“Music washes off the dirt of everyday life”, as the legendary Art Blakey once said, and those lucky enough to be at last Friday’s gig at Wakefield Jazz emerged whiter than white and tingling fresh.

The invigorating cleansing came virtue of the Quentin Collins/Brandon Allen Quartet, playing music from their new album, What’s It Gonna Be? (Sunlightsqaure Records).

Quentin’s trumpet style is in the high energy Lee Morgan/Freddie Hubbard tradition, but he is very much his own man, fierily and fluently creative on a bunch of compositions by himself and tenor saxophonist Brandon Allen. Brandon is the hottest saxophonist on the current scene, recalling the great Tubby Hayes in virtuosity and emotional drive, ideas tumbling out pell-mell.

Ross Stanley’s Hammond organ covers bass and keyboard duties, resourceful and atmospheric and the inventive Italian drummer Enzo Zirilli is the final piece in this exciting group.

What’s It Gonna Be? (album release date May 23) is an explosive mixture of Blue Note and post-bop modern British jazz and the advance copy has just about melted the Jazz Notes hi-fi this week.

Tonight’s band at Wakefield Jazz also features Stanley, with Gareth Lockrane’s Grooveyard (01977 680542). This quintet is one of three bands Gareth runs, a septet (which won CD of the Year in the 2010 Parliamentary Jazz Awards) and a Big Band being the others.

York’s celebrated Blueflies head for the East Coast tonight to The Cask, Cambridge Terrace (01723 500570), as part of the Scarborough Blues Festival. The festival features some national top-line names over three days and Bluefly Miles will be MC for the all-day event at the Stephen Joseph Theatre on Sunday (scarboroughbluesclub.co.uk/gigs.asp).

The Cask is also the home of Scarborough Jazz every Wednesday and next week is a special presentation by Jazz Aesthetic. The band was formed by Peter Elsdon, head of jazz and popular music at Hull University, to give students an opportunity to play for a variety of audiences. The repertoire concentrates on contemporary compositions by Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin and Weather Report.

Tomorrow night Jazz In The Spa has Peter Franks’ All Star Dixielanders, with most of the band being leaders in their own right – York’s Martin Boyd among them (01937 842636). The Trustees Hall, High Street, Boston Spa, is unlicensed, so take your own tipple.

Brazilian pianist Zezo Olimpio continues his popular Sunday lunch session with his trio at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, from 1pm (01904 620222).

Across town, the monthly Jazz Sunday lunch at the Royal York Hotel offers a three-course carvery with live jazz and a 20 per cent discount for over 60s (01904 653681).

Our local contender for the Quentin Collins top trumpeter competition is the Ian Chalk Quartet at the Phoenix Inn, George Street, 8.30pm (01904 656401). Trumpeter Ian features jazz standards, his own compositions and those of other band members George Hall and Eddie Jackson. The band’s debut album First Days is worth a listen (info@ianchalk.net). Wednesday’s celebrated jam sessions continue at the Phoenix, fronted by Chris Moore (piano) and James Lancaster (trumpet).

Yorkshire’s newest jazz session is on alternate Tuesdays at the Bell Hotel, Driffield, with the Jazzbos playing dixieland and swing with an unusual line-up of clarinet, trombone, guitar and tuba.

The Old White Swan, Goodramgate, York, has been hosting live jazz every Thursday for 18 years, with Bejazzled alternating with the Mardi Gras Band. Next Thursday will be Mardi Gras Band night (01904 540911).


Diary dates

Courtney Pine Europa, York Theatre Royal, J Night, Wednesday (01904 623568); Paul Baxter is currently studying at Trinity College, London, so seize the rare chance to catch his trio at the National Centre for Early Music, York, next Friday (01904 658338).