THE hottest gipsy band from the suburbs of Belgrade will spark up the new season at The Shed when Kal play Hovingham Village Hall on February 24.

"It's their first time here, and the chairs will be out for a standing gig - though we will give you a chair if you're disabled or have difficulty standing, " says Shed impresario Simon Thackray.

He has booked Kal on the recommendation of guitarist Dave Kelby.

"I've known him for some years, we've communicated about gigs and he knows a lot of gipsy bands. After seeing Kal in Belgrade, he brought them over here a year or two ago, and now he's organised this gig for The Shed, " Simon says.

What can we expect?

"They topped the European world music charts last April with music rooted in rock'n'roll attitude, fuelled on urban beats and rooted in Balkan blues, and in their wit, imagination and ability to throw disparate sounds together, they're both part of the Balkan gipsy tradition and 21st century dancefloor rebels, " says Simon.

Keeping up with the myriad exploits of the overlapping Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear becomes ever more complicated, but Simon Thackray has tracked down two new jazz offshoots.

Tom Cawley's Curios line up on March 10 with the Acoustic Ladyland keyboard player fronting a band featuring Sam Burgess from Gwyneth Herbert's band on double bass and Josh Blackmore, "the drummer of the moment".

Two nights later, The Shed welcomes Fulborn Teversham, another new project from Polar Bear drummer Sebastian Rochford, with Acoustic Ladyland's Pete Wareham on saxophone, Nick Ramm on keyboards and the vocal input of Alice Grant. Alice will be busy that evening, also performing with Polar Bear's Leafcutter John in a set of haunting vocals, acoustic guitar and Greek instrumentation.

"I'm a big fan of whatever Seb does; it's like the Sebastian Rochford music laboratory, just with different overalls each time, and I go with the moment on his music, as his energy is always extraordinary" says Simon.

He completes his season with blues singer Helen Watson and saxophonist Snake Davis's sold-out gig on April 28; the 25th anniversary tour of Jan Kopinski's Pinski Zoo on May 12; the Shed debut by jazz pianist Julian Joseph on May 19; and a brace of Snake Davis Band gigs on June 8 and 9 for The Shed's 15th birthday celebrations.

"Julian Joseph's management asked if he could play here and I said I'd be delighted but I couldn't afford it, but their retort was very quick: 'Julian wants to do it, so let's make it work'. Half the tickets have sold already, so work it does!" says Simon.

All gigs start at 8pm at Hovingham Village Hall, where doors open at 7.15pm.

Box office: 01653 668494.