Herts Jazz started its winter season in style at the weekend with the James Pearson Trio, and the toe-tapping and finger-snapping goodness continues this week with the Scott Hamilton Quartet.

Scott makes a very welcome return to the club, in the Hawthorne Theatre in Welwyn, on Sunday, January 13. He is globally recognised as having been at the vanguard of his genre since hitting the scene in New York in 1977, when he played with Roy Eldridge and Poppa Jo Jones, and he is a firm favourite with British audiences.

The tenor saxophonist will be joined onstage by John Pearce on piano, Dave Green on bass and Clark Tracey, son of the legendary jazz pianist Stan Tracey, on drums.

The season continues with the College Collection on January 20, with the Laura Jurd Octet from Trinity Guildhall School of Music and the Greg Sterland/Joe Webb Duet from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; and the Stan Tracey Quartet on January 27.

Next month, enjoy the sounds of the Damon Brown Quintet on February 3; the Clark Tracey Quintet on February 10; the Chris Biscoe Quartet on February 17; and the Byron Wallen Quintet on February 24.

The winter season finishes in March with the Nat Steele Quartet on March 3; another College Collection on March 10, this one featuring the Sam Healey Quartet from the Royal Northern College of Music and the James Copus Quintet from the Royal Academy of Music; Gilad Atzmon’s Orient House Ensemble on March 17; and the Frank Harrison Trio on March 24.

  • Gigs are every Sunday at Herts Jazz Club, Hawthorne Theatre, Terrace Suite, Campus West, Welwyn Garden City at 8pm. Details: 01707 357117, www.hawthornetheatre.co.uk, www.hertsjazz.co.uk