VIA PRESS RELEASE | Today, Ronnie’s (Greenwich Entertainment), an acclaimed documentary that chronicles the life and times of saxophonist Ronnie Scott and his world-famous London jazz club, opens in select theaters and on-demand.
Directed by Oliver Murray, the film “offers a multidimensional view of Scott and the nightclub through the perspective of journalists, friends and musicians who knew him” (NY Times). However the “jewels of the documentary” (Houston Press) are the unseen and unheard performances by some of the most iconic figures in musical history—Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Chet Baker, Van Morrison, and so many more. Read a new New York Times feature on Ronnie’s that features interviews with director Oliver Murray, longtime club booker Paul Pace, and Sonny Rollins here.
Founded alongside business partner Pete King in 1959, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club quickly became the most famous music venue in all of London on the back of its stellar and adventurous bookings and Ronnie Scott’s warm demeanor and generous spirit. From the great and famous who frequented his club, to the many down-at-heel musicians who turned to him for a break, Ronnie Scott became a vital figure in the global music scene. However, Ronnie was as complex and colourful as the music played on his stage. In private he battled depression and a gambling addiction, and when he died in 1996 at age 69, it left the jazz community bereft of a singular figure.
About the Director | Oliver Murray is a filmmaker based in London, where he specialises in films and documentaries about the arts. He was raised on a sheep farm in England, studied Fine Art at The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland, and Film & Animation at The Pratt Institute in New York City. He moved to London to become a professional filmmaker in 2009. By combining his passion for film with his love of music Oliver started work as a music video director, creating videos for artists including The Horrors, Noel Gallagher, and The Vaccines. He also became a busy commercials director, creating work for brands including Microsoft, Visa, Red Bull and Vice.
In 2017 Oliver founded Orofena Films—to date Oliver has written and directed two feature documentaries. His debut The Quiet One, about the life and career of Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, was bought by Sundance Selects and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2019 before enjoying a theatrical release across North America. Ronnie’s, a look at the legacy of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, is a return to the world of music and his love of working with archive material. The film showcases some of the world’s finest musicians and shines a light on the complex personality of the founder of the club, Ronnie Scott.
Oliver is currently developing a slate of documentary and drama projects in the UK and continues to create music videos and commercials.
