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.