Jazz Preview: Concert brings back memories of jazz prodigy

I still remember my amazement at walking into Jimmy Ryan's legendary jazz club in New York in 1971 to find Enrico, aged nine from Leeds, entertaining the customers accompanied by his 14-year-old brother Peter and their clarinet playing father Ernie. They were on holiday in New Jersey.

Roy Eldridge, who led the house band, told me: "Shouldn't he be at home in bed? Seriously, he's an unbelievable player for his age. I couldn't even play the trumpet at nine."

Three years earlier Enrico, aged six, was in the welcoming party at Leeds-Bradford Airport when Louis Armstrong flew in for his historic engagement at Batley Variety Club.

Like Eldridge, the great man imparted advice and encouragement.

Today, at 49, Enrico is firmly established in the mainstream of British jazz and always a welcome visitor to the Village Hall at Boston Spa where he appears tomorrow night. Previous appearances there have often been with the Alex Welsh Legacy Band, but this time he joins tenor saxophonist Steve Andrews, guitarist Roly Veitch and bassist Roy Cansdale.

Saturday night also sees the return to the Shire Hall in Howden of two of its most popular performers, Alan Barnes and David Newton.

They were fellow students at Leeds College of Music and are now jewels in Britain's jazz crown – Barnes on any member of the saxophone family you care to mention, and Newton on piano. A splendid evening is in prospect.