It's a get-your-skates-on week with gigs on many nights and some tricky decisions to make, too.

First up are pianist Tim Amann and his xTet (there's a group name that hedges bets).

Tim is one of the indefatigable treasures of jazz in the West Midlands, a champion of the jam session, the gig in the pub, a believer that there is no greater pleasure than playing jazz, and sharing that pleasure with anyone who'll listen.

Tonight he, his band and a special guest in the form of Russian saxophonist Oleg Kireyev are at the Yardbird in Paradise Place. It starts at 8.30pm, and entrance is free.

* On Thursday a different band and different venue, but the same committed attitude to live performance and the joy of improvisation.

This time it's John Randall, a drummer in his final year on the Birmingham Conservatoire jazz course, and clearly going places judging by his band.

On guitar is Phil Robson, a Partisan who recently collaborated with US saxophonist Dave Liebman on a national tour, on bass is Empirical's Tom Farmer, and keeping the Conservatoire connection are two grads on saxophone and keyboards, Mike Fletcher and Dan Nicholls.

It's sharp contemporary jazz with some tricky time signatures and a sophisticated funk heart beating beneath the shiny exterior.

Get the Birmingham University Guild at Joe's Bar in Selly Oak after 8pm, the support starts at 9pm and the John Randall Quintet at 10pm. Entrance is £3.50 for non-members.

* On Friday percussionists Susie Ibarra and Roberto Rodriguez bring the delights of Electric Kulintang to the CBSO Centre.

The Kulintang is a Southern Filipino traditional instrument, similar to the Gamelan, but Susie, who has played with everyone from Pauline Oliveros to Yo La Tengo, and was first seen in this venue with Dave Douglas for his Blue Latitudes BCMG/Birmingham Jazz commission, brings it right up to date.

Rodriquez brings the percussion heritage of Cuba to the project and both add electronics to the mix.

The result has been called electro-Filipino trip hop, or Filipino Trance. This is a Birmingham Jazz gig, it starts at 8pm, tickets are £12 (£9 concessions) available online at www.thsh.co.uk or box office 0121 767 4050.

* Before you head down to Berkeley Street, pop in to the Symphony Hall foyer to clear the head of those Rush Hour Blues with Lupa and her band, and while you are there check out Russ Escritt's excellent exhibition of Andy Hamilton photographs. More about Russ's pix next time.

* On Sunday there's a coin to flip. Heads is the Drum's Live Box where London-based American bassist Michael Janisch and New York drummer Pete Zimmer co-lead a quartet which has another New Yorker, Joel Frahm, on saxophone and Phil Robson on guitar.

A great set of players with the presence of Frahm causing a special stir for any saxophonist within a few hundred miles.

Live Box host Soweto Kinch is going to be jumping for joy and I suspect he won't be alone.

The session starts at 7.45pm at The Drum in Potters Lane, Aston; tickets are £5 (£3).

Tails is the Warwick Arts Centre Studio where Empirical, the young quintet making surfable waves, show that a Messengers line-up and strong original writing and playing as well as interpretations of Ali Farka Toure are what jazz is about in 08.

Their debut album is incredibly self-assured but the real magic, I suspect, is hearing them getting down and dangerous in person.

So we're back where we started - shouting out about the sheer thrill of hearing jazz live (and it doesn't matter how you pronounce that last word).

* If you have any news or views you'd like to share, email me at peterbacon@mac.com. The blog is at thejazzbreakfast.blogspot.com