Paul Jones and Dave Kelly: St Paul's Centre, Worthing

Put two blues legends together for an evening, and the classic songs and anecdotes could roll on forever, so far as I'm concerned. Paul Jones and Dave Kelly delivered on a whole range of levels at Worthing's St Paul's Centre, as you'd expect.

First up, on technical virtuosity. While both have been playing the blues for near on five decades, they sound superb: Kelly's deft fingerpicking mixed with total mastery of the art of slide guitar; Jones a real harp maestro, wringing real emotion from his harmonica � and both spot on with vocal duties.

Oklahoma singer-songwriter Samantha Crain comes to Brighton's Komedia on 28 January, promoted by Melting Vinyl.

Touring in support of her the third full-length album, Kid Face, the 26-year-old Oklahoma native has created a revelatory song cycle as expansive as the wide-open spaces her home state, and as intimate as a conspiratorial whisper.

Melting Vinyl are proud to announce the return of Midlake to Sussex! The Texan folk-rockers will be bringing their new album Antiphon, to St George�s Church on 27 February with a revitalised line-up, since the departure of frontman and songwriter Tim Smith.

Vocalist/ guitarist Eric Pulido and the rest of the band have more than stepped up to the plate to write the newest chapter of the band�s illustrious career. Named after a call-and-response style of singing, from Gregorian chants to sea shanties, the new record is as rich and symphonic as it is dynamic and kaleidoscopic.

Lined up at St George's Church, Brighton on 6 December (7pm, �15/�17) are the intriguing prospect of Esmerine (+ special guests).

Esmerine was co-founded in early 2000s by percussionist Bruce Cawdron (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and cellist Rebecca Foon (Thee Silver Mt. Zion, Saltland) soon after the two met while recording the first Set Fire To Flames record Signs Reign Rebuilder (2001) in Montreal.

Sharon Shannon - Shoreham Ropetackle

There are few finer musicians on the folk-roots circuit than the sublime Sharon Shannon, and this packed out gig on the Sussex coast showed precisely why she's celebrating more than 21 years in the business.

Kicking off with Flying Circus from her 2012 album with the RTE Concert Orchestra, the County Clare maestro went through the full range of her extensive repertoire, dipping into albums going back to her best-selling debut in 1991.

Brighton Komedia: Laura Veirs + Led To Sea

It's still a mystery why an artist of the calibre of Laura Veirs isn't better known. The singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon has strung together a winning bunch of albums over the last 14 years , and has built up a loyal fanbase for her plangent, clear voice and thoughtful, light/dark Americana tunes.

This gig at the Komedia was packed but not quite sold out. It deserved to be: there is a power and freedom about Veirs' music that has to be experienced live, particularly with her self-deprecating wit and between song banter on regular display.

Worthing's Matt's Comedy Club welcomes back Andy Kind for its next gig on 12 September, with his acclaimed mix of stories, banter and winning observational comedy.

The affable Stokie, now resident in Manchester, has been treading the comedy boards since 2005 and has won an awesome reputation on the circuit, as well as playing numerous festivals around the UK.

It's a bit of a world first at Matt's Comedy Club, Worthing, on 11 April with an ingenious charity 'pay as you laugh' Open Mic night.

MC and co-founder Russ Bravo explains: "We thought it would be fun to try something different and raise funds for a good local cause at the same time.

Ian Hunter, Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham, West Sussex
View: At the front, stage right.

One of rock's enduring troubadours was on top form in Sussex recently, showcasing material from his new album When I'm President, plus choice gems from both his solo back catalogue and Mott the Hoople's part in rock's legacy.

 

Expect mind-bloggling tricks, witty banter and daft songs aplenty at the final show of 2012 for Worthing's Matt's Comedy Club.

The town's family-friendly comedy club has a high class line-up in store at The Empress Suite on Worthing seafront, on Thursday 1 November.

Headline act is the extraordinary comedy magician John Archer, star of ITV's Fool Penn & Teller last year.