Jazz: Vasilis Xenopoulos – Dexterity

This year is the centenary of saxophonist Dexter Gordon , a giant of the instrument who emerged in the 1940s alongside other pioneers of modern jazz such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and went on to record many wonderful albums for Blue Note through the 50s and 60s. Later in his career he also revealed himself to be a talented actor in the film Round Midnight.

To celebrate the life and work of Dexter we have a very special guest, Vasilis Xenopoulos. Vasilis is one of the most accomplished Greek jazz musicians of his generation and settled in London after graduating with honours from the Berklee College of Music in Boston [USA]. He has gradually established himself as one of the finest hard-bop sax players in the capital, and in recent years has been working with guitarist Nigel Price, with whom he has visited the club on two previous occasions. Dexterity, his CD tribute to Gordon, was released in 2019 and features players such as Ross Stanley on piano and Quentin Collins on trumpet.

“One of the most fiery young saxophonists around blazes a path through the hard bop repertoire” – The Times ★★★★
“When the players are Xenopoulos and Nigel Price…..the outcome is downright irresistible” – The Guardian ★★★★

To perform some of the music from Dexterity and other tunes either composed by or associated with Dexter Gordon Vasilis is joined by trumpeter Andy Hague, well known to Bristol audiences, pianist Tom Berge [graduate of Leeds College, Stuart Henderson Quintet], bassist Chris Jones [graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire, We Are Leif, Orphic] and drummer Ryan Thrupp [Royal Welsh College, Dave Jones Quintet].

Vasilis Xenopoulos – tenor sax, Andy Hague – trumpet, Tom Berge – piano, Chris Jones – bass, Ryan Thrupp – drums