A COUNTY Durham jazz band has lined up a series of guests for its new regular gig.

No Place For Jazz has been playing on Sunday nights at the Beamish Mary Inn, No Place, near Stanley, for the last three years.

Now it has a Tuesday night spot at The Bridge Hotel in Newcastle and a new name - Take it to the Bridge.

The band plays a mix of mainstream, be-bop, modern and soul and funk-influenced styles and features music written by keyboard and bassist Barry Ascroft.

Trumpeter and leader Dave Weisser, of Grange Villa, said: "On the 14th we have a guy called Deon who is an incredible bass player and can sing like George Benson.

"On the 21st we have singer and guitarist Stuart Davies, on the 28th it's Don Forbes on trumpet and on September 4 we have John Kotre, a trumpeter who played with the Short Blues Line and runs a band called Jazz Invaders.

"Some time in September - we haven't fixed the date - we'll have Ray Chester, a super trombone player.''

Gigs at The Bridge start at 8.30pm and admission costs £2.50. Beamish Mary sessions also start at 8.30pm. Admission costs £1.50.