OVER the next three weeks I'll be writing these notes from the home of our beloved music. Most importantly, the two cities where jazz really developed: New Orleans and New York.

Jazz music's closest cousin is the blues. For it was the blues that provided the feel and improvisational nature of the early jazz styles.

Memphis, Tennessee is known in the musical world for three main things: Sun Records, Stax and Elvis Presley. All have a strong foundation in the blues.

There are excellent museums for Sun & Stax Records in the city where musicians, often from jazz backgrounds, forged the rockabilly and soul sounds we all know today. Beale Street is alive with music from sunrise to sunset and every bar has some kind of blues.

For some down-home country blues, Clarksdale is the destination of choice. The Delta Blues Museum gives a fascinating insight into the development of the music and its most notable exponents. The whole town has a deserted, old-time feel which is a perfect setting to hear one man and his guitar sing songs of a troubled life.

The Ground Zero Blues Club, co-owned by Morgan Freeman, puts on live blues five nights a week and serves delicious traditional Southern cooking. Graffiti covers the walls and blues mementos hang from every part of the ceiling. Don't be afraid to go in... from the outside the club looks like a deserted warehouse but be brave, it's worth it.

Now on to music back home. Vocalist Jenny Smith will be performing jazz and bossa nova standards at The Pavilion Hotel, Fulford Road at 7pm this evening. At 8.30pm, the Karl Mullen Trio visit the Red Lion Hotel in Poppleton with Rachel Croft, a vocalist new to the scene.

To hear some traditional jazz in Yorkshire, Boston Spa Jazz Club is the place to be on a Saturday evening at 8pm. Drummer Laurie Chescoe brings his reunion band the venue this week with guest trombonist Roy Williams.

While in Memphis, I also took a tour of the Gibson guitar factory and was pleased to see them selling a book by your guest at Kennedy's Bar, Little Stonegate this week. As well as being a fine jazz guitarist, Adrian Ingram has written a book about the Gibson 335 model and the biography of jazz legend, Wes Montgomery. Music runs between 1pm and 4pm.

The Phoenix Inn on George Street is now under new ownership but will be continuing its busy schedule of live jazz.

On Sunday at 8pm, Chris Moore will be leading the Central Scrutinizers through a set of post bop standards and classic swing. Chris is also a long time member of the Wednesday evening jazz jam. All players are welcome to sit in or go and soak up a great atmosphere.

Finally, congratulations to York jazz stalwart and leader of the New York Brass Band, James Lancaster on his wedding last week.