Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis Trio @ St. Chad's College, Durham. Musicon Jazz Festival Day 2

Vasilis Xenopoulos (ten); Paul Edis (pno); Mick Shoulder (bs); Adam Sinclair (dms).

For the second time in three days I was delighted to be able to enjoy the music produced by these four guys. Not only did they play an almost totally different program but Vasy in particular seemed to be at an even higher level than at Blaydon and that is saying something.

Like Alan Barnes the previous evening, the phrases simply rolled from his tenor in a myriad of dazzling patterns born in bebop and beyond.

So What, Jordu, an Edis original Blues For Dad (come to think of it Jerry Edis wasn't here perhaps he was down at The Emirates helping Sunderland to grab a point!), Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue, Love For Sale, Samba de Flora (?) were some of the masterpieces laid down.

Paul Edis too was in sparkling form soloing with panache and 'comping sympathetically. Likewise Mick Shoulder and Adam Sinclair showed their class with sound rhythmic support and, in Adam's case, some explosive bursts that may have rocked the foundations of the nearby cathedral.

Earlier in the day there had been workshops and to follow this performance a jam session was lined up. Russell will no doubt be updating us on these events.

Last night's Sandi Russell/Alan Barnes concert drew a near full house at £10 a shot. Tonight admission was free yet the audience numbers were a lot less - strange.

Photos.

Lance.