THE onetime York musician hitting the headlines this week is Rob Lavers. Now based in London, Rob has been awarded a Jazz Services tour for his band, five gigs of which will be in Yorkshire.

The first will be at the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, York, on Saturday, January 22, when the Rob Lavers Quartet will be playing compositions from their new album Stretch. The emphasis is on improvisation and spontaneity, with some Latin grooves. The quartet is completed by Terry Collie on piano, Zoltan Dekeney (bass) and John Perry (drums).

Jazz Services was formed more than 20 years ago, with support from Arts Council England, and aims to encourage the growth and development of jazz in the UK. This organisation offers free services and information on education, touring, marketing and publishing and provides a valued national voice for jazz.

Tonight Wakefield Jazz welcomes Mick Hutton's new band to the Sports Club. Bass player Mick takes a complete left turn to head his own band and to lead from the front, playing steel pans and synthesisers. Appleby Jazz commissioned a suite from Mick to be performed this summer and this will be a second outing for the new band, featuring Andy Panayi, Mark Edwards and Anrie Somogyi. Details from 01977 680542.

Tomorrow night Jazz in the Spa presents Trad with the Yorkshire Stompers and the venue is the Trustees Hall, High Street, Boston Spa. Details from 01937 842544.

York trumpeter Greg Wadman heads for Scarborough Jazz on Tuesday, with demon guitarist Trevor Holroyd. Expect a swinging evening of sparkling interaction and some hot jazz standards. Details from 01723 379818.

The first new CD of 2005 to drop onto the Jazz Notes desk is the debut album by vocalist Brigitte Beraha, Prelude To A Kiss (FMR Records). As well as writing a couple of her own originals, Brigitte has arranged refreshing new takes on jazz standards such as the album title track and Love For Sale. Applause too, for her choice of a lesser-heard Jobim song, Retrato Em Branco E Preto, and Lucky To Be Me, a gem by Bernstein, Comden and Green.

Ms Beraha gives generous solo space to other members of her virtuoso band, with Ingrid Laubrock, usually heard on alto saxophone with Monica Vasconcelos, particularly appealing on tenor.

Not all singers are successful when venturing into the land of Ooblie (scat singing), but Brigitte employs it well with semi-improvised words on her own Got No Blues. Although there is perhaps too much on Annie Ross's Twisted, she essays just enough on the Beurke/Van Heusen tune, It Could Happen To You. All in all a four star album, highly recommended.

Brigitte was born in Milan, but is now London-based and gives jazz improvisation workshops at Goldsmiths College, London. For more details, contact Brigitte Beraha on 07939 547093 or go to bridgeberaha@hotmail.com

Updated: 15:55 Thursday, January 13, 2005