When the going gets tough the tough get going, including professional musician Howard Rego.

Like many of his fellow performers, the drummer knows that wintertime gigs, particularly for those who play in bands, are slim to nil.

This means two things: There are large numbers of Bermudian musicians whose talents are going to waste, and there are large numbers of local residents who are deprived of top quality entertainment and longing for something to do.

So Mr. Rego came up with Music Quest - a concept which addresses both issues and will also provide memorable nights out for everyone.

Beginning next month he has devised a series of musical events, each of which will have a different theme, and incorporate a cultural mix of music and food from around the world.

The first, Jazz, is on February 9, and this will be followed by Rock 'n' Roll on March 23, Caribbean Jazz on April 27, R&B on May 25, and Blues on June 29.

"One of my motivations was for people to have somewhere to go and hang where there is some world-class music being played by some of Bermuda's finest musicians in an ambiance that is both cosy and conducive to the performers and their delivery of the music," Mr. Rego says. He points out that this is a reversal of the norm.

"While musicians and bands normally meet the requirements a gig requires, these evenings will not be about background music," he says.

"Instead, the accent will be on the musicians and the music they are delivering. The atmosphere will be that of a jazz club, where the objective is to listen to the music. It will be played in the spirit of a concert."

Thanks to the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society's support and co-operation, these musical evenings will take place in the lounge area of Daylesford Theatre, which is situated on the corner of Washington and Dundonald Streets (opposite Mount St. Agnes Academy).

Musicians participating in the premier event include Mr. Rego on drums, Toni Bari on acoustic and electric piano, Milt Robinson on guitar, Stan Gilbert on bass, and George Kezas on saxophone and flute.

"We won't be departing from standard jazz completely, but we will choose pieces which are more interesting and musically involved than just the standards," Mr. Rego says.

Looking ahead to the other musical evenings, Mr. Rego says the Rock 'n' Roll night in March will include himself, Jeff Marshall, Tony Brannon, Dennis Moniz, Rick Hawke and Dwayne DeMello.

Caribbean Jazz in May will be based around Milt Robinson's original compositions of jazz-infused island music, probably with Tony Bari on keyboards.

May's R&B night will be based on The Blues Brothers style of music.

"We are planning to put together a six- or seven-piece band with horns, and we'll call it The Booze Brothers for fun. The guys will dress like The Blues Brothers, all in black, and we will feature Tom Ray's band fronted by Ronnie Lopes, with myself on drums," Mr. Rego says.

The final event in June will be a Blues night and feature guitarist and harmonica player Rob Berry, accompanied by Jeff Marshall and Mr.Rego.

"These events will be about a mixture of talents and personalities, and the shows will encourage guys to play all the time," Mr. Rego says.

There is also more good news. Preceding each performance, a two-course dinner will be served, prepared by Mr. Rego's wife Lesley, who formerly owned a restaurant and a catering company.

Seating is limited to 80, and tickets ($35) are available from the bar at Daylesford after 5 p.m., The Music Box and Twice Told Tales book stores on Parliament Street during normal business hours. For further information ( 232-1125 between 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., and 295-5584 after 5.30 p.m.