Wakefield Jazz has pulled off a real coup tonight (26th) in bagging the Avishai Cohen Quartet, an international touring band, fresh from the Glasgow Festival and Ronnie Scott's Club.

Avishai came to international notice with Chick Corea's Original and New Trio and he has played with Pat Metheny, Roy Hargrove and Herbie Hancock.

The quartet is completed by saxophone, keyboards and drums.

Remember that the next two Fridays at Wakefield Jazz are ticket only nights.

Claire Martin and Ian Shaw will be at the Club on December 3, while the No No Nonet, chock-full of top British jazzers and led by Alan Barnes, will be on Friday, December 10. For full details call 01977 680542.

York's Martin Boyd will be at Jazz In The Spa tomorrow night (27th), with the usual mix of Dixieland, swing and rhythm and blues from his Kid Boyd Jazz Band. The venue will be the Trustees Hall, High Street, Boston Spa. More details on 01937 842544.

Also on Saturday night (27th), Howden Live presents blues and swing with Memo Gonzales and the Bluescasters at the Shire Hall. Call 01430 431535 for details.

The celebrated J Night Series of jazz concerts comes up to date with the Abram Wilson Sextet, playing in Hull on Sunday, November 28, and in York on Friday, December 3.

Abram is a talented trumpeter and vocalist from New Orleans, seen already with the bands of Soweto Kinch and Denys Baptiste, who incorporates hip-hop with rhythmic jazz grooves.

Sunday's concert is at the Hull Truck Theatre at 7.30pm (tel:01482 323638) and Friday's is at National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret's Church, Walmgate (tel: 01904 658338).

Scarborough Jazz will highlight the guitar talents of Jim Birkett on Tuesday, November 30, at Scholars Bar. Call Marian and Mike for more details on 01723 379818.

Not too long ago, in hip American parlance, if something was 'bad' it was really good. Which could have something to do with the name of the American power piano trio, The Bad Plus.

Following their storming appearance on BBC 2's Later With Jools Holland earlier in the year, the trio are back here on an eight-date British tour, stretching the boundaries of the piano trio in every direction.

The recently-released Columbia CD, Give, consolidates The Bad Plus as one of the most innovative jazz trios, with their re-construction of pop and rock classics by Nirvana, Blondie and Aphex Twin, alongside the band's original compositions.

To see what all the fuss is about, get over to Leeds Jazz at The Wardrobe next Wednesday, December 1.

Early booking is recommended, since news will have spread of the last exciting appearance of the Bad Plus for Leeds Jazz, "edgy, anarchic and totally accessible".

There is more excitement in Leeds on the following night, Thursday, December 2, when award-winning trumpeter Bruce Adams will appear with the Leeds College of Music Big Band. Directed by Al Wood, Bruce and the Band will appear at the Venue, at the College at 7.30pm. More details from the box office on 0113 222 3434.

Updated: 15:48 Thursday, November 25, 2004