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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Vasilis Xenopoulos with the Paul Edis Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest. October 21

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor saxophone), Paul Edis (keyboards), Ken Marley (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell/photo from archives).
8:00am Friday. Are you available for a gig tonight at the Traveller’s Rest, Darlington? Ken Marley answered in the affirmative. The former Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra double bass player made the journey across the Pennines at short notice to work with a regular visitor to Darlington, the one and only Vasilis Xenopoulos. It has been several years since bassist Marley featured in these BSH pages. It was, perhaps, a Voice of the North concert, or a memorable Marley septet gig at the Cluny in Newcastle. Whenever, wherever, it was way back when.
Tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos is a favourite at Opus 4 Jazz Club. This October date is a fixture in the calendar (he’ll be back next year!), attracting fans from Tyneside to the north and Yorkshire to the south. From the walls of the upstairs room hang large portraits of the jazz greats. Over Xenopoulos’ left shoulder Dexter Gordon looked down. Vasilis likes Dexter, Dexter would have loved to hear Vasilis play! Darlington’s regular crowd loves to hear Vasilis play. They were queuing on the stairs well ahead of time. A sense of anticipation hung in the air…
 Hank Mobley, then Dexter Gordon opened proceedings; This I Dig of You, Opus 4 Jazz Club digs Vasilis. The London-based tenor player is currently developing a suite – Exile. A recording/touring project for next year, Darlington got a sneak preview hearing Part II. Ken Marley, like the rest of us, hadn’t heard the music, but that didn’t stop him excelling, contributing one of several accomplished solos, an ace dep if ever there was one.

But Beautiful took it down, superb tenor playing, then the set closer, Four Brothers. The dynamism as thrilling as ever, a fabulous first set.

What of the second set? Fabulous, as simple as that. A Dexter Gordon arrangement of   Billy Eckstine, Lee Morgan’s Cesora and another Xenopoulos original composition The Courtyard just three of many highlights. What of Paul Edis and Russ Morgan? The best in the business, as simple as that. Edis’ solos were never less than top drawer with Vasilis listening intently, the tenor man similarly appreciating the ‘in the spotlight’ contributions of the depping  Marley and drummer Russ Morgan. Ornette Coleman concluded matters, not withstanding, a fully deserved encore.

Tomorrow (Sunday 23) at eight o’clock, Vasilis Xenopoulos returns to the Black Bull in Blaydon to do it all again. This annual Blaydon Jazz Club date will see Xenopoulos once again in the company of Edis and Morgan working with another depping bass player, the one and only Mick Shoulder. Admission on the door is £7.00.. Arrive early or you could find yourself standing at the bar (an appealing proposition, for some!). Lyrical, swinging tenor playing is your thing? The Black Bull (NE21 4JJ), eight o’clock, is the place to be.

Russell.                        

2 comments :

Patti D (on F/b) said...

Can't miss this one.

Anne DeVere (on f/b) said...

Sigh...

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