As a belated 50th birthday present, trumpeter-composer Guy Barker was given the freedom of Ronnie Scott’s, a mandate to come up with something different every night this week.

“They made me curator and it feels good,” he said, “like looking after a museum of modern art.”
On display last night was the international 16-piece orchestra featured in The Amadeus Project, Barker’s gangsta makeover of The Magic Flute, to be aired again later this week. Yesterday’s arrangements remained his but the composer was Italian altoist Rosario Giuliani, one of his most talented Eurocrats.

This world-class saxman, flown over from Rome, has a beautiful mind. Shapely ideas pour from him with amazing continuity, and his heated duels with Australian tenorist Graeme Blevins made exciting listening. Bracketed between Barker’s artful ensembles, most of which have a film-noir soundtrack flavour, were trumpeter Byron Wallen, trombonist Barnaby Dickinson, baritonist Phil Todd, pianist/organist Ross Stanley and Barker himself.

Completing a hot double-bill this week are Empirical, the award-winning young quintet whose trumpeter Jay Phelps yesterday helped launch Youth Jazz, a £90,000 education project for London schoolchildren.

Until 20 September.
Information: 020 7439 0747.