BRITAIN’S music moguls will attend the debut of Liverpool swing singer Asa Murphy at the world-famous Ronnie Scott’s jazz club, in London.

Asa will perform a 40-minute set of 10 songs at the club, on Thursday, January 31, singing with Ronnie Scott’s All Stars band, watched by bosses from EMI, Sony and Universal labels.

With French-Canadian Michael Bublé the biggest-selling swing singer, recording chiefs are scouting for a European rival.

The performance, conducted by Ronnie Scott’s musical director James Peason, will showcase Asa’s talents before an audience, including the media, as he bids for international success. It will also mark his relaunch as Asa Heart, a name chosen by his new London super-agent Tony Nunn as having widest appeal to the US female album-buying market.

Tony, who organised his Ronnie Scott’s debut, approached Burt Bacharach, one of the greatest pop-ular music composers, to write the singer a new 12-track swing album.

US songwriting legends Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who scored hits for artists like Elvis and Peggy Lee, also promised five songs.

The Ronnie Scott’s show will include three songs written by Asa himself, plus Jazz Crazy, by singer/songwriter Gerard Kenny, who had a hit with the Minder theme. Ger- ard has asked his fellow New York- er and former band musician Billy Joel to produce the new album.

Although Ronnie Scott’s only has a 220-person capacity, it is the ven-ue for jazz and big band players. At least 35 of Asa’s dedicated Mersey-side fans already have tickets.

“I’ll be more than happy if I can recreate the great atmosphere of my Boxing Day evening concert at Barbacoa’s, Crosby,” says Asa, who lives in Maghull and comes from Walton. We hope to record the album in the spring, but I’m just getting on with doing my job, which is singing.”

ASA MURPHY’S Ronnie Scott’s concert, Thurs, Jan 31, at 8.20pm; Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 4HT; tel: 020 7439 0747; tickets £25 and £35. Booking also on website: www.ronniescotts.co.uk

peter.elson