Jazz Preview: Singer with a famous name brings joys of spring

Adding the folk and calypso enjoyed by her Jamaican mother, it was a clearly a rhythmic household, and the outcome is an engaging and versatile performer whose many admirers included the late Humphrey Lyttelton.

Plymouth-based Louise will be accompanied by tenor saxophonist Alex Garnett, a longstanding stalwart of Ray Gelato's Giants, Craig Milverton on piano, Al Swainger on bass and drummer Coach York. The whole mix will bring spring that little bit closer.

The Shire Hall, at Howden, tomorrow offers a rare alliance between reeds player Mark Crooks and one of our most gifted trombonists, Mark Nightingale. Two talented soloists in a quintet format promise a stimulating evening for regulars at this attractive venue.

The praiseworthy Alumni Star Series, at Leeds College of Music, continues at The Venue next Wednesday with Centre-Line, a group of former students Russell van den Berg, Darren Altman and Jez Franks established in 2006. The quintet embraces jazz, funk and classical music with crackling enthusiasm.

The next concert in the series, a Tribute to Atlantic Jazz, is on March 24.