In the beginning there was the 2000 York Live Music Festival, part of the BBC Music Live celebrations to mark the Millennium.

The event went so well, the BBC decided to host its 2001 BBC Music Live festival in York, Leeds and Bradford, the national focus falling entirely on Yorkshire.

Wishing to maintain the momentum, City of York Council leisure services held a third York Live Music Festival last year, this time to tie in with The Queen's golden jubilee celebrations.

Now comes the biggest musical jamboree yet, indeed the biggest and most diverse celebration of music in the city since 1988, the last four-yearly York Festival before it regrettably disappeared into the annals of council history.

York Live Music Festival, the 2003 model, will present 50 events throughout May, ranging from Shed Seven's three-night residency at Fibbers from May 15 to 17 to jazz saxophonist Soweto Kinch at the National Centre for Early Music on May 24; Joan Armatrading at the Barbican Centre, May 11, to The Big Stage free concert with the Goosehorns and Huge in Parliament Street, May 26; Clive James and Pete Atkin at York Theatre Royal, May 29, to the Kushti Boat Dance club night, boarding at Lendal Bridge on May 26.

Further Barbican highlights will be the City of York Guildhall Orchestra, May 17; and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, May 22; jazz highs include the James Taylor Quartet, Fibbers, May 5; trumpeter Guy Barker's International Septet at Temple Hall, St John College, May 23; John Warren's Brass Section, National Centre for Early Music, May 25; and Jacques Loussier Trio, Theatre Royal, May 30.

Asian music is represented by Uyghur Music from the Kashgar region of China, at the NCEM on May 4, and underground act Earthtribe with Teymour Housego, in the Basement Bar of City Screen, York, on May 24; folk by Emily Slade on May 8 and John Kirkpatrick, on May 29, both at the Black Swan.

The festival pools the resources of City of York Council; the J Night York International Jazz Series; York Theatre Royal, the National Centre for Early Music; the Barbican Centre; the University of York, World Sound, Cube Media studios, BBC Radio York and City Screen, York. The Black Swan Folk Club, Fibbers live music bar, Harkers Bar, Tang Hall Community Centre, Tempest Anderson Hall, York St John College, Casa Bar and Lendal Cellars.

York schools will be involved too, making music under the banner of The Music Celebration for broadcast on Radio York, and free community activities include the re-launch of Tang Hall Community Centre with a day of dancing, live bands, stalls and activities on May 17 and the Music Circus workshops in Parliament Street and St Sampson Square on May 25.

City of York arts officer Wesley Zepherin enthuses at the size of the festival in store. "Originally we were thinking of doing a two-week event but it just got bigger and bigger. So we thought 'Well, there's so much going on, let's extend it to a full month'," he says.

"In fact it's going to be a full month and an extra day, June 7, when Cube Media are presenting the all-day event Barbicube."

The festival aims to appeal to city and visitor alike. "It is primarily for the people of York but it's also about bringing people into York, and we want to show people what's happening here, whether they'll be coming or not," says Wesley.

Despite the Early Music Festival, Late Music Festival, cutting-edge musical technology at the University of York and an increasingly strong programme at the Barbican Centre, York is not deemed by outsiders to be a musical hotbed. However, York Live Music Festival has become an avenue to challenge such perceptions and will continue to do so.

"It's too early to say what kind of festival we might do next year," says Wesley. "That's partly dependent on how next month goes. This festival will raise the profile, but whether we do another month-long event in 2004 will be decided by how well this one goes.

"The good thing is that we can change the format. This is the fourth year and each one has been different. Seeing how each one works and getting the best out of each one is the way forward. So next year could be something completely different or it could be a variation on this year's format.

"Hopefully we can use this festival to establish partnerships for future years, and that's one thing all the steering committee members are keen on: developing the festival and music in the city generally."

Brochures have been distributed throughout York. Full details of the events are available at council receptions and leisure venues.

Updated: 09:50 Friday, April 11, 2003