Chris de Saram with the DIVA award

Wakefield Jazz win
Voluntary Arts Award

Wakefield Jazz have received a Development Initiatives for Voluntary Arts (DIVA) award for making a significant difference in their community. They were recognised for their involvement in the Wakefield Mela, Family-friendly Jazz Brunch, gigs at Mocca Moocho during several Art Walks and their involvement with the Wakefield Live Music Project (a Classical / Jazz co-operation in producing joint concerts) and for presenting high quality music regularly for the benefit of the people of the District.  Wakefield Jazz also received national recognition this year when nominated as Jazz Venue of the Year in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards arranged by the All Party Jazz Appreciation Group of the Houses of Parliament. www.wakefieldjazz.org

New Cleethorpes Jazz Festival

2009 sees the 10th birthday of the Cleethorpes Jazz Festival, and there's plenty to celebrate - new home, new month but still showcasing the best of UK and international jazz. Line-up including the Dave Newton Trio, Diego Figueiredo, Sophie Smith, Sara Coleman and our very own Pat McCarthy. Visit www.artsforumfestival.com/jazz-festival

Alex Munk receiving his Yamaha Jazz Scolar Award

Alex Munk awarded Yamaha Jazz Scholarship

Final year Leeds College of Music student Alex Munk has been awarded a prestigeous Yamaha Jazz Scholarship at the All Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group's Summer Jazz event on 1 July at Westminster. Yamaha has created a series of jazz scholarships in association with Jazzwise magazine and the All Party Parliamentary Jazz appreciation group. Guitarist Alex has also been part of the Jazz Yorkshire Demoinaday project.

Yamaha website

www.demoinaday.blogspot.com

www.myspace.com/alexmunk

Leeds Community Cuban Big Band (dir Sue Miller)

Big Band Series at Seven

Seven Jazz are presenting a series of Big Bands as part of their successful programme of Sunday afternoon jazz events at Seven Arts Centre Chapel Allerton in Leeds. The cost is £4/3 concessions and the gigs run between 1 and 4pm.

5th July Leeds Jazz Rock Orchestra (dir Brendan Duffy)
12 July Leeds Community Cuban Big Band (dir Sue Miller)
19 July North Leeds Jazz Orchestra (dir Martin Townshend)

More details www.sevenjazz.co.uk

The Harrogate Youth Jazz Orchestra at Grassington Festival on 21 June

The Grassington Festival

A full programme of jazz at this year's Grassington Festival which starts on Friday 19 June. The line-up includes:

Kev Holbrough at Leeds Media Centre

Demo in a Day

Trombonist Kev Holbrough came into the Leeds Media Centre studio with his quartet as part of our 'Demo in a Day' recording project. You can watch an extract from the session on the project blog page www.demoinaday.blogspot.com

Nicki Allan Jazz Sextet (l-r Joel Purnell, Adrian Knowles, Nicki Allan, Graham Hearn, Mark Chandler, Ronnie Bottomley)

Wakefield Jazz Summer Season

Wakefield Jazz are running a series of three special summer gigs featuring bands from the region. The line-up will be Adrian Knowles' Mingus Music Project, Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra (LYJRO) and starting the series on Friday 19 June, The Nicki Allan Jazz Sextet. www.wakefieldjazz.org.uk

Al Wood (and Chris Moore) at the Black Swan, York

York Jazz Scene magazine

The second edition of YJS is now available online at issuu.com. Editor Anna Lacy says "So much has happened since the magazine's debut and I would like to say a huge thank you for all the positive comments". Forward by James Lancaster, interviews with Rob Lavers and Al Wood, Kenny Wheeler gig review, CD reviews by Ron Burnett plus listings and more from a team of 14 contributors.

issuu.com/yorkjazzscene or yorkjazzscene.blogspot.com

Seven Jazz YouTube site

Check out the new Seven Jazz YouTube website featuring video clips taken by Colin Watson at recent gigs at Seven in Leeds.

Bands featured so far: Rod Mason's Elements, Fruit Tree, Joe Warburton, Alex Munk and Loretta Scott www.youtube.com/sevenjazz07

Scarborough Jazz Celebrate 25 Years

Alan Barnes

Sunday 19 April, The Cask Inn
50 gigs a year for 25 years is certainly a good reason to hold what amounts to a one day festival featuring a who's who on the Yorkshire jazz scene. The venue, the Cask Inn, will have music on two floors throughout the day. The programme includes Jim Birkett, Thom Whitworth, Frank Brooker, General Cluster, Joel Purnell, Chris Hodgkins, Ron Burnett, Greg Wadman, Stony Jazz, Pat McCarthy, Jon Taylor, Martin Jones, Julie Edwards and Kevin Dearden. From midday onwards in the upstairs Cask bar students from the University of Hull, Leeds College of Music and University of Newcastle will be performing. The Alan Barnes Quintet will complete the day starting at 9:30pm. [See Calendar for more details]

www.scarboroughjazz.co.uk