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.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Opus 4 Jazz Club - Mar. 22

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

Earlier in the day Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis played a duo concert up the road in Durham. This evening at Darlington's Opus 4 Jazz Club it was the quartet, the two principals joined by bassist extraordinaire Andy Champion and the returning Russ Morgan, drums. The Traveller's Rest to home to Opus 4 and the organisers must have been heartened to see the room filling up nicely. 

Tracks from the album Feels Like Home would form the centrepiece of the evening, bolstered by one or two jazz standards and a recently composed number by Edis. Going Home, Coast (heard earlier in Durham), then Edis' A Rainy Day in Manhattan (composed in NYC!), this was top class stuff, the quartet in stunning form. 

Pianist Edis knocked out a tremendous solo on Memories of Home, Xenopoulos selecting Jerome Kern's The Folks Who Live on the Hill produced some wonderous playing. Get Off My Lawn heard the best of Russ Morgan. Russ has been a big miss, welcome back!* Original compositions plus a choice selection of classic numbers including Sonny Rollins' Valse Hot made the case for the Xenopoulos-Edis Quartet being right up there with the best of them. 

April's Opus 4 Jazz Club concert (Friday 26) features Abbie Finn's Finntet.     

* The Russ Morgan Quartet will be in concert at the Black Bull, Blaydon on Monday 15 April. Russell  
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