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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

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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