Humphrey Lyttelton, well-known bandleader, trumpeter, and clarinetist, swung his band into York on Saturday night and delighted the sell-out audience at the York Theatre Royal with a feast of jazz.

Dressed in a pair of red checked trousers and a white satin tie, this charming man took centre stage to lead his very talented band of musicians from one foot tapping number to another.

Humph really is something of a wag, and between numbers he could not resist regaling us with anecdotes from 'the old days'.

The humour was gentle and intelligent, and with trumpet in hand it was as if you were being transported back in time to a wartime concert party to be entertained by a sane Spike Milligan.

Unintentionally, Lyttelton brings to your attention how much England has changed over the course of his career, and no better example of why change takes place is than in the man himself, a former Eton schoolboy whose life was transformed by listening to the likes of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

It is the Ellington influence that seems to be the constant in his work and the most pleasing to listen to, unlike his voice!

Well he did warn us. With the aid of a piece of paper Humph sang one verse of Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone, and then at the end of the song used the same piece of paper as a prop to scat through a couple of choruses.

You see, you just can't help but like the man.

This gentleman of jazz will be 83 next month, so happy birthday, Humph, but too bad, you will be talked about, very fondly, for a very long time.

Updated: 09:49 Monday, April 19, 2004