Venue: PizzaExpress Live Soho
Town: London, GB

PizzaExpress Live Soho, formerly known as PizzaExpress Jazz Club, is a jazz club in London, England. Based in Dean Street in Soho, it is situated in the basement of a PizzaExpress restaurant, and was opened by company founder Peter Boizot in 1969. It has played host to many jazz greats, such as Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse, and Jamie Cullum. The site of the current building in Dean Street, Soho, was previously occupied by the Dispensary for Diseases of the Ear. Founded in 1816 by a Naval surgeon, John Harrison Curtis (1778-1860), the Dispensary for Diseases of the Ear - the first ear hospital in the UK if not in Europe - opened at 20 Carlisle Street under the patronage of the Prince Regent (later George IV). Shortly after this it moved to 10 Dean Street in Soho. By 1845 it was known as the Royal Ear Hospital. When larger premises were needed, it moved to 66 Firth Street in 1876, and the Dean Street building was subsequently demolished, and later (1904) the ear hospital moved to 42-43 Dean Street in purpose-built premises. The current building was constructed in 1878. The club was founded in 1976 in the basement of the PizzaExpress restaurant at 10 Dean Street by Peter Boizot, who had founded the company in 1965. Boizot sold the PizzaExpress company in 1993. The club has since been renamed PizzaExpress Live Soho. Early on, the featured UK jazz pianists such as Brian Lemon and Lennie Felix. In May 1975, the venue presented their first American jazz star, the saxophonist Bud Freeman, and other early visitors included Buddy Tate, Bob Wilber, Al Grey, Benny Carter, Ruby Braff, and Snub Mosley, who recorded an album Live At Pizza Express at the club in 1978. From 1980, the club had its own house band made up of top UK mainstream players including Digby Fairweather, Danny Moss and Tommy Whittle, known as the PizzaExpress All Stars. Over the years the club has gone on to feature many other prominent jazz musicians. It has played host to Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse, Jamie Cullu