Legendary jazz rock drummer Ginger Baker, best known as a member of Cream and Blind Faith, is set to appear for two nights at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club on 27 – 28 April. A regular at ‘the old club’ in the 1960s, Baker makes his debut appearance as a bandleader with an intriguing line up of bassist Alec Dankworth, former JBs saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and percussionist Abass Doodoo, the group will perform a highly charged mix of jazz, fusion and African sounds.

Baker’s appearance is just one of many strong bookings for April that also sees resurgent Bristol-based heavy prog jazzers Get The Blessing perform in a double bill with feisty singer songwriter Sarah Gillespie on 3 – 4 April. Renowned French pianist/singer/composer Michel Legrand appears the following week bringing his alluring brand of chanson to the club on 10 – 12 April, while the highly emotive US soul jazz diva Carleen Anderson, an ever popular performer at Ronnie’s, returns on 13 – 14 April with a fine UK band that includes Peter Gabriel pianist Tom Cawley, guitarist Al Cherry and versatile saxophonist Ben Castle.

The evergreen Georgie Fame is back for another weeklong residency between 16 – 21 April, closely followed by stunning post-bop virtuoso guitarist Pat Martino who appears on 23 – 24 April. May is also looking busy with the debut appearance in the club by guitar legend Al Di Meola on 16 – 18 May, and fellow six string slinger Lee Ritenour returning for another three-night stint with Dave Grusin running 25 – 26 May, along with appearances by Abram Wilson, Manu Dibango, Kyle Eastwood, Claire Martin and Lou Donaldson.

For more info www.ronniescotts.co.uk

– Mike Flynn