The James Taylor Quartet Get Hung Up On You At Ronnie Scott’s

This was the second show of the night for the James Taylor Quartet or JTQ at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s club in Soho, where they played four shows in two nights as part of the bands current tour. Promoting the band’s latest album Hung Up On You, the first album by the band to feature James Taylor on lead vocals as well as Hammond organ.

I’d not been to Ronnie’s since they refurbished the club making it far swankier than it used to be, I was shown to my perch by the bar so I could luxuriate in the sound of The James Taylor Quartet.

James Taylor Quartet @ Ronnie Scott's

James Taylor Quartet @ Ronnie Scott's (Robert Crowley)

They opened with the very upbeat My My My that has a great rollicking Rolling Stones kind of vibe, allowing Mark Cox to give us a great louche Keith Richards style solo, every bit as bold as the song’s lyrics are. James’s Hammond really went Ray Manzarek style psychedelic on She Dreams In Crimson with some delicious backing vocals from Yvonne Yanney that had a distinctly gospel edge.

They really started to swing but with a distinctly 70’s vibe for Feet On The Ground, Andrew McKinney‘s bass runs wove around Pat Illingworth’s drums to draw us all in. One of the most full-on Jimmy Smith style workouts was Funky Miracle that had most of Ronnie’s dancing in their seats. They added a fusion edge on No Way that allowed Mark Cox to play a long florid very John McLaughlin style guitar solo, that James Taylor added all sorts of delicate flourishes too.

James made sure we all knew the next song was going to be the title track of Hung Up On You as he welcomed Yvonne Yanney back on stage, to play tambourine and sing the super evocative backing vocals, on this full on funky love song. James made clear how much he owes to his wife before they played My Wife that was the sweetest song of the set, with delicate organ flourishes and sublimely restrained guitar.

James then got all of Ronnie Scott’s to sing happy birthday to JTQ super fan Jean whose 99^th birthday it was, what a way to celebrate it was, not sure the next tune The Exorcism was the most appropriate birthday song though, the band vamped it up on the first song of the evening not on the latest album, James played a great Brian Auger style solo followed by Pat Illingworth’s drum solo that was rather concise compared to the solos Elvin Jones took when I saw him playing at Ronnie’s a few years ago. Andrew McKinney then stepped forwards for his bass solo that kept things good and funky, before Mark Cox brought it all together with a proper guitar freakout.

James then explained that this evening’s show was part of Ronnie Scott’s keyboard festival, among whose other attractions include Booker T who is of course a huge influence on the JTQ they went into Booker T’s immortal classic Green Onions that got a good few people up and dancing, it was impossible not to groove along with them.

Yvonne then took lead vocals on Break In The Road, James seemed to enjoy less pressure, providing slightly hammed up backing vocals. The second half of the song was a duet full of lust and love and James getting everyone to clap along to his tambourine beat.

They then paid another tribute to Booker T & The MG’s with a super-hot version of Time Is Tight that had a super deep bass groove that made it impossible to sit still too. James encouraged everyone to join in on 8 Counts For Rita with every repetition of the count the band got funkier and louder it was a brilliant show stopper. James then promised they were going to go punk as he introduced Perche Non Vai Da Lui from Hung Up On You and it had a great spiky urgency, before they closed by getting everyone up and dancing to the bands classic re-interpretation of Theme From Starsky & Hutch that went down a total storm.

They came back for an encore of All Wrapped Up a song almost machine tooled to be a set closer or encore song, with each of the band having one more instrumental break each and a great sing along with the band leaving to a standing ovation.

Live review of The James Taylor Quartet at Ronnie Scott’s, London on 30th October 2024 by Simon Phillips.

Tom Morello Recruits His Army Of Love At The Electric Ballroom

Matt Bellamy of Muse @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Muse Reach For The Stars On Ambitious New Album ‘The Wow! Signal’

Muse have never been a band to think small. From dystopian concept records and politically charged anthems to symphonic rock epics and stadium-sized spectacles, the Devon trio have spent more than two decades redefining what modern rock can sound like. Now, with the release of their tenth studio album, The Wow! Signal, Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard once again prove they’re unafraid to venture into uncharted territory.

Brandon Flowers Returns With First Solo Album In Over A Decade, ‘THRASHER’, Shares New Single ‘Plans’

After more than a decade away from solo releases, Brandon Flowers has announced his long-awaited return with THRASHER, his third solo album and first since 2015’s The Desired Effect. The record arrives on 21 August 2026 via Island Records, with its lead single, Plans, available now.

Download Festival XXIII (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Download Festival Is More Than Just the Metal

I’ve been attending Download Festival since 2005. Every year, as I walk through those gates, I feel something that can be difficult to explain to people who have never experienced it. For a few days each June, I stop feeling like I’m standing on the outside looking in. I belong.

Sophie Grey @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)

SOPHIE GREY. Reaches For The Moon With Euphoric New Single ‘Lunar Highs (Hands Go Up)’

Rising electro-pop artist SOPHIE GREY. has unveiled her shimmering new single Lunar Highs (Hands Go Up), a euphoric slice of synth-driven pop arriving just ahead of June’s Strawberry Moon and setting the tone for a busy summer of high-profile live performances.

Kimberly Schlapman & Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town @ Royal Albert Hall (Kalpesh Patel)

Little Big Town Team Up With Ashley Monroe On Soulful New Single ‘Sucker For A Sad Song’

Country music favourites Little Big Town have unveiled their latest single, Sucker For A Sad Song, a heartfelt collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe, offering another enticing preview of their forthcoming album It’s A Dying Art, due for release on 28th August.

Lucia and the Best Boys @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

Lucia & The Best Boys Continue Their Rise With A Spellbinding O2 Shepherd’s Bush Performance

Fresh from an acclaimed appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival, Lucia & The Best Boys arrive at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire with momentum firmly on their side. Opening for the reunited 4 Non Blondes, the Glasgow quartet seize the opportunity with a commanding seven-song set that feels less like a support slot and more like a statement of intent.

4 Non Blondes @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

4 Non Blondes Return On Their Own Terms At O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

More than three decades after their breakthrough, 4 Non Blondes arrive at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire not to relive the past, but to redefine themselves in the present. Supported by the excellent Lucia & The Best Boys, the reunited San Francisco outfit make it abundantly clear that this tour is not a nostalgia exercise. Instead, it is a bold statement of who they are now — and whether the audience is willing to come with them.

Snow Patrol @ Eden Sessions (Adam Smith)

Snow Patrol Complete The Hat-Trick At Eden Sessions In An Evening Of Heart, Humour And Hits

There are few concert settings in Britain as naturally dramatic as the Eden Sessions. Nestled within a former clay pit and framed by the iconic biomes of the Eden Project, the venue possesses a unique sense of occasion before a note is even played. On this June evening, the Cornish weather appears determined to play its part too. Persistent rain hangs over the site for much of the day, only to disappear almost on cue as Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid walk on stage. It feels as though somebody has edited the weather into the evening’s script.