Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

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: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook - Oct. 15

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

A Saturday evening jaunt into the heart of County Durham. St Cuthbert's Centre in Crook is located on Church Hill and a hill it most certainly is! From the market place it's a few minutes' walk up hill (quicker and easier on the return journey!). We were here to catch the third installment of Vasilis and Paul playing numbers from their 'home' project which is shaping up nicely, so much so an album is in the offing. Joining our duo this evening, bassist Andy Champion, and, from around these here parts, drummer Abbie Finn. 

As at the Gala and again at Opus 4, the quartet opened with You'd be so nice to come home to. Dvořák's Going Home featured again (that's the theme from the sepia-tinted Hovis TV ad), as did Edis' Mikey's Samba (it's about a musician's second home, ie. a much-travelled car) with Xenopoulos playing flute. VX's Memories of Home conjured images of our man returning home to Greece to visit family and friends. The Crook audience heard a world premier performance of And the winner is...If we're to believe PE, the tune was written earlier in the day as something of an homage to the jazz club economy, the all-important interval raffle.* It went something like - Blakey press roll, old school tenor (quotes aplenty), all blowing. Excellent. 

Lerner and Loewe's On the street where you live matched renditions earlier in the mini tour of the region (once upon a time the region was 'home' to Paul Edis), then the killer number, Edis' London Lockdown, VX on soprano as Trane, PE a chordal McCoy Tyner, Andy and Abbie in the zone. It is to be hoped that we'll hear it again this evening (Sunday 16 Oct) at the Globe. If you're yet to hear Vasilis and Paul (this evening with the virtuosi, Messrs Champion and Hanley), don't miss out. Book at: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.     

* Friday evening, your BSH correspondent bagged a CD, this evening, another winning ticket, a 'just-what-I've-always-wanted' Scottish All Butter Shortbread Assortment.  Russell  
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