CAN green men sing the pinks? Can blue men sing the greens? Or as the original question has it: can white men sing the blues?

On Monday night on BBC Radio 2, Britain’s highest-paid TV actor, Hugh Laurie, became a blues man, a knowledgeable pianist and singer, ranging from Leadbelly to Champion Jack Dupree, in a live show from the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Tonight York’s newest blues band, Bluesaloon, will feature some fleet-fingered frets at the Victoria Vaults, Nunnery Lane (01904 654307), with two temporary changes in line-up. Bert Sawdon (Bass) and Dave Cook (drums) will join guitarists Pete Hull and John Hall in a reunion which goes back to the 1980s in the regarded Bert’s Band – a great treat.

Tomorrow night Jazz In The Spa welcomes New Orleans Heat, playing mainly in the old New Orleans-style jazz of Bunk Johnson and George Lewis (01937 842636).

On Sunday lunchtime, two York venues jostle for your attention with tempting jazz and food.

Kennedy’s Café Bar has Zezo Olimpio’s Trio from 1pm (01904 620222), while the Royal York Hotel has a carvery with Rat Pack music (01904 653681).

Sunday night jazz is at the Phoenix, George Street, with one of the regions finest bands, the Ian Chalk Quartet (01904 656401). Download their debut album, First Days, from iTunes or order from info@ianchalk.net The Wednesday night jam session is fronted by James Lancaster and Chris Moore.

Jazz returns to the Bell, Driffield, on Tuesday with the Jazzbos, an unusual, entertaining line-up of Graham Galtry on clarinet, Vince Turton on tuba, plus guitar and trombone.

Scarborough Jazz has just published the full programme for the Scarborough Jazz Festival (September 23 to 25), once again compered by Alan Barnes. Best-known will be the Jacques Loussier Trio, but you will find more details from scarboroughjazzfestival.co.uk

Regular jazz at the Cask, Scarborough, continues on Wednesday with York’s Ben Beattie on soprano , alto and tenor saxophones (01723 500570). Ben has been an artist in residence at the Harrogate Festival and was heard last month with his own band at the World Vision Japan Appeal gig at Post Office Club.

Thursday jazz in York is at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate, with the Mardi Gras Band (01904 540911). The University of York Spring Festival begins next Wednesday and the jazz highlight will be on Friday at the City Screen Basement, Coney Street (01904 541144). Drummer Dave Smyth and bass player Paul Baxter are joined by a special guest, saxophonist Iain Ballamy. Iain came to fame through the iconoclastic Loose Tubes Orchestra and this will be a rare visit from an international star.


Review...

Urban Theme Park (Basho Records) is a new album from saxophone star Julian Siegel and his quartet, with Liam Noble (piano/keyboards), Oli Hayhurst (double bass) and American drummer Gene Calderazzo.

Siegel is an award-winning multi-reed player and composer, who has worked with Hermeto Pascoal, Django Bates and Kenny Wheeler among others. Album opener Six Four is a joyful melody with infectious swing, Siegel’s tenor saxophone taking flight with Noble’s piano, simultaneously following dancing melodic lines which compliment each other in an empathetic journey. One For J T name-checks pianist John Taylor, adding playful influences of Brazilian master, Hermeto Pascoal, in its cheerfully syncopated melody. Calderazzo joins in with some powerhouse creativity, confirming his position as one of the top drummers around.

The delicate ballad Heart Song has Siegel on clarinet, not often heard in contemporary jazz, is in cola voce mode with piano. Calderazzo whispering in with brushes brings the realisation of how beautifully this album is recorded, different effects from cymbals, snare drum and hi-hat. Urban Theme Park emerges as an important album for 2011.