WITH the Olympics still with us, performance-enhancing pharmaceuticals sometimes fog the lens of fair play. The technology for detecting even minute quantities of chemicals has improved dramatically and the retrospective testing of suspected cheats has caught them out.

Jazz Notes suggests a subject for a thesis: could this technology have saved the lives of Bix, Bird, Hendrix and Chet if a body such as the Olympics had existed for musicians? Discuss.

However, there were survivors of efforts to emulate genius through chemical stimulants: Louis Armstrong, Eddie Condon, Miles Davis and Gerry Mulligan, to name a few. All immersed themselves in the misuse of alcohol, drugs, or both, and lived to a reasonably mature age.

The current crop of young jazz musicians favours moderation. It is not unusual to see the young lions/lionesses drinking pints of water on the gig.

Jazzers young and (ahem) mature will be strutting their stuff this weekend at the Theatre Royal/J-Night York Mystery Soul Festival.

Soul/gospel/R B diva Ruby Turner, leading vocalist with Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra, opens at the Theatre Royal at 8pm tonight with her own band, performing her own tracks from her gospel-inspired album I’m Travelling On.

Harrogate-born supersax Snake Davis brings a world premiere to the Theatre tomorrow night with The Snake Has 9 Lives! Nine different sides of Snake begins with a solo, moves to duo, trio, quartet and quintet and culminates with a Big Band.

Over the next two weekends the Al Morrison Blues Experience, Jazz Jamaica and the Pee Wee Ellis Funk Assembly will rock the hallowed foundations of York Theatre Royal. Details of all concerts at 01904 623568 and yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Free foyer jazz will feature in the theatre between 7pm and midnight.

The long-standing Jazz In The Spa continues to draw loyal enthusiasts and tomorrow night’s band is a great favourite. The Amy Roberts six-piece features John Hallam on reeds (01937 842544).

Brazilian pianist Zezo Olimpio is in York pursuing his MA studies at the University of York . Thankfully, he is also a hyperactive player in the city and his trio is resident at the smart Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate, every Sunday at 1pm.

Your Sunday night jazz venue is the Phoenix Inn, George Street, with the Ian Chalk Quartet at 8.30pm (01904 656401). Pianist Chris Moore co-leads the Wednesday night jam session at the Phoenix, an astounding success, but on Monday night he brings another special to the venue, The Central Scrutineers Quartet, playing the music of Mingus, Monk and Wayne Shorter. Unknown the band may be, but the charisma of Chris brought a capacity audience to the George Street venue the last time they played.

Scarborough Jazz at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace, runs every Wednesday and next week’s guests will be the Esther Miller Quartet (01723 500570). Esther was a medical student in South Africa before catching the jazz bug, but her vocal profile has since spread to jazz festivals as far apart as Cork, Cape Town and Norway, as well as several UK tours. She always brings top quality musicians with her and next Wednesday will be no exception- Steve Melling (keys), Karen Sharp (saxophones) and Steve Berry (double bass).

Thursday jazz in York has been sponsored by the Old White Swan, Goodramgate, for more than 20 years, with Bejazzled and Mike Riley alternating with the Mardi Gras Band (01904 540911). Next Thursday will be Mardi Gras night.