Tonight is big band night in Wakefield and Leeds, with the Ripon Grammar School Big Band at Wakefield Jazz (01924 253202) and Colin Byrne’s Leeds Jazz Orchestra at Heart (formerly Headingley Primary School).

The Ripon School Band is directed by famed local trumpeter James Lancaster and has already appeared at several jazz festivals. Colin’s band will play mainly Duke Ellington material in their second half and Heart is on Bennett’s Lane LS6 3H.

Blues music tonight in York will be at the Winning Post, Bishopthorpe Road with BlueSaloon (01904 625228). This will be a charity gig in aid of the Flying Ambulance Service. BlueSaloon is joined by female blues singer Lesley Chambers on Sunday, at the Victoria Vaults, Nunnery Lane, at 4pm (01904 564307).

The latest jazz event at the National Centre for Early Music will be the Dave Newton Trio tomorrow night (01904 6588338). He has been voted best jazz pianist for nine years running in the British Jazz Awards.

Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz is into its 27th year playing traditional and Dixieland jazz, with early classic numbers from King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton. Tomorrow night they will swing into Jazz in the Spa, in Boston Spa. (01937 842636).

Sunday jazz in York begins with Brazilian pianist Zezo Olimpio at Kennedy`s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, at 1pm (01904 620222) and continues with an evening session with the Ian Chalk Quartet at the Phoenix Inn, George Street at 8.30pm (01904 656401).

The Phoenix justifies its Jazz Yorkshire Pub jazz award with the return of the Andy Cox Quartet, Chris Moore (piano) and James Lancaster (trumpet) at the regular Wednesday jam session and, on Thursday, with the acclaimed Joel Purnell Quartet.

J Night will present a Sunday afternoon gig (1pm) with the Threads Orchestra at Pave Café Bar in Hull (01482 333181). The group includes Mercury Award nominee, pianist Kit Downes.

Scarborough Jazz has been running for over 20 years and Wednesday’s guest will be Jim Birkett (01723 500570). One of the most talented jazz guitarists on the circuit, Jim has played with US players such as Scott Hamilton and Kenny Davern.

On Thursday, York fans have to choose between Bejazzled and Mike Riley at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate (01904 540911) and Jules And The Gang at the Victoria Vaults, Nunnery Lane (01904 654307). Ron Burnett

REVIEW

The Avalon Trio, Forlana (Marquetry Records)

Introduced to the Avalon Trio, I expected to hear an energetic gypsy-jazz album.

Nothing could be further from the truth, except the vintage of some of their source material. Tony Woods, saxophone and flute, Pete Churchill, piano and Rob Millett, percussion, have addressed the harmonic links of English 20th century classical music and contemporary jazz.

Together with a couple of tracks of their own, works by Delius, Finzi and Vaughn Williams are given the Avalon treatment.

Technique is flawless, but not showy, and arrangements are thoughtful. It is interesting that there is no string bass in the line-up, which perhaps explains the busyness of the piano. This is an album that could be filed variously in your CD collection: classical, jazz, and happy mood music.

Avalon are touring the UK, the nearest date to us the Darby Jazz Club (9 September). With their mixed appeal they would have been ideal at the National Early Music Centre. Having listened carefully to the album, it becomes clear that the trio looked to Arthurian links when choosing their name.

Don Lodge