YORK piano ace Karl Mullen thrust himself into the public eye by being the first person I know who took an upright piano on to the streets of York as an energetic busker.

On first hearing as I walked down Coney Street, I thought some highly talented pianist was playing in a room with an open window on an upper storey. It was only when I turned into St Helen's Square that I spied the young finger-busting Karl playing outside Bettys.

Since then Karl has been snapped up by various venues in York, such as the Pizza Express and the Black Swan jam sessions on Wednesdays and Sundays. With his partner Nina making the duo Fine and Mellow, Karl also plays at the Rook and Gaskill on Lawrence Street on Monday nights in York.

This weekend he will be taking his considerable talents over to Wakefield, Leeds and Huddersfield. On Saturday (26th) afternoon Karl will be playing at the Wakefield Grand Opera House caf and on Sunday lunchtime at the Head of Steam pub in Huddersfield. On Sunday (27th) night he will be joined by fellow-Yorkie, saxophonist Jools Salter at the Grove pub in Leeds.

On what looks like a two-man jazz crusade, Jools and Karl have expanded further into a new venue, which they title Jazz In The Sticks, at the Farmers Inn, Brafferton Helperby on Thursday nights. Another one to add to your jazz diary.

Carol Addy is also spreading the jazz word out of York this weekend, when together with her group Finesse, she will be appearing at Castle Howard. Carol will appear from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday and the venue will be the Boar Garden, or indoors in the Grecian Room if the weather is unkind.

Tonight's Jazz at the Cairn hotel, Harrogate, features that rare beast, a big band, in the form of the Ellington Experience Orchestra, led by Leeds College of Music tutor Tony Faulkner. Details from 01423 504005.

Tomorrow night Jazz in the Spa presents the Chicago Teddy Bears Society Jazz Band. The venue is the Trustees Hall, High Street, Boston Spa. Details from 01937 842544.

Howden Live will present the blues, R&B and swing of James O'Hara's detonators at the Shire Hall tomorrow night. Call 01430 431535 for more details.

Frank Brooker is one of our region's best-loved saxophone players and audiences never tire of his powerful and eloquent playing. Frank will be playing at Scarborough Jazz on Tuesday. Details from 01723 379818.

Updated: 16:06 Thursday, June 24, 2004