The Fabulous Red Diesel debut at Ronnie Scott’s

Playing Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s is a long-term dream come true for local jazz-funk band, The Fabulous Red Diesel, who have secured a gig there on the evening of Sunday 24 April. Want to be in the audience? Travel with the band and fellow fans on the specially arranged Empress Coach to Soho in London and experience The Fabulous Red Diesel’s unique sound in person, writes HOT’s Zelly Restorick.

“It’s kind of fun that it’s Empress Coaches and our label is Priestess records!”, says Kat Lee-Ryan, alias Miss Kitty, lead singer, song-writer and keyboard player. “Empress is a local coach firm – with some beautiful coaches with very relevant number plates for The Fabulous Red Diesel – Jaz1066 and WIL1066.” (Will is Kat’s husband and fellow member of the band.)

Coach stops at Hastings and Bexhill

“The coach leaves at 2.30pm on the 24 April. We’ll arrive at Ronnie Scott’s at 5pm, leaving a couple of hours to explore Soho and maybe find something to eat in Chinatown, before returning to Ronnie’s for the show at 8pm. The aim is to be back in Hastings by half past midnight.

“We will also be stopping at Bexhill Town Square at 2.50pm – and returning via Bexhill Town Square the same night, around midnight.

“Email me on thefabulousreddiesel@yahoo.com to reserve your place .We’d love to see you – and the coach is filling up fast, so do it soon! The coach tickets are handmade – and will be hand-delivered by me!

Playing on hallowed jazz territory

“Ronnie Scott’s is a big deal for The Fabulous Red Diesel. It’s where we have been aiming to perform for the last 2 years. Its the most famous – and probably the oldest – jazz club in London, opening in 1959. It moved into its present premises in 1965, and has hosted most of the famous and talented Jazz musicians from last century and this century: Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Dizzie Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Count Basie,  Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse and Hastings’ own Lianne Carroll.

“And for me personally it’s a really big deal, because it’s where my Mum and Dad used to go before they were married, staying out til the early hours and getting home on the milk train!

Want to buy tickets?

“Tickets for the actual gig are on the band website: The Fabulous Red Diesel and cost £10 each. There will be tickets on the door unless we sell out, but it’s best to buy beforehand. Tickets for the coach are £28, which is definitely cheaper than train and tube fares.

“The Fabulous Red Diesel released their seventh album, The Queensbury House Sessions last year, to critical acclaim and play-listing from Jazz FM.

“And this year we are doing the physical touring that we couldn’t do last year, due to Covid restrictions. It’s going really well – with confirmed gigs at Cheltenham Jazz festival, Sidmouth Jazz Festival, and Rye Jazz Festival – and there’s more in the pipeline.”

Branching out

“However, it’s not all prancing about on a massive stage! Oh no, we have to think about recording our next album. Normally we would sell CDs and that would pay for all of it, but because of the pandemic and the general appetite for streaming, our CD sales are at an all-time low.

“What to do? We have decided to branch out into the world of merchandise! In the next few weeks, we will be adding stuff to our shop page on the website, starting with limited edition Ronnie Scott’s mugs, t shirts, travel mugs and hoodies.”

Steadfast determination

The Fabulous Red Diesel are living proof that steadfast determination and persistence make a long-held fantasy a reality. See them Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s and celebrate their dream come true alongside them.

Curious about Fabulous Red Diesel? Read previous HOT article about them here: Soaring High: The Fabulous Red Diesel.

The Fabulous Red Diesel 
Priestess Records 
Sparkly Bird 

 

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