The last few tickets may still be available for the Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival from the Festival office (01262 490324) and from burtonagnes.com

The first session tonight is Octopus at 6.30pm, Zena James at 8.15pm and a late night blues session. Saturday begins at 1pm with the Lemon Monkeys (Matt Smith and Carlos Olmos), the Zoe Gilbey Quartet and a Horace Silver tribute from the Give A Little Love Jazz Orchestra. The big name on Saturday is Stacey Kent from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and the late night session features the Mississippi Mudbloods.

Sunday has the popular Rob Law/ Tom Whitworth Quartet, Tribute to Atlantic Jazz and Sean Taylor. The day is rounded off by York’s own Ben Beattie’s Jazz Essentials, plus festival organiser Simon Cunliffe-Lister on saxophone at 3.15pm.

Drummer Dave Smyth is a distinguished music graduate from the University of York, now at the Royal Academy in London, and he brings his Quartet to the north this weekend.

Tonight the band will be at TATP Jazz, Bradford, at 8.30pm, on Saturday at Dock Street Market Café, Leeds, at 1.30pm and Sunday at Pave Café Bar, Hull, 2pm. The last two gigs are free entry and the band will feature York’s star double-bassist John Marley, Sam Watts (piano) and Matthew Herd (alto/soprano saxophones). Call Dave on 07731 311975 for more details.

Jazz In The Spa presents a charity evening tomorrow night in support of organiser Tim Mallison, who has worked tirelessly over the years as booker of the bands. The music comes from the Chicago Teddy Bears Society Jazz Band, one of the most entertaining traditional bands on the circuit (01937 842544). The charity will be the British Polio Fellowship.

Brazilian pianist Zezo Olimpio graduated summa cum laude in Jazz Composition and Film Scoring from the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, USA. His trio is now resident at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, York, from 1pm every Sunday (01904 620222). Ian Chalk`s Quartet takes on the Sunday jazz baton at 8.30pm at the Phoenix Inn, George Street, York.

Monday night sees the return of jazz quartet The Central Scrutineers to the Phoenix, playing the music of Monk, Mingus and Wayne Shorter. Pianist Chris Moore has pulled together some of his favourite musicians, Mike Cox (tenor saxophone), Georg Rueschenneyer (bass) and a drummer to be announced.

York’s friendliest jam session is every Wednesday, also fronted by Chris Moore with James Lancaster (trumpet). All Phoenix jazz news is on 01904 656401 or phoenixinnyork@live.co.uk

Scarborough Jazz runs every Wednesday at The Cask, Cambridge Terrace, and next week’s guests will be saxophonist Stuart McDonald (01723 500570).