at 2:45 PM, sidewinder said:

There’s also his ballad album ‘The Night is Scott and You’re So Swingable’. That came out on Fontana LP and on CD on Redial. A rare studio outing from the 60s and an interesting ballad/MOR link to Land with his ‘A Lazy Afternoon’ session.

On Amazon UK, there is a review that mentions that half of the tracks have strings, which is not mentioned at all in the discogs listing. Having said that, that review has really peaked my interest. I'm going to have to pick this up.

The Collector

5.0 out of 5 stars A Revived Rarity

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 14 March 2008

Verified Purchase

Ronnie Scott made all but five albums under his own leadership after his lengthy Esquire contract expired in 1955 and amongst those scattered jewels is this gem, recorded during 1964 and 1965, active years for Scott not only as a player but co-partner in his own jazz club venture. It was this aspect of Scott's professional life which gave him revealing first hand exposes on many visiting American saxophone soloists, and, with a talent for readily digesting musical trends, it was little wonder that Scott came under the spell of various players who graced his bandstand in Gerrard Street.

This CD reissue replicates the original running order of the now long sought after Fontana LP and therefore balances the two sessions, made around sixteen months apart. The earlier set finds Scott in romantic mood, with a small and tasteful string orchestra arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett. Stan Getz had alighted on the Scott club a few months previously and it is his influence which can be felt in the tender readings of "What's New", "Once Upon A Summertime" and the other ballads heard here.

Fast forward to November 1965 and Scott had heard the titanic influence of Sonny Rollins in the flesh and it shows. The tone is rounder and the phrasing far less polite. These quartet cuts rank among his best work on record with the closing "Treat It Lightly" a positively thumping clout of jazz tenor.

There are glimpses of Stan Tracey on the 1965 tracks, in his two-fisted pomp, and of Jamaican guitar-whizz Ernest Ranglin, doing straight ahead as well as anyone. Former Jazz Courier Bill Eyden kicks the band on the quartet tracks and a subdued Tony Crombie is heard with the string section.

Scott was famously unmoved at the prospect of recording and so this album must have been doubly worth the effort of producer Terry Brown. Not only did Scott deliver in two varied contexts, he also played at close to the top of his game. Ironically whilst the original LP probably trickled off the shelves, this limited edition CD is all gone unless you're lucky enough to find a wise private seller. Go get it!

[sidewinder]

I’ve been giving the ‘Night is Scott..’ album a few spins on CD and it is really good. Also some nice Tracey and Ranglin on there too. As mentioned, it is a mix of tracks with strings and small group tracks and mainly ballads. The Redial CD version sounds really good. I also have it on Fontana LP in a mono version.

Producer Terry Brown mentioned above was the grandfather, I think, of trumpeter Yazz Ahmed.