Studio 51

ABOUT

Studio 51 was a basement club on Great Newport Street, near Leicester Square, best known as the home of Ken Colyer's jazz club, where Colyer played from 1950 to 1973. It also ran Sunday-afternoon rhythm and blues sessions in the early 1960s. The site is now The Colyer, a block of 14 flats.

SIGNIFICANCE

In spring 1963 Melody Maker advertised the Rolling Stones at Studio 51's Sunday R&B sessions. In September 1963 John Lennon and Paul McCartney visited the Stones' rehearsal there and gave them 'I Wanna Be Your Man', released as the band's second single that November.

MUSIC & CHARACTER

SOURCES

Details compiled from public sources. Run this venue? Get in touch to confirm or correct the listing.

1. https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/people-places/4525038-photographs-of-the-unveiling-of-the-ken-colyer-blue-plaque-at-studio-51-11-12-great-newport-street-wc1 (official website)Supports: The National Jazz Archive holds photographs of the unveiling of the Ken Colyer plaque at Studio 51, 11-12 Great Newport Street.
2. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/i-wanna-be-your-man/ (news article)Supports: In early September 1963 John Lennon and Paul McCartney came to the Stones' rehearsal at Studio 51 and gave them 'I Wanna Be Your Man', which became the Stones' second single in November 1963.
3. https://www.westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/green_plaque_full_list.pdf (official website)Supports: A Westminster green plaque at 11-12 Great Newport Street records that Studio 51 was in the basement and that Ken Colyer played New Orleans jazz there from 1950 to 1973.
4. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Melody-Maker/60s/63/Melody-Maker-1963-04-27-S-OCR.pdf (news article)Supports: In spring 1963 the Ken Colyer Jazz Club at Studio 51 billed the Rolling Stones for its Sunday-afternoon rhythm and blues sessions.