THE Old White Swan, in Goodramgate, York, is making much more of music. The bands are back in the larger room and there is a new food menu and a jazz club feel. Tonight will be Bejazzled night with guitarist Mike Riley, from 8pm to 10.30pm (01904 540911).

Also tonight at the Phoenix Inn, George Street, Paul Baxter has announced Silver Thursday, although unlike City Screen on Coney Street, the gig will not be limited to senior citizens. Paul’s 5 Pieces of Silver will expand to a seven-piece, with the addition of Matt Ball (trombone) and Stuart Macdonald (baritone saxophone) and the music will come from the 1996 Horace Silver album The HardBop GrandBop.

The Ian Chalk Quartet returns to the Phoenix on Sunday at 8.30pm and a new duet album with pianist Dan Clarkson, The Nearness of Two. Listen, download and buy at ianchalk.net and the generous Mr Chalk has offered ten per cent discount to Press readers if they quote ‘yorkpress’ at checkout.

On Monday, Kate Peters brings her great Quartet to the Phoenix and the Wednesday jam session, fronted by Chris Moore and James Lancaster, continues to pack ‘em in.

Bob Mason’s Swingplicity is well known from playing at the Harrogate Brasserie, Rudding Park and others and tomorrow he will bring the trio to Lady Anne Middleton’s Hotel at 8pm.

Wakefield Jazz has the Al Wood Nine tomorrow night, with multi-instrumentalist Al, five saxophones and rhythm section (01977 680542).

Jazz in the Spa on Saturday night features the Frenchman Street Jazz Band (01937 842636).

On Sunday, John Marley’s trio plays at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, from 1pm (01904 620222), while the fabulous Blueflies have a gig at the Fulford Arms, Fulford Road from 4pm (01904 620410), with free Yorkshire puds and gravy.

Karl Mullen (piano) and Jen Low (vocals) are at the Waggon and Horses, Lawrence Street, from 7pm (01904 637478) and Ian Chalk’s Quartet rounds off Sunday at the Phoenix at 8.30pm.

New in town is the Keir Hall Jazz Band advertised on Wednesday 8 May at Zizzi’s Restaurant, Lendal, York (01904 644000). Scarborough Jazz on Wednesday at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace (01723 500570) features the entertaining Jon Taylor.

REVIEW

Joshua Redman, Walking Shadows (Nonesuch) For his fifth recording with Nonesuch, Redman wheels out Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade, the quartet floating over sumptuous string orchestra on several tracks.

The theme is ballads and the choices are impeccable, from The Folks Who Live On The Hill, to Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life and Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust. JS Bach has a brief showing with Adagio, reminiscent of those old TV cigar ads, and Redman switches from tenor sax to soprano for Wayne Shorter’s delicious Infant Eyes. Lennon and McCartney’s Let It Be continues the slow ballad mood for the quartet, while the other pop incursion, Stop This Train (John Mayer/Pino Palladino) ventures up tempo. Although many tunes are in slow minor keys, the energy and Mehldau’s arrangements give real momentum to this high-quality album.

• DIARY DATE: The vibrant Brass Jaw come to the National Centre for Early Music on May 17 (01904 658338).