The memoirs of saxophonist and jazz club owner Ronnie Scott expertly co-authored by jazz writer Mike Hennessey, with cartoons by Mel Calman, contributions by Benny Green and Spike Milligan and a preface for the second edition by Ronnie Scott’s business partner, Pete King. The book tells of Ronnie Scott’s life as a musician and bandleader and as the founder, with Pete King, of the great jazz club which still bears his name. Ronnie said of running their world famous venue, ‘It’s made a happy man very old.’

The book provides a humorous and shrewd behind-the-scenes account of the headaches and hysteria of running a club in the heart of London’s Soho and coping with the capricious temperaments of some of the world’s most celebrated jazz artists.

Co-author Mike Hennessey is one of Europe’s leading jazz writers. He covered the international music scene for Billboard magazine for 27 years and has written hundreds of articles, reviews, album notes and biographical features for a range of magazines. He is also the author of an acclaimed biography of drummer Kenny Clarke. His biography of Johnny Griffin, The Little Giant, was published by Northway in 2008.

”With its array of outsize characters and crisp anecdotes, the book is genuinely entertaining, even for non-jazz buffs.” — Kevin Henriques, Financial Times

”One of the best books about jazz, and its characters, ever written>” — Music Week

”An enthralling book about a memorable character>” — Jim Godbolt