A NATIVE American Indian will kick off Winchester's Tower Arts Centre summer season next month.

Cheyenne tribe member Jimmy Carl Black, former drummer and singer with the late Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, will be interviewed by centre administrator John Tellett on Saturday, May 3 before playing Zappa music and more with his band The Muffin Men.

As usual, music is a major ingredient of the new season, but there is also poetry, humour and drama in a diverse programme.

Singer John Otway, now a two-hit wonder after his Bunsen Burner chart success, is an early guest on May 8.

A day later An Evening With The Hamiltons allows I'm a Celebrity... star Christine Hamilton and her husband an intimate opportunity to bare their souls to Tower-goers.

Poet Laureate Andrew Motion raises the tone of the season when he appears on Tuesday, May 20. He will be talking about his life and reading from his work.

The rest of May is musical with folk, blues, jazz and rock from the versatile American Geoff Muldaur, traditional English folk with The Ridgeriders, and some songs from ex-Mission troubadour, the maverick Wayne Hussey.

For more information call the box office on 01962 867986.