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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Friday, October 14, 2022

Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham - Oct. 14

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute); Paul Edis (piano)

Lunchtime jazz concerts at Durham's Gala Theatre invariably attract capacity audiences and today's duo set featuring Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis followed suit, the place was absolutely packed. The long-awaited return of Paul Edis was good enough reason for people to turn out, throw in the added attraction of the wonderful mainstream tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos, it all adds up doesn't it? A class duo on top form, the first of four engagements this weekend, the Gala's full house heard their developing 'project' based around the theme of 'home'. 

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Cole Porter's You'd be so Nice to Come Home to set the ball rolling. Simply magical. For the next hour plus, 'home' was very much to the fore. Edis' Mikey's Samba (all about a Nissan Micra, don't ask!) and Lockdown London (composed you know when), Xenopoulos' Memories of Home (our London resident Greek reflecting on the land of his birth, a world premiere here in Durham), the musical partnership something to behold, or rather, hear. VX blew imperious tenor sax, flute on the aforementioned Mikey's Samba, and a curved soprano made an appearance on a couple of numbers, including Lockdown London.

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Stanley Turrentine's arrangement of Dvorak's Going Home (that's the 'Hovis' TV advert, check it out) hit the spot (Edis better than ever), and our dynamic duo went out on Lerner and Loewe's On the Street Where You Live. It had been a magical hour. This evening VX and PE will be joined by Andy Champion and Steve Hanley at the Traveller's Rest in Darlington (£12 at the door, eight o'clock start). Two further quartet gigs to look forward to...tomorrow (Saturday) at St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook (Abbie Finn will be occupying the drum stool) and on Sunday (with Hanley back in action) the mini tour concludes with a session at the Globe - HQ of Newcastle's Jazz Co-op - on Railway Street (8:00pm). So, four gigs, one down, three to go. If you're in striking distance of one or all three, don't miss it/them! Russell      

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