GREAT news for jazz fans. Huddersfield Jazz will continue its concert series with a line-up of four gigs this autumn.

The group has championed jazz gigs in the town since the late 80s. Late last season, there were fears about its future after it failed to get vital arts funding.

But now the group has lined up four concerts this season starting with award-winning vocalist Sarah Ellen Hughes who will open the season on September 8.

She will be followed by The Great Wee Band on October 8 and by Frøy Aagre and Andreas Ulvo and Kefaya in successive months.

The Great Wee Band comprises four tip-top musicians, trumpeter Henry Lowther, guitarist Jim Mullen, bassist Dave Green and drummer Stu Butterfield.

Saxophone and piano duo Frøy Aagre and Andreas Ulvo play the LBT on November 10.

Critically acclaimed sax player Frøy Aagre is known for her powerful compositions and her distinctive quality is said to lie in her blurring the boundaries between the written and the improvised.

This new duo project is a collaboration with Andreas Ulvo, one of Norway’s most talented pianists.

In December, expect to greet Kefaya, an exciting new UK-based collaboration formed just two years ago.

It comprises some of the best players in the north of England and offers a unique sound which takes its influences from jazz and contemporary electronics through into world folk music.

At its heart are core musicians, Italian guitarist, Giuliano Modarelli, Al MacSween on keyboards, percussion and electronics, Joost Hendrick on drums, Yorkshire legend, Kenny Higgins on bass, Richard Ormrod on reeds and flute and Olivia Moore on violin.

The band is currently working on its debut album.

First up though is vocalist Sarah Ellen Hughes who has established herself on the London jazz scene and beyond. She arrives in Huddersfield a week tomorrow (September 8) to play the opening concert of this new Huddersfield Jazz season.

The Sarah Ellen Hughes Quartet is billed with sax player Dave O’Higgins.

Sarah began her career with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), with whom she was lead vocalist for three years.

Since then she has earned many accolades. Two years ago, she won the International Jazz Singing Competition, Jazz Voices, held in Lithuania and last year, she was a semi-finalist in the Montreux Jazz singing competition.

Championed by vocalists Claire Martin and Ian Shaw, Sarah’s first album, Darning The Dream was released two years ago to critical acclaim.

The recording features some of the UK’s finest musicians including Jim Hart and Dave O’Higgins, plus two duets with Ian Shaw.

It was selected as UK Jazz Radio’s “CD of the month” for a record three months.

A second album followed featuring Sarah’s arrangements of jazz and pop standards, as well as her own compositions, and features a new collaboration with Dave O’Higgins.

Sarah has featured as the vocalist for two military big bands: RAF Shades of Blue Orchestra, and the Queen’s Division Big Band (Minden Band).

In addition to running her own quartet, Sarah has also has set up her own big band, the Sarah Ellen Hughes Big Band, featuring an all-star line-up.

For tickets or more information on any of the gigs, call the LBT box office on 01484 430528 or go online at www.thelbt.org