GIGS TO GO TO COMING UP INCLUDE THESE SELECTIONS:

• Marcus Joseph, Romarna Campbell, Robocobra Band on the Wall, Manchester tomorrow

Robocobra have been around a while breaking out beyond their local Belfast scene via wider appreciation and word of mouth. The ''punk-jazz'' on Living Isn't Easy is really about energy so create a Venn diagram with free-jazz skronking on the left, dingy dystopian beat spoken word poetry on the right and in the middle that's the kind of punk jazz you move towards. Drummer leader Chris Ryan who also does the messianic vocals is eminently charismatic as a ''front'' man while the band heart is centred on bass guitarists Nathan Rodgers and the multi-tasking Ryan Burrowes. Tom Tabori, Peter Howard and Thibault Barillon do the skronking. Living Isn't Easy preaches to the converted and that number is growing all the time.

• Roy Ayers, Alfa Mist, Chelsea Carmichael, Gilles Peterson and many more Cross the Tracks festival, Brockley Park, London Sunday 28th

• Hot 8 Brass Band The Academy, Dublin Monday 29th

• Snazzback Peggy's Skylight, Nottingham Wednesday 31st

Ruins Everything has riffing horn ensemble work set against the rampaging percussion of Myke Vince with neat guitar from Elijah Nishita in the blend operating much more convincingly here than the doomy guest spoken word 'Birds and Trains' pieces, vocals or rap on what is otherwise the mellow Ruins Everything from Bristol septet Snazzback who certainly offer an eclectic approach on their new recording. Pick of the tracks is the brightly voiced 'Vitamins' that comes with fine trumpet work from Alfie Grieve.

GIG OF THE WEEK

• Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily Hay festival, Hay-on-Wye Thursday 1 June

Love in Exile released in March proved rather beautiful - the sufi dimension and deft minimalism developed throughout on this point of departure of a new sound - especially 'Shadow Forces'. In jazz piano icon Vijay Iyer's case a world away from Entrustment the sound is also nothing like his fine folkloric Tirtha group nevertheless closest in spirit to elements of the Verve release but still miles away from this vocal led meditation. Arooj Aftab sings the eerie, compelling, Urdu blues. The 2021 Aftab song 'Mohabbat' went on to win a Grammy for the Saudi born US based singer of Pakistani descent. On bass and Moog synth Shahzad Ismaily - a member of Aftab's band in other contexts and known for his work in Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog and as a guest of Krononaut - completes the sound on an engrossing New York studio recording.

• Fraser Smith quartet Hen and Chicken, Bristol Thursday 1 June
• Steve Waterman and the Spin Band The White House, Oxford Thursday 1 June
• Earl Okin The Garage, Swansea Friday 2 June
• Martin Speake Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton Saturday 3 June

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily's Love in Exile photo: cover art detail