Glasgow's Spark Trio is the latest Scottish band to take the initiative by putting on its own events. In the wake of similar ventures by Edinburgh's Playtime Collective, the trio begins a new monthly series in The Griffin bar in Glasgow's Bath Street on Monday 6 March. This first gig will showcase the group's own compositions and arrangements of jazz standards while future dates will feature prominent players from the Scottish scene guesting with the trio. Following their own gig, organist Paul Harrison, guitarist Joe Williamson and drummer Stephen Henderson have scheduled appearances by Brass Jaw and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra alto-saxophonist Paul Towndrow (3 April) and Jazzwise sax-player-to-watch 2014, Brian Molley (8 May).

"The idea is to bring in players that Glasgow audiences might not get a chance to hear in a full concert very often," says Williamson who also plays with Henderson in Peter Whittingham Jazz Award 2015-winning quartet Square One. "Paul Towndrow, for example, plays in town several times a year with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, but he hasn't had a gig of his own here in more recent times. There's a history of jazz happening at the Griffin over the years," continues Williamson. "It's a familiar venue to the local jazz audience and we're hoping that they'll turn out to hear these top players working in an intimate environment."

– Rob Adams