JAZZ fans are always prepared to travel and the first of the regional events is the jazz input at the Harrogate International Festival, which begins on Saturday, July 24 with new vocal sensation Amy Winehouse.

If you have seen the teenage Miss Winehouse on any of her recent TV appearances, you will have caught something of the sensation in her soulful Billie Holiday-style delivery and her own guitar accompaniment. Her album is doing well in the charts which should ensure a mainstream audience at the Harrogate International Centre.

Clare Teal is the next attraction on Friday, July 30 at the Harrogate Theatre and Portuguese singer Mariza will be at the International Centre the following night, July 31.

Following last year's sell-out concert, Wynton Marsalis And The Lincoln Centre Orchestra return to the International Centre on Sunday, August 1. For more details on the above, call the ticket hotline 01423 537230.

The 17th Annual Pickering Jazz Festival features a week of Trad from Sunday, July 25 to Saturday, July 31.

Hull's International Jazz festival runs from Saturday, July 31 to Sunday, August 1. The programme includes Claire Martin and Ian Shaw, Denys Baptiste, Ray Gelato and the James Taylor Quartet. The festival finale is provided by a six-piece band led by the north's star guitarist Pat McCarthy. The festival booking office is on 01482 323638.

After the resounding success of last year's first Scarborough Jazz Festival, the pearl of the Yorkshire coast promises another terrific programme, compered once again by Britain's leading saxophonist Alan Barnes. For more details call 01723 376774.

The regular weekly jazz programme continues with Jazz at the Spa tomorrow night with the Society Jazz All Stars at the Trustees Hall, Boston Spa. Details from 01937 842544.

Your two helpings of Sunday jazz in York begin at around 3pm, as Carol Addy and Finesse swing into the Victoria Vaults, Nunnery Lane. Later, the Sunday jam session is at the Black Swan from 8.30pm.

Nina and Karl will be fine and mellow at the Rook and Gaskill, Lawrence Street, on Monday night.

Scarborough Jazz is always keen to grab any touring musicians for the Scholars Bar venue and on Tuesday the club presents the Sheena Davis Group. Sheena has enhanced her reputation since her days as vocalist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and has a great command of dynamics. Details from 01723 379818.

Also a wonderfully dynamic singer is Jacqui Dankworth, as her new CD Detour Ahead amply demonstrates. Jacqui spent her formative show biz years as an actress and the first album of hers I heard was based on the work of A E Houseman and made little impact. However, after the success of her first album last year, As The Sun Shines Down On Me, Jacqui is beginning to make waves, thanks to many airplays on Parkie's Radio 2 show and Jazz FM.

Her style is direct and unpretentious and her choice of material is immaculate. Alongside the well-known standards of On The Street Where You Live, But Beautiful and the delicate duet with pianist David Gordon on My Romance, Jacqui includes some lesser-known gems.

Particularly welcome are two Brazilian masterpieces, The Island, by Ivan Lins and Gentle Rain by Luis Bonfa, plus Paul Simon's Train In The Distance. Her original compositions, Strange Women, Time Take Its Time and Come Home Baby, sit well among the standards.

Jacqui Dankworth's regular band is a joy, with brother Alec (bass), Roy Dodds (drums) and the peerless Mike Outram (guitar), plus three separate pianists on different tracks. Detour Ahead is one of those compulsive albums that has you happily pressing the repeat button.

Updated: 15:25 Thursday, June 17, 2004