ACERBIC journalist Victor Lewis Smith once remarked that he went to Dover to see the Continent and to jazz clubs to see the incontinent, a cruel and untrue observation on the prevalence of wrinklies in the audiences.

The coming week’s jazz will confound Mr Lewis Smith, because it has a refreshing number of young people at the performing end of things.

Paul Baxter’s cool youngsters Eyes Tight Shut piano trio have been making big radio waves in London, with strong support from Jazz FM and Jez Nelson’s BBC Jazz On 3. Last night was their London album launch at the new Waterline venue and on Monday night the trio will be one of the nominees for Best Band at the Jazz Yorkshire awards; full details at jazzyorkshire.org

The Neon chamber jazz quartet has been running for ten years or so, with Stan Sulzman (tenor saxophone) and Jim Hart (vibes). More recent members are the youthful Kit Downes (piano) and Tim Giles (drums) and tonight they come to Wakefield Jazz (01977 680542).

Jazz In The Spa at Boston Spa will present traditional jazz, with a touch of humour, from the Tame Valley Stompers tomorrow night (01937 842544).

York’s long-running Sunday jazz at Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, features the Zezo Olimpio Trio from 1pm (01904 620222) and the Ian Chalk Quartet brings the day to a resounding finish from 8.30pm at the Phoenix, George Street (01904 656401).

The Phoenix hosts successful jam sessions every Wednesday, when young musicians travel from miles to play for a live audience, prompted by James Lancaster (trumpet) and Chris Moore (piano).

However, the main event next Wednesday will be the performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts by the 19-piece Stan Tracey Orchestra at York Minster, with Clark Tracey, Guy Barker, Mark Nightingale, Alan Barnes, Norma Winstone and many more.

The concert is sponsored by St Peter’s School and will feature the school choir and choral society, numbering 240 in all. The Nave of the Minster holds around 1,500 and being a church service, entry will be free, no ticket required. Details from yorkminster and from St Peter’s School on 01904 527390.

Scarborough Jazz at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace, also runs on Wednesdays and next week’s guest will be multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Jon Taylor (01723 379818).

In an infuriating clash, next Friday, March 23, has Clare Teal’s Trio at the York Theatre Royal (01904 623568) and Get The Blessing at the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM 01904 658338). The ground-breaking quartet Get The Blessing features bassist Jim Barr and drummer Clive Deamer from trip-hop legends Portishead. All of which does not make the choice any easier.

Review

Neil Cowley Trio, The Face of Mount Molehill (Naim Records)

Pianist Cowley records with Adele and Emeli Sande, plus he has recordings coming up with Michael Kiwanuka. Now he returns to his own trio, plus chamber strings and “soundscape textures” by Brian Eno protégé Leo Abrahams.

The 12 original compositions appear to be through-written scores and improvised sections are not always obvious.

An exuberant trio in live shows, some of this translates into this recording, with rock-inspired drummer Evan Jenkins, driving, percussive melodies (Fable, Rooster Was A Witness) and long, flowing chords reminiscent of Gerswin’s Rhapsody In Blue (Skies Are Rare).

The main influence is American power trio The Bad Plus and there are distinct elements of Brad Mehldau’s 2010 symphonic album, Highway Rider.

Mini Ha Ha raids Django Bates territory with Woody Woodpecker squeaky laughter taped-looped into the mix, in spite of which this is a serious project, perhaps even po-faced.

With its electronica, tightly scored string sections and Cowley’s “songs without a singer”, it is difficult to know who Mount Molehill is aimed at.

Jazzwise magazine gave it four stars; Jazz Notes respectfully reserves judgement.

• The Neil Cowley Trio plays Leeds College of Music on March 24