A Fine Kind of Madness: Ronnie Scott Remembered Book

Very much a family affair, this is written by Ronnie Scott's daughter Rebecca with the help of her mother, Mary. The result couldn't be perfectly objective but it is full of warmth and insight. By the time he died, Ronnie Scott had made his celebrated jazz club one of the most famous in the world but he was also known as a superlative musician himself. The book traces his rise to such superstardom, despite battling with depression for much of his life. It also offers a close and vivid view of the jazz world, where every second person is called either Lennie or Kenny and they speak a whole different language, full of "hep cats" and "cool vibes". And not only could Ronnie play a mean sax, he could also pull some very funny faces. "He was able to suck his cheeks in so far and jut his jaw out to such an extreme that his nose almost touched his chin as he pulled his eyebrows together and crossed his eyes." (Don't try this at home.) Although probably for true jazz aficionados only, this is a fine tribute to a fine man. --Christopher HartRead More