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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Vasilis Xenopoulos with the Paul Edis Trio @ The Traveller's Rest, Darlington - October 25


Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor & soprano saxophones); Paul Edis (piano); Ken Marley (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums)
 (Review by Russell)

Once a year one of the great tenor saxophonists makes it his business to play a return engagement at Opus 4 Jazz Club. The Traveller's Rest on West Auckland Road is home to Darlington's premier modern jazz club and if it's a Friday in late October you're sure to find Vasilis Xenopoulos linking up once more with his friend Paul Edis to entertain a discerning audience there to listen to an evening of imperious tenor saxophone playing.

Vasilis Xenopoulos made the trip north from his west London home to play three gigs in as many days across the north east of England. On the way the Greek born, London resident saxophonist stopped off in Garforth near Leeds to pick up a soprano saxophone. Later in the day he would put it to good use.



Dexterity is Xenopoulos' latest album and it is a corker. Its inspiration is American tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon. Our guest opened his set with a number that isn't on the CD - Fried Bananas. Two bars in confirmed this was going to be (yet again!) something special. In total command of his instrument, an evening listening to a master musician such as Xenopoulos is one to be treasured. 

Working alongside Mr X were Edis, piano, Manchester based bassist Ken Marley and Tyneside's adopted southerner, drummer Russ Morgan. An A-list line-up playing first rate material to an attentive audience with a beer in hand - your reviewer opting for a pint of Monty Python's Holy Grail (Black Sheep) - it doesn't come any better than this. Three cuts from Dexterity Tanya with its curious Coltrane 'n' Blakey feel, Montmartre and Society Red. The second of three, Montmartre, featured Xenopoulos on soprano saxophone. Go on, have a guess...yes, he could play the damn thing, then some! Stopping off in Garforth to collect the endorsed instrument it was crystal clear Xenopoulos knew his way round it. 

Two numbers from Dexter Gordon's Go! Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry and Second Balcony Jump - to close a superb first set were nothing short of magnificent. 

The interval, the lounge, another pint of Holy Grail ordered, the eye drawn to the television screen...Southampton 0 Leicester...is that 2? No, Leicester 7! A real Flying Circus of a game!

The one original number of the evening, Xenopoulos' Dexterology (pure Xenopoulos, pure Dexter G), resumed affairs. Hanky Panky, the Latin groove of Soy Califa from the Clubhouse album (recorded a couple of days after Gordon cut Go!) heard Edis quoting from here, there and everywhere (all at the speed of light, no time to think about it, no time to scribble down titles!) with Mr X switching mid-tune from tenor to soprano. Anything Edis can quote, Xenopoulos can quote too and he did just that on Tivoli which featured more fine work from Ken Marley. 

Two tunes to finish - I'm a Fool to Want You (another Clubhouse cut) with Russ Morgan's expert use of mallets followed by a flying take on

The End of a Love Affair. It had been another memorable evening and the whistling, hollering Opus 4 crowd demanded one more. Xenopoulos and co obliged with If You Could See Me Now. Superb. 

Vasilis Xenopuolos with the Paul Edis Trio continues his mini tour at St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook (Saturday 26), 7:30pm start and winds up at the Black Bull, Blaydon at 1:00pm the following day.         
Russell              

1 comment :

Steve T said...

According to my info, it's 7 oclock start tonight, so maybe get there early to be safe.

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