IN a late change brought about by Vin Garbutt's illness, vocal harmony group Cockersdale will replace him on the launch night of the Black Swan Folk Club's spring season in York.

Ironically, Cockersdale had to pull out of a Black Swan booking last year when band member John O'Hagan was unwell. "So we're doubly delighted that they can perform for us on Thursday," says club organiser Roland Walls. "John is back in good health and fine voice, and he'll be joined by Val Marsden and Graham Pirt for a night of rousing unaccompanied songs."

At its regular meeting place of the Black Swan Inn in Peasholme Green, the club seeks to foster new young folk musicians and singers, partly through its annual Young Performers' Night, held this year on February 24. The all-student bill comprises a cappella singer Laura Hockenhull, Radio 2 Folk Awards finalist KTB (alias singer-songwriter Katy Bennett) and multi-instrumental Newcastle University trio Roll A Penny.

Further fresh faces will be folk trio Isambarde, whose youthful line-up on March 31 includes former club resident performer Emily Sanders on vocals, fiddle and viola. Young Edinburgh three-piece Fine Friday were last seen in York playing with John McCusker and Kate Rusby, and now the club has booked the return of fiddler Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Irish-born flautist Nuala Kennedy and Orcadian guitarist and singer Kris Drever for April 21.

At the other end of the age scale, veteran singer, songwriter and raconteur Harvey Andrews has 40 years to his name on the folk circuit. His 2002 visit to the Black Swan was a sell-out and his March 17 concert is expected to follow suit.

A cappella trio Artisan, meanwhile, are celebrating their 20th anniversary by taking their smooth and humorous brand of vocal harmonies around their favourite venues, including the Black Swan on April 14.

As ever, the club has hunted down rising talent from beyond British shores, and this spring's debut bookings are singer-songwriter Donal O'Connor from Roscommon, Ireland, on March 3 and Massachusetts singer Debra Cowan on March 24.

Away from the Black Swan Inn, the club is once more linking up with the National Centre for Early Music in Walmgate for a series of concerts. As part of the 20th Jorvik Viking Festival, bardic harpist and storyteller Robin Williamson, of The Incredible String Band, performs songs and stories drawn from Celtic and Norse legend on February 18, supported by Glima, a female folk trio from Telemark, Norway.

Last Night's Fun, left, "the best traditional Irish band based in England", play the NCEM on February 22; Blazin' Fiddles, five young Scottish fiddlers, a guitar player and a pianist, follow up their sold-out 2002 concert, with another York visit on March 15; and Tim Van Eyken, of Waterson:Carthy, Robert Harbron, Benji Kirkpatrick and Paul Sartin team up as the all-English Dr Faustus on April 13 (8pm).

Doors open at 8pm at the Black Swan, where concerts are pay-at-the-door only, except for Harvey Andrews and Artisan (tickets available on club nights and from Cassady's Records, Gillygate). National Centre concerts start at 7.30pm unless stated; box office 01904 658338.

Updated: 15:29 Thursday, February 10, 2005