IT IS just over a year since the beginning of a new regime of jazz at the classy city centre hotel, Middleton’s, with Bejazzled alternating with the Mardi Gras Band each Thursday.

The hotel has undergone some major refurbishment over that period and the home of jazz is the central lounge, one of the most comfortable and welcoming venues in York.

Add York Brewery beer at pub prices and an inviting food menu for those who require and it has become quite a success story. Tonight`s music will be from the Mardi Gras Band at 8.30pm.

Sunday jazz in York begins at 1pm with John Marley (bass) and Paul Smith (drums), plus guests, at Kennedy`s Café Bar, Little Stonegate (01904 620222) and continues at 8pm, when young Mr Marley scoots across town to join with one of York`s newest line-ups in the Firebird Quartet at the Phoenix Inn, George Street (01904 656401).

Led by Ian Chalk (trumpet, flugelhorn), the band is completed by pianist Martin Longhawn and drummer Tim Carter. The Quartet has a new EP out and to listen or download go to ianchalkquartet.wordpress.com

The fabulous Blueflies will be at the newly refurbished Fulford Arms, Fulford Road, at teatime on Sunday. The pub has a new stage and PA system and food is available.

John and Tim return to the Phoenix Inn on Monday, July 21, as members of the Kate Peters Quartet and the barn-storming jazz jam continues at the George Street pub on Wednesday night.

Can it really be 30 years of Jazz in the Spa ? Yes, it can, and on Saturday night the fun continues with the traditional jazz of the Potato Head Jazz Band. Formed in Granada, Spain, in 2002, the band appeared at last year’s Birmingham Jazz Festival to great acclaim (01937 844898).

Scarborough Jazz rivals the longevity of Boston Spa and next Wednesday`s guests at the Cask Inn, Cambridge Terrace, will be vocalist Julie Edwards and guitarist Kevin Dearden, backed by the Mike Gordon Trio (01723 379818)


REVIEW

Andrew McCormack, First Light (Edition Records) ****

After the oblique approach and free jazz of McCormack`s recent album with saxophonist Jason Yarde and Elysian String Quartet, Juntos (Eyes and Ears Records) this is a return to a more melodically driven piano trio. Evidence of his classical background is still present in the atmospheric title ballad and in the ruminative loping piece, Vista.

His fluent, fleet-fingered articulation on Prospect Park and Reluctant Gift recalls those late 1950s classic trios by Andre Previn (West Side Story, My Fair Lady).

Unlike most contemporary British piano trios, which are democratic in the assigning the bass and drums as equal soloing and composing partners, McCormack`s piano leads. The rhythm duo swings along unobtrusively and New Yorkers Zack Lober (bass) and Colin Stranahan (drums) are handed a couple of cracking solos.

McCormack is a pianist of rare sensitivity and imagination and his move to live in New York is significant. He`ll make it there and on this showing, as Ole Blue Eyes sang, he`ll make it anywhere.