ABDULLAH IBRAHIM will celebrate his 80th birthday in Leeds, to perform a solo concert at the Howard Assembly Rooms.

In the early 1960s, as Dollar Brand, he led the Jazz Epistles, the first black group to record an LP in South Africa, before coming to Europe in 1962. Also in the Epistles was trumpeter Hugh Masekela, recently awarded an honorary degree at the University of York (Jazz Notes, 7 August). Brand converted to Islam, adopted his Islamic name and returned to Africa in 1968, to revisit many times over the years.

Africa is recognised as the source of jazz, via the forcible removing of its people by the slave trade. The rhythmic complexity of traditional African music was absorbed into jazz as it merged with church hymns, military marches and vaudeville in the southern States of America.

With the rise of the civil rights movement in the USA, musicians such as Duke Ellington, Randy Weston, Archie Shepp embraced their spiritual and musical ancestry and many even played in Africa.

As a pianist, band leader and composer, Ibrahim is a key influence in South African music, as an exile from apartheid and as a pioneer of Township and Cape jazz. He has become a major world figure, in part with the formation in the 1980s of his long-standing group Ekaya, dedicating its work to the people of his homeland, still labouring under apartheid.

The Abdullah Ibrahim solo concert will take place in the Howard Assembly Rooms on November 20.

The unexpected ending of Thursday jazz at the Middleton's Hotel, which ran previously at the Old White Swan for 20 years, has set the musicians on a quest for a new venue. Smart mover Don Lodge has secured a trial period at the Red Lion Hotel, Boroughbridge Road, Upper Poppleton YO26 6PR. Near to the new Park&Ride on the A59, there is free parking, free entry and even overnight accommodation (01904 781141) .

To regain your Thursday fun, the first session will be on September 4, featuring Bejazzled and the Mardi Gras Band will continue on September 11. All that is now required is you, so get it in your diary now and tell your friends.

Possibly York's busiest pianist, Karl Mullen will be at The Hop, Fossgate, with Jen Low on Saturday night from 9pm to 11pm (01904 541466). Jazz in the Spa is a stronghold of traditional jazz and on Saturday the Wabash Jazzmen will present vibrant Hot Five jazz at 8pm (01937 844898).

Sunday jazz in York will be at Kennedy's Café Bar, Little Stonegate, at 1pm with John Marley, Paul Smith and guests (01904 620222) and the regular jam session will be at the Phoenix, George Street, on Wednesday 27 August, open to all ages and abilities (01904 656401).

Scarborough Jazz runs every Wednesday at the Cask Inn, Cambridge Terrace, and next week's guest will be trumpeter Simon Beddoe (01723 500570).

The Hull Freedom Festival (September 5 to 7) features three days of varied music, including Ruby Turner and Roland Gift, and at Yorkshire's favourite price – it's all free! Details from freedomfestival.co.uk and jnight.org

Tickets for the Scarborough Jazz Festival (September 26 to 28) are flying off the shelf (01723 821888) and poster star Nigel Kennedy is exciting great interest as he is joined by guitarist John Etheridge and the promise of Hot Club of France music. If that is not your tasse de the, there will be much on offer from Alan Barnes, Anita Wardell and many more.