XPQ @ Blaydon Jazz Club - October 22

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor saxophone), Nigel Price (guitar), Paul Edis (piano), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)

(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly V & Jerry E)

They came from all points – Cumbria, County Durham, Tynedale, and hot foot from a star-studded Big Idea gig at Hoochie Coochie. The Black Bull bulged at the seams…Vasi X was back in town! A full house was all but assured thanks to Vasilis Xenopoulos’ hugely successful previous visits, and,  long before the advertised start time of eight o’clock, it became clear that this Blaydon Jazz Club gig would indeed attract a capacity audience.

XPQ – the ‘X’ denotes Xenopoulos, Vasilis, the ‘P’ Price, Nigel. The ‘Q’ signifies ‘quartet’ or, on this date, ‘quintet’. Tenor saxophonist Vasilis and guitarist Nigel first worked together something like ten years ago and they have had the privilege of sharing a stage with some of the finest jazz musicians in the country. This Black Bull gig found the London-based duo in exalted company. Yes, the guest names were delighted to be playing this Tyneside gig with three of the very best – Paul Edis, piano, Mick Shoulder, double bass and drummer Russ Morgan! Two sets would comprise numbers which continue to be associated with some of the great saxophone-guitar partnerships in jazz. Vasilis put down an early marker with a scintillating opening solo on Without a Song (Sonny Rollins-Jim Hall).

As at Friday evening’s gig at Darlington’s Opus 4 Jazz Club the volume of applause was something quite exceptional and all subsequent solos (Vasilis’ and those of his bandmates) were met with the same raucous enthusiasm. Detailing each and every stupendous solo contribution would require a review of ten thousand words and more. Suffice to say each and every stunning solo seemed to be trumped by the next!

Vasilis introduced Dave Cliff’s The Right Time and in so doing mentioned that the British guitarist’s upbringing was in this neck of the woods. Vasilis’ facility on tenor is unsurpassed and, at speed, he peppered the tune with fleeting quotes including Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise and Nature Boy. It was magical stuff alright but Paul Edis matched Vasilis with an astounding solo of his own. Decibel levels rose to a new high as the audience responded with ever greater enthusiasm. Nigel’s intro to When Joanna Loved Me (Paul Desmond-Jim Hall) recalled the brilliance of Jim Hall and Joe Pass.

The first set closed with an impossible, cutting-contest tempo on Ready and Able. The quintet tore up the Ronnie Cuber-George Benson vehicle with panache, relish, and no little devilment. Smiles all round, beads of sweat on foreheads, absolutely amazing!

Nigel offered the opinion that sometimes the simplest tunes are the best. The Hank Mobley-Grant Green partnership yielded Uh Huh and Nigel and the boys, in blues mode, played it. Vasilis’ solo later prompted Nigel to say: That was the best tenor saxophone solo I’ve…pausing to look across at the tenor man himself…heard this year. If Nigel was thinking That was the best tenor saxophone solo I’ve ever heard then few present would have argued. Full House, If Ever I Would Leave You, tune after tune, simply magnificent. All tunes played feature on XPQ’s CD Sidekicks.     

For an encore, Vasilis said they would combine Billie’s Bounce and Straight No Chaser. If there is a jazz heaven, it must look and sound something like this. Gig of the year? You bet!

Russell.

Photos by Roly.

Photos by Jerry.