CHRIS McNulty is an Australian singer who has lived in the USA since 1988.

Her CDs list a formidable roll-call of US jazz stars as accompanists, including George Mraz and Randy Brecker, and as well as singing the great American songbook, she also writes lyrics, the best-known being words for Miles Davis' Blue In Green.

Pianist Andrei Kondakov is similarly cosmopolitan. He has spent some time playing in New York, but was brought up in St Petersburg, where he still lives, runs a jazz club and teaches at the Mussorgski College of Music.

There will be two chances to hear this intriguing pair this weekend. Tonight (21st) they will appear at Wakefield Jazz (call 01977 680542 for details) and tomorrow (22nd) Howden Live will present them at the Shire Hall, Market Place, Howden.

Blues fans will be interested by next Wednesday's (26th) gig at the Shire Hall, when Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, co-vocalists with The Blues Band, will appear as a duo. Details of the Shire Hall from 01430 431535.

Ex-York tenor saxophonist Rob Lavers will be embarking on a national tour shortly, thanks to the Arts Council-funded Jazz Services. The tour coincides with the release of a new album, Stretch, which features new material written by Rob over the past two years. Tomorrow night, the Rob Lavers Quartet will swing into the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, York, for a first bite at their Yorkshire tour of five dates. More details next week of their February dates.

Boston Spa has hosted one of the longest-running Saturday night jazz venues in the region. Previously at the Crown Hotel, nowadays Jazz in the Spa has established a sound base at the Trustees Hall, High Street. Tomorrow night's band, the Harmony Hounds, has become a favourite in Boston Spa, an entertaining band playing music from the 1920s and 1930s. The Trustees Hall is unlicensed, so you are invited to take your own drinks. Details from 01937 842544.

Sunday night is jazz jam night at the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, York, and on Monday Nina and Karl play Fine and Mellow at the Rook and Gaskill, Lawrence Street, York.

Scarborough Jazz pushes the boat out with saxophone star Alan Barnes on Tuesday, in company with the Pat McCarthy Trio. Barnes has amassed a shelf full of jazz awards in recent years and, in his role as compere for the Scarborough Jazz festival for the past two years, he is becoming quite a feature in the town. Guitarist McCarthy is one of the guiding hands behind the Grimsby and Cleethorpes jazz festivals and his various bands regularly tour the country and major London venues. This one will be a treat - call 01723 379818 for details.

Updated: 16:04 Thursday, January 20, 2005