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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Vasilis Xenopoulos with the Paul Edis Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon - October 27

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor & soprano saxophones); Paul Edis (piano); Ken Marley (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums)  
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly Veitch).

A third gig in as many days for the man from west London as Vasilis Xenopoulos concluded his north east mini tour with an afternoon concert at Blaydon Jazz Club. The Black Bull's south facing lounge attracts the sun and on this Sunday afternoon curtains were drawn to block out a blinding light. Our welcome visitor has a new album - Dexterity - to promote and chose to open the set with the CD's sole Xenopoulos composition. 

Dexterology in concert is best described as one part Dexter Gordon, one part Vasilis Xenopoulos, one part sackful of quotes. A quick-witted member of the audience could, perhaps, attempt to write down the titles but the torrent of oh-so-fleeting quotes all but overwhelms the listener - better to sit back and enjoy the brilliance, one could say, the dexterity of it all. It was quite a start.

A wonderful bluesy opening to Hanky Panky with Xenopoulos on tenor set up Ken Marley to deliver the first of several mature, extended solos - just as the Manchester based bassist had done in Darlington and Crook on Friday and Saturday respectively. Our bandleader is renowned for blowing some seriously good tenor and he also possesses a ready wit. In teasing Paul Edis about being allocated the task of delivering a convincing shout of Soy Califa, he suggested a 'take two' to which our pianist nailed it with Soy Califa, Hinny! And off they went - Xenopoulos on soprano conjuring a Moorish-ish feel, similarly drummer Russ Morgan with brushes, sticks and hands. Fantastic!

Society Red with its two-head structure appeals to Xenopoulos and Blaydon Jazz Club's regulars were treated to chorus after glorious chorus from an inspired musician in full flow. Likewise Edis, superb, two-handed piano playing (Blue Monk was in there), ideas tumbling. Later, one observer commented: Paul never plays the same thing twice. A compliment, indeed.

Tadd Dameron's ballad If You Could See Me Now took it down with yet more masterful playing. The interval, the consensus - wonderful. 

Charlie Chapiln's Smile (heard for the first time on this visit) opened the second set. Xenopoulos was clearly enjoying himself playing with panache and 'old school' swagger. Two tunes back to back focussing on Dexter Gordon's time in Sweden - Tivoli (Marley soloing) and Montmartre - maintained the highest of standards and Second Balcony Jump provided further evidence of the swash and buckle which marks out Xenopoulos as one of the finest saxophonists of his generation. 

A bolero ballad - I'm a Fool to Want You - enticed a couple to take to the Black Bull's imaginary dance floor. Magically, Edis quoted from The Godfather. It was as if Don Corleone had taken out a contract - on whom and for what reason will forever remain shrouded in mystery...

It was time to go but not before Xenopoulos called Scrapple from the Apple. How do you think this one went? It went whoosh! It had been a fabulous afternoon of jazz. As and when Vasilis Xenopoulos returns - day or night - it's a dead cert it'll be yet another memorable occasion.     

As a postscript Greek born Xenopoulos revealed that as a young man he performed at Copenhagen's Jazzhus Montmartre jazz club as a member of the European Youth Jazz Orchestra. Two great saxophonists, generations apart, stood on the same stage. How good is that?!    
Russell

1 comment :

Patti said...

An evocative and colourful extended review here, from Russell - but I must point out that Copenhagen, of the Tivoli Gardens and Monmartre Jazz Club fame, is in Denmark, not Sweden.

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