WHAT'S ON: The Sage, Gateshead, has Mingus Big Band on Tuesday 0191-443-4661.

CD REVIEWS

Michael Garrick New Quartet/Inspirations (Jazz Academy JAZA14)
Surprisingly it's four years since the first recording by this new' quartet with Martin Hathaway on saxes, clarinet and flute, Alan Jackson drums, Paul Moylan bass and the perennially youthful Michael Garrick on piano. As before, it's a fresh and varied programme with many different moods, covering a little of Garrick's enormous backlog of compositions. And, as always, his piano sparkles and delights all the way through.

Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia/Never Say Goodbye (Intuition INT34052)
This first new Paraphernalia album since 2001 is also one of the more ambitious with some additional players including a brass section on some tracks. The core group remains Barbara on saxes, Jon Hiseman drums, Peter Lemer pianos, Billy Thompson violins and Dave Ball bass guitar. It's mostly new music with a couple of tracks by John Coltrane and Benny Golson.