Festivals draw world-class acts.

Two major festivals will bring some world-class musicians to Newcastle this month.

They begin within a day of each other and the focus will be on traditional Irish music and free-jazz.

The 18th Tyneside Irish Festival lasts 10 days and opens next Thursday at the Tyneside Irish Centre at Gallowgate with regular favourite, Frank McCaffery (he has appeared at all but the first one), from County Mayo.

The next night should be lively as the line-up comprises Tony McNally Band and Mike McGrother and The Wildcats of Kilkenny. The fame of the latter must have spread because they were recently asked to play a festival in China. There will be a late licence that night to allow the audience to fully appreciate the music! Other acts include Tony MacMahon & Steve Cooney (18th), Patsy Watchorn (23rd) and on the closing night, Joe Giltrap (24th).

The two key gigs, however, are on Thursday October 21 when Shetland fiddler Aly Bain teams up with accordionist and fellow Scot Phil Cunningham. The duo have toured the world and are always in demand for their humour almost as much as their virtuoso playing. Aly learnt his craft from fellow Shetlander Tom Anderson, who lived on Tyneside for a while and was a member of the Boys Of The Lough. He went on to do several TV programmes for the BBC, including Aly & Friends and Aly Meets the Cajuns, which saw him playing alongside all manner of top-drawer musicians from both sides of the Atlantic. He was awarded the MBE in 1994 and made Doctor of Music by the Scottish Academy of Music and Drama five years later. Phil was a member of the much lauded Scottish band Silly Wizard and often worked in a duo with his brother Johnny. He later moved into production work with other Scots traditional-based bands like Wolfstone.

The next night sees the return of the former Bothy Band uilleann piper Paddy Keenan, with guitarist Tommy O'Sullivan. Paddy does deserve the word legendary which is often ascribed to mere mortals! He was born in County Meath to a travelling family and both his father and grandfather were respected pipers. In his 20s, he left Ireland for England and Europe, playing guitar in a blues and rock band and busked on the London Underground. His expertise was such that he could have recorded with the Beatles but chose Piccadilly (and a girlfriend) instead of Abbey Road studios! Former band-mate Donal Lunny called Keenan "the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes" and his improvisational skills have been compared to tenor great John Coltrane.

Tickets for all shows from JGWindows or for further info on events ring [phone] or 277 8003.

I mentioned in August that there would be a two-part Tyneside Jazz Festival this month. The first part is devoted to free-jazz and improvisation and kicks-off next weekend on Friday and the venue for all sessions is King's Hall, Armstrong Building at Newcastle University. Evening sessions run from 7.30-11 and the two afternoon events ( on Saturday and Sunday ( are from 2-5.30. The international cast sees Roy Campbell (trumpet), Matt Maneri (violin), Assif Tsahar (tenor sax & bass clarinet) and Cooper-Moore (piano & home-made instruments) come in from New York. Bassist Alan Silva and pianist Agusti Fernandez arrive from Spain. The UK contingent includes local guys Lewis Watson on tenor sax and trumpeter Graham Hardy as well as John Edwards, Evan Parker, Orphy Robinson, Pat Thomas and drummers Mark Sanders and Roger Turner. The festival plans to feature 14 artists in total with everything from solo to ensemble playing. Call [phone] for more information.

Before then there are other shows offering an entirely different kind of music to the above. Tonight, the son of the late but highly regarded country/folk/blues singer Townes Van Zandt, named John or JT Van Zandt, plays the Cluny in Byker. JT follows his father in career choice which is not as immediately obvious as it may appear. Townes (senior) was born into a prominent Texas oil family but chose a more Bohemian lifestyle by striking out to sing and play guitar. JT received a significant boost from the Wall Street Journal after the Kerrville Folk Festival when the august publication said he was the highlight of the main-stage. Tickets from the Live Theatre box-office on 0191 232 1232.

On Monday (11th), Bill Wyman and his Rhythm Kings are at the City Hall with their popular mix of jump-blues, R'n'B and jazz. The tour will be the last by the Rhythm Kings as bassist Bill wants to involve himself more fully in the raising of his young family. Apart from his highly public career as the stoical Stone, he has been involved in all manner of less well documented ventures. Post-Rolling Stones, he had a similar all-star band, Willie & The Poor Boys, published his diaries, wrote a book on the French artist Marc Chagal and photographer Michael Cooper and immersed himself in archaeology and produced/presented a short radio series for the BBC.

His band is as high-calibre as it is possible to summon with each member running a successful parallel career. They are as likely to play material by Louis Jordan, Fats Waller or Billie Holiday as something by Muddy Waters or Big Bill Broonzy.

Ticket info from the City Hall box-office on 0191 261 2606.

ALAN NICHOL