JAZZ & BLUES

For decades, British pianist Mike Westbrook has been one of Europe's most distinctive composers. Though many Westbrook recordings have featured musical settings for William Blake's poems, the new double-CD Glad Day (Enja) brings together a more extensive collection than ever before. The occasion is marked by a one-off performance at the London South Bank Centre's Purcell Room on Monday featuring a full band and choir.

Rather more mainstream is Dave Weckl, a former drummer with Chick Corea, who brings his energetic take on jazz-fusion to Ronnie Scott's, Frith Street for a week from Monday. The residency coincides with the release of his band's latest album - Synergy - on Stretch Records. The same label also has compelling new releases from Corea's latest project, Origin, and that band's bass player Avishai Cohen.

At Camden's Jazz Cafe on Friday it is revival time as Blue Note organ greats Big John Patton and Reuben Wilson remind all those young nightclubbers of the roots of acid jazz. EMI has gone to a great deal of trouble to mark Blue Note's 60th anniversary. Some of Patton's recordings feature on the third double-CD volume of a seven-part set chronicling the label's history, while among the plentiful reissues are some handsome remasterings of such classic sets as saxophonist Flank Mobley's Soul Station and the less well-known organist Larry Young's Unity.

Original Jazz Classics is a reissue label that over the years has been quietly putting out important material that originally appeared on a variety of labels. It is now raising its profile with "soul-jazz" releases from the likes of Cannonball Adderley and the saxophonist's former pianist, Bobby Timmons.

Memories are also stirred up by the Blues Band, Britain's very own blues and R&B archivists. Fronted by the singer Paul Jones, the group marks its 20th anniversary with another nationwide tour and a new album, Brassed Up (Cobalt Records), featuring Georgie Fame and horn arrangements from Pete King and Pee Wee Ellis.

Roger Trapp