AN UNEXPECTED pleasure for visitors to York over the holiday season is the rich programme of live music in pubs and restaurants throughout the City, much of it free. Most weeks there is a choice of seven or eight top-class gigs and the coming week is no exception.

Catch up with one of York’s most entertaining bands, the Blueflies, tomorrow at the Red Lion Rock Weekend, just off Piccadilly. Timed at 12.30pm, it will be a lunchtime slot in a whole day of music.

On Saturday night there will be traditional jazz with the Harlem Hot Stompers at Jazz In The Spa (01937 842544). The Trustees Hall is not licensed, so take your own tipple. The enterprising Spa chaps have negotiated a special rate of £49 B&B for two at the Days Inn Hotel, Junction 46 on the A1(M). Phone 01937 547557.

Sunday jazz in York begins at 1pm at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, with Brazilian pianist Zezo Olimpio and his Trio (01904 620222). Rio de Janeiro-born Zezo graduated Summa Cum Laude in composing for film at the Berklee School of Music in the USA and is an MA student at the University of York.

The unstoppable jazz machine, pianist Karl Mullen, has a new Sunday residency at the Spread Eagle, Walmgate, from 7pm to 9pm with vocalist Jen Lowe. Afterwards, a two-minute walk away in George Street, the Ian Chalk Quartet usually kicks off their regular Sunday night slot at the Phoenix Inn (01904 656401). However, vocalist Kate Peters will be taking over from trumpeter Ian for the next three weeks.

Chalkie’s quartet also has a new Tuesday residency at the swish Pavilion Hotel in Fulford on Tuesday nights, in the courtyard if fine, in the New Orleans Bar if not. Perhaps Kate is taking over this one for the next week or two, call the Pavilion for an update (01904 622099).

As a building, the Pavilion is accustomed to the sounds of music. Before becoming a hotel it was the family home of Barry Prendergast, better known as John Barry.

The Phoenix Inn has become the most consistent venue for jazz each week and the Wednesday night jam sessions are great news for budding players and singers to show their talents to a live audience. The musical safety net for any venture out on to the open mic is provided by James Lancaster (trumpet) and Chris Moore (piano).

Scarborough Jazz at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace, runs on Wednesdays and next week’s guest will be fleet-fingered guitarist Jamie Taylor (01723 500570). Jamie has worked with many leading jazz musicians, including Jim Mullen and Carlos Lopez-Real. He leads his own group and is a course leader for jazz at the Leeds College of Music.

The Old White Swan, Goodramgate, has been promoting jazz on Thursdays for over 16 years, with Bejazzled and Mike Riley alternating with the Mardi Gras Band.

Many regulars regret the move from the large central lounge into the smaller bar, but the extension of hours serving food until 10pm is valuable income for the larger room.

The continuing support of jazz fans is gratefully acknowledged by both bands. Thursday next will be Mardi Gras night (01904 540911).