JANETTE Mason may not be a familiar name, but you may have heard her keyboards with many bands visiting our region, Carol Grimes and Annie Whitehead, to name just two.

Din and Tonic is Janette's own project and she is on tour to promote her new CD, tonight bringing the band to Wakefield Jazz. To mention that Mornington Lockett is the featured saxophonist in the quartet will be enough to have you beating at the club's doors, details from 01977 680542.

Jazz in the Spa has riffled through the jazz fringe to find tomorrow night's (29th) curiosity, Paul Leegan's Lonnie Donegan Tribute Band. Donegan came on Leegan playing a tribute in cabaret in 1997 and apparently gave his permission for the show to continue. Details from 01937 842544.

Sunday night (30th) in York is jam session night at the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, and on Monday Nina and Karl play Fine and Mellow at the Rook and Gaskill, Lawrence Street.

There is unplugged blues and jazz at the Blue Tuesday Club, the Phoenix, George Street, York, with Jools Slater on saxophone. Also on Tuesday (31st), Scarborough Jazz at Scholars welcomes a first appearance by saxophonist Matt Smith, who is forging a name for himself after last year's Hull Jazz festival. His pianist is Peter Elsdon.

South African-born singer Esther Miller has been described as a cross between Shirley Horn and Annie Ross. While studying medicine in Cape Town, she encountered live jazz and underwent a dramatic career change.

Esther's pianist Gerry Spencer began his musical career as a vibes player with the Bay City Jazz Band in Bridlington. A move to Manchester and a switch to piano led to Gerry being first choice for visiting Americans such as Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon.

The Esther Miller Sextet play Hulljazz at the Goodfellowship Inn, Cottingham Road, Hull. Gerry has written some intriguing new arrangements for Esther and band, which includes Humph's saxophonist Karen Sharp. Details from 01482 346239.

While unreservedly recommending the Esther Miller Sextet, I must also trumpet praises for Mina Agosi, an Afro-French vocalist with a new CD, Zaboum!! (Candid).

Mina is the latest signing by Candid Records boss Alan Bates, who discoverered Jamie Cullum and Clare Teal.

Agosi approaches singing from the revolutionary concept of just bass and drums as backing group, which may alarm those of conservative tastes. However, Alexandre Hiele and Bertrand Perrin are the most creative bass and drums combination you could possibly hope to meet. Searching for a guide as to what to expect from Zaboum!!, if you are not familiar with mid- to late-period Betty Carter, or the barrier-busting Bjork, you will find this challenging, but ultimately rewarding stuff.

Open-minded listeners will love this mixture of originals and dramatically re-worked standards. Oh, plus a Jimi Hendrix tune, 3rd Stone From The Sun. The standards re-worked become almost totally new tunes, with Fats Waller's Ain't Misbehavin' becoming a three-part creative scat-rap experience. Duke's Caravan shows the democratic nature of the Agosi/bass/drums collaboration, an all stops out casbah experience. Charlie Shavers' Undecided has a wackily inventive solo by guest trumpeter Rob Henke, beautifully bookending Agosi's charmingly original version.

Zaboum is an astonishing and refreshing debut, perhaps not as immediately accessible as Cullum or Teal, but I am sure that Alan Bates has another bubbling success on his hands. I can't wait to hear Mina Agosi live - so far I can find only one UK date, Wednesday 13 July at the Purcell Room, London. More, please.

Updated: 16:27 Thursday, May 26, 2005