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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

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 21, 2017

Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil - October 20

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor saxophone) & Paul Edis (piano)
(Review by Russell/photo courtesy of Jerry)
Vasilis Xenopoulos stepped off the train at Central Station and walked all of two minutes to the Lit and Phil. This was to be the first of two gigs in a day for London-based Xenopoulos. This reunion with friend pianist Paul Edis found the duo surrounded by audio-visual recording equipment. Their excellent 2016 album A Narrow Escape deserves to be heard by a wider audience and promoting the ‘product’ to interested parties won’t do any harm at all.
A first time visitor to the Lit and Phil (literally walking in off the street having noticed the billboard on the pavement advertising the gig) was assured that he would hear world-class jazz. Our visitor had a city centre meeting to attend but opted to take a chance on Xenopoulos and Edis. One hour later would he think it a worthwhile diversion?

In the best tradition of salon concerts Vasilis and Paul will be playing a selection from […] including – and so they did. Jimmy Van Heusen and Dexter Gordon for starters; It Could Happen to You and,  as Vasilis subsequently informed the attentive audience, Fried Bananas, a contrafact of the former. It had been almost exactly a year since Vasilis’ last visit to the region and on hearing the first notes of this lunchtime concert it confirmed the view that Vasi X, as he is known in some quarters, is one of the finest tenor players around. Dr Paul Edis, playing the Lit and Phil’s Kawai grand piano (a real treat) needed little in the way of introduction to the Newcastle audience.

Bobby Timmons’ Dat Dere demonstrated that Vasilis has it all covered – GAS book interpreter par excellence and swinging purveyor of bop – with Paul succeeding in generating the Art Blakey drive. Other selections included two original compositions from A Narrow Escape, Vasilis’ Piazza Navona and Paul’s composition, the album’s title track, A Narrow Escape. Cole Porter, Fats Waller (What is this Thing Called Love?, a magical Jitterbug Waltz) – who could ask for anything more?

Our first time visitor – earlier given an assurance he would hear world-class jazz – departed saying:  You weren’t lying.          
Russell.        

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