Emma Smith highlighted a ‘lost’ Disney song from the movie Cinderella [Monika Jakuboska]

WOW! That was my first thought walking into the refurbished space above the venerable Frith Street institution that is Ronnie Scott’s. I had previewed the re-opening of “Upstairs”, studied the CGI images, read the accounts and seen the photographs of the opening night but… well, wow!

In the flesh it is something else. It’s like meeting an ugly duckling friend who has transformed into a glammed-up swan.

If Downstairs is (to me anyway) like coming home, Upstairs is like checking into a swish and swanky hotel. Money has clearly been spent. The shape is still problematic in some areas – the sightlines from the impressive bar aren’t always great – but the main body of the club, with its mix of banquettes, booths and tables, is pretty fabulous, with excellent views of the scarlet-curtained stage, which looks like something from Agent Cooper’s dreams in Twin Peaks.

I was there for the inaugural vocal evening, featuring pianist Jamie Safir and his band with two stalwarts of the Downstairs stage – Emma Smith, whose Christmas shows have become a club fixture, and Natalie Williams. The latter is not only a regular in the main room but fronts the entertaining touring show The Ronnie Scott’s Story which, among other things, keep the Guv’nor’s famed deadpan jokes alive.

Both are, as Jamie correctly pointed out, internationally prominent powerhouse vocalists who are in the same orbit, but rarely perform together, so there was a real sense of occasion in the room.

Powerhouse vocalist Natalie Williams

After a brief intro from the band, we were treated to the duo’s versions of tunes such I’m Gonna Live Till I Die (an exhubrant Frank Sinatra single from 1955) and a cute rendition of Bobby Timmins/Oscar Brown Jr’s Dat Dere, in which Natalie winningly gave us her inner child’s voice.

In fact, their tone and timbres are very similar. This was not so much duelling divas as supportive siblings – Emma pointed out that their respective Siris can’t tell them part.

After a session of duets and some rigorous scatting exchanges, each singer took a solo spot.

Emma – who, in her figure-accentuating dress looked like a mix of Jessica Rabbit, Nigella Lawson and Rita Hayworth, albeit it a vision that could not only carry a tune but toss it over her shoulder and run off with it – highlighted a “lost” Disney song from the movie Cinderella. It seems I’m in the Middle of a Muddle was deleted from the film because it was thought to focus too much on the character’s misery. There was nothing miserable about Emma’s rendition here, it was all sweetness and light.

Among Natalie’s choices was a sultry slowed down – to begin with, anyway – What a Difference a Day Makes, a tune most associated with Dinah Washington. Of the pair, Natalie has the earthier, bluesier voice, which demonstrates why she’s had a weekly Downstairs gig with her Soul Family band for 19 years (expect a big party or two for the 20th anniversary).

Amid all the vocal gymnastics and jokey intros, it was perhaps easy to overlook the band’s contribution, but Jamie was as empathetic and emphatic as ever on keys, with several concise and effective solos, Flo Moore gave lyrical support on bass (and offered a brace of punchy solos) and Luke Tomlinson was a quiet storm, effortlessly switching between groove and swing as required.

Jamie Safir [@jamiesafir]

The set seemed to go by in a flash, both for audience and band, so much so they had to cut a number from the set. But I was pleased that they finished with that Iberian tongue-twister Spain, by Chick Corea, with its lovely, twisty melody – to which your brain supplies the castanets – perfectly executed by the band and singers.

So, overall, both gig and room were very impressive. The latter perhaps needs to “bed in” a little, like a new car, perhaps, but it has barely been open a week. The RS team has done well.

I have heard some grumbling about the prices, which run at around £30-40 for most shows – but have those dissenters ever been to the theatre of late? Or a West End cinema?

A night at Ronnie’s – especially the second show, when you aren’t turfed out before 8pm for the next audience and can stay till the wee small hours – is very good value for money, given the talent on show. And good tickets for Wednesday night’s regular Vocal Jazz Jam Upstairs – which will feature a rotating cast of singers, including Emma and Natalie, and usually with Jamie on piano – are £15. That’s a steal. Plus, for those, who are jazz averse, the Upstairs programme is expanding to include, gospel, Latin and even classical music.

After far too many decades of frequenting Downstairs, will I be back up those steep stairs on a regular basis? Well, yes.

I have already bought and paid for shows by the inventive nu-jazz pianist Ashley Henry (March 14), singer/guitarist Oscar Jerome (May 8 ), who wrote Kokoroko’s marvellous Abusey Junction and some memorable solo tunes, and guitarist of the moment Tom Ollendorf (May 14).

But I am not giving up on Downstairs – it’s still a unique experience, despite its flirtier little sister upstairs. So I have stumped up for the mighty M-Base maestro Steve Coleman (March 18), Emma-Jean Thackray (March 20), the hyper-entertaining singer Kurt Elling with the funky SuperBlue band (April 15) and the wonderfully laconic Ben Sidran (June 15).

It’s going to be the ruin of me this, all this. But it’ll be fun. And… wow!

• Book both Upstairs and Downstairs at Ronnie Scott’s on: https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/find-a-show