THE latest to join the growing number of young jazz singers is Gwyneth Herbert, with partner Will Rutter on guitar. As Gwyn and Will they have a new album, First Songs, produced by Ian Shaw and featuring special guests Jamie Cullum and Guy Barker and they are beginning to make waves.

Tonight (13th) Gwyn and Will hit the Northern scene at Wakefield Jazz. Details from 01924 782339.

Tomorrow night (14th) the big band Modernaires Orchestra will hold a St Valentine's Dance at the Folk Hall, New Earswick. Big bands are a rare pleasure - grab the chance to dance and call Peter Mouncey (01904 410507) for more details.

Also tomorrow night (14th) two of the world's finest alto saxophonists meet on-stage at the Shire Hall, Howden. Best known for his involvement in the 1950s West Coast jazz scene in California, American Herb Geller is still playing, better than ever. He will be joined tomorrow by Britain's best, Alan Barnes and his quintet. Phone 01430 431535.

Sunday lunchtime jazz with Tim New at the York Hilton has returned. A short step away, swinging down Nunnery Lane there is jazz at the Victoria Vaults from 3pm to 6pm. This Sunday the vocalist will be the first lady of York jazz, Joan Whitehead.

The Sunday night (15th) jam session at the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, rounds off your jazz weekend.

On Monday night, the youthful Nina and Karl will be at York's newest boozer, the Rook And Gaskill, Lawrence Street.

Scarborough Jazz at Scholars on Tuesday features a band of twentysomethings from Leeds, fronted by Hannah Merriden (flute and tenor saxophone) and Naadia Sherif (keyboards). Phone 01723 379818 for details.

The second Black Swan jam session of the week is on Wednesday at 8.30pm and Bejazzled, with Tim New, Don Lodge and Mike Riley, will be at the Old White Swan on Thursday.

Two new CDs make an interesting comparison of how a jazz guitarist plays with a string orchestra. British-born guitar legend John McLaughlin's career has ranged from the electric band of Miles Davis, to his own Eastern influenced Mavahishnu Orchestra and collaborations with Indian and Spanish musicians. On Thieves and Poets (Emarcy), he plays acoustic guitar set against a large symphony orchestra, with solo violin, cello, clarinet and timpani on the title piece.

I must admit to a personal difficulty here. After the supreme creation of Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo, and the playing of Segovia and John Williams, where else can you go with solo guitar and orchestra?

The final four tracks are easier meat for the jazz fan, four pieces dedicated to great jazz pianists, played by five guitars and one bass guitar. Despite McLaughlin's grin on the CD booklet, the man takes himself far too seriously.

After Blood On The Floor (1996), American guitarist John Scofield presents a second collaboration with heavyweight British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage, Scorched (Deutsche Grammophone 20/21 ).

Turnage has scored compositions from Scofield's electric guitar albums for jazz trio, big band and symphony orchestra.

Turnage often employs a device used by Bernstein in West Side Story (Jet Song), of tossing the melody from section to section, one note each, to create a challenging expectancy. The big band and orchestra voicings further recall West Side Story, with occasional hints of Sondheim in Sweeney Todd mode, jagged stabs of percussion and brass.

Inevitably, there are orchestral voicings reminiscent of Gil Evans' work with Miles Davis, particularly on the Evans tribute Gil B643.

Classical concert goers will accept these two recordings more readily than jazz fans, although the jazz element is more significant on Scorched. My own feeling is that outside of hardcore guitar fanatics, they will attract little attention.

Updated: 09:07 Friday, February 13, 2004