WITH many jazz clubs in our region closing for the summer, there are fewer out of town listings to pass on. However, Dame Fortune continues to favour the City of York with a robust programme of live jazz nights throughout the week.

First up is jazz at the Victoria Vaults, Nunnery Lane, which runs from 3pm every Sunday.

This Sunday, you will have time to amble round to the Yorkboat embarkation point for the Summer Jazz Cruise on the Ouse. The cruise will board at 7.30pm, to sail at 8pm and along with music by the Mardi Gras Band there will be an extensive choice of food at the upper deck barbecue. Call Yorkboat for more information on 01904 628324.

If the Jazz Cruise is fully booked, make your way to the weekly jam session at the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, for some tasty grooves.

Your Monday date with jazz will be at the Rook and Gaskill, Lawrence Street, where you will find the youthful, but accomplished, duo of Nina Zagorsky and Karl Mullen as Fine And Mellow. Expect great originals and standards, plus boogie and bop.

On Wednesday, if you hit the right week at the Old Orleans restaurant, Ousegate, you will find John Addy's Some Like It Hot playing fine swing and tasty ballads in their fortnightly residency. If you hit the wrong week, make a big, red note in your diary.

Your next York date will be on Thursday at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate, where two bands operate a long-running and alternating weekly residency. Next Thursday's attraction is the Don Lodge Band which, alongside the solid rhythm guitar of Don, usually features the saxophone of Tim New, the outstanding lead guitar of Mike Riley and one of York's foremost bass guitarists, Dave Scarth.

Out of town, Jazz at the Spa continues to plough its trad furrow. Tomorrow night's band will be the New Orleans Wiggle, needless to say not from New Orleans, but from the Pennine area. More details from 01937 842544.

If your jazz tastes are a little more refined, York-based saxophonist/flautist Jools Slater will be fronting an interesting band in Leeds at The Grove Inn, Back Lane. The band, Ventura, features smooth, dark, rich and full-bodied jazz grooves (Jools' own words). The mix will be of originals, with some classic West Coast pieces, coloured with mid-Western blues and a dash of Ronnie Jordan (come on, try to keep up now). The music will be enhanced by the guest appearance of violinist Dave Camrass.

This one sounds to be worth gathering up a car-full of mates, nominating a driver, and finding a Leeds City street plan for. As George Clinton (the musician, no relation to the politician) said, "you've got to get up to GIT DOWN!" So, get up offa that armchair and git up after those feisty Yorkie boys and their compadres.

On Tuesday, Northern Ireland-born vocalist Kelly Dickson comes direct from New York to bring her unique talents to Scarborough Jazz at Scholars and to promote her new CD. Call 01723 379818 for more details.

Updated: 15:52 Thursday, July 22, 2004