SCARBOROUGH Jazz celebrated its 25th birthday last Sunday with a full day of quality music from noon to midnight at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace.

Organisers Marian and Mike invited 26 of the club’s most popular musicians and singers to join the celebrations and there was lively student jazz upstairs by musicians from Leeds College of Music and the universities of Hull and Newcastle. York’s own Chris Moore played piano with various groups throughout the afternoon and trumpeter Ian Chalk escaped from party band Huge to feature with General Cluster. With scores of people dropping in and out over the day, it was house full notices for the Alan Barnes Band.

Marian and Mike will be limbering up now for the next 25 years of jazz in Scarborough and, with barely a pause for breath, will present six-piece band Time Zone on Wednesday (01723 379818). Led by trumpeter Loz Speyer, Time Zone play high-energy jazz in the Jazz Messengers mode, with the rhythms of Cuba, on the evidence of live album Cubailingual (myspace.com/lozspeyer).

Frontline partner is Martin Hathaway on alto saxophone and he features the lesser-heard bass clarinet on Mood Swings and Katakusi. The band is piano-less, chords provided by guitarist Jez Franks and is grounded on the authentic Cuban rhythm section of congas, percussion, drum kit and the classic claves beat underpinning everything.

Alan Price is a quintessential British singer/songwriter who has forged a celebrated career in music, film and theatre. After his early days with chart-topping band The Animals, his touring diary is as busy as ever and tonight he comes to the intimate stage of the Pocklington Arts Centre (01759 301547).

Wakefield Jazz resumes tonight after Easter with vocalist Christine Tobin and a band led by guitarist Phil Robson. Nominated twice in the BBC Jazz Awards, tonight she will be playing music from her seventh CD, Secret Life Of A Girl (Babal Records). Details from 01977 680542.

Jazz In The Spa has a change of programme tomorrow night with a rescheduled visit from Phil Mason’s New Orleans All Stars with Christine Tyrell (01937 842544). As one of Europe’s most popular traditional jazz bands, a full house is expected and an early arrival recommended.

The Rob Lavers Quartet is one of York’s treasures and the Sunday sessions at Kennedys Cafe Bar, Little Stonegate, continue to thrive from 1pm to 4pm (01904 620222).

Another Sunday jazz joint has folded recently because of a change of management and the lunchtime sessions at the Tanglewood, Malton Road are no more. However, the Royal York Hotel has stepped into the breach and on Sunday, the Joy Clouds Trio will be playing in the restaurant from noon until 3pm. The Joy Clouds boasts one of the best guitarists in the region, Pat McCarthy, and are not to be missed.

The Royal York is trying out fortnightly sessions, the next on May 10 with saxophonist Jon Taylor’s Trio, and the restaurant offers 20 per cent discount on Sunday lunch to students and over-60s. Details from 01904 688616.

The reputation of the Yorkjazz jam sessions at the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, continues to grow (01904 679131). On Wednesday, the special guest will be Louise Gibbs, vocal techniques tutor at Leeds College of Music, Royal Northern College Manchester and the University of York. New Zealand-born Louise is now living in Leeds after 20 years on the London jazz scene. As a singer/composer, she worked with such top names as Tony Coe, the late Ian Carr, Kirk Lightsey and Deirdre Cartwright.

•Essential dates: Spring Jazz Weekend, May 8-10, National Centre for Early Music, Walmgate, York. Friday: Simon Spillett Quartet; Saturday: Snake Davis/Helen Watson; Sunday: Julian Joseph (01904 658338).