Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis / Feels Like Home
Release Date: 19th April 2024
CD & Digital Formats / UBU0154
Paul Edis and Vasilis Xenopoulos (Goat Noise Photography)
Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos and pianist Paul Edis for the release of their quartet album, Feels Like Home.
Vasilis and Paul began playing together 20 years ago when both relocated to West London to study. Originally from Greece, Vasilis had just finished studying at Berklee College in the US, while Paul had moved South from the Northeast of England. In the intervening years, they’ve played numerous gigs together, releasing their debut album in 2016, A Narrow Escape, to critical acclaim. With Joel Barford (drums) and Adam King (double bass), their latest recording features original music inspired by the theme of ‘home’…home in this sense represents not only the many places they’ve both lived, but also the people they’ve known along the way.
Paul Edis and Vasilis Xenopoulos (Goat Noise Photography)
Vasilis and Paul describe the music on Feels Like Home: “Rooted in the jazz tradition, this is music that's eclectic, groove based and fundamentally melodic. Including elements of hard bop, Latin jazz, gospel and even folk, there are nods to Dexter Gordon, Stanley Turrentine, John Coltrane, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Bill Evans, Brad Mehldau, McCoy Tyner and more besides. This is honest music full of emotions, inspired and unified around the central theme of ‘home’.”
Concerning their new relationship with Ubuntu Music, they continue: “It’s been a real pleasure working with Martin Hummel and the Ubuntu team towards the release of our new album, ‘Feels Like Home’. We’ve felt really supported as artists in developing this project, and we’re both very excited for the official release of the new album in April 2024.”
Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis (Goat Noise Photography)
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: I’ve been aware of Vas and Paul’s talent for some time. And Vas has appeared on several Ubuntu releases. To have these two together, as a dynamic musical force, is a special situation. This album will appeal to a broad range of jazz fans who appreciate the real stuff. It’s great to have them as the latest members of the Ubuntu Music Family.”
For further information, please contact:
Vasilis Xenopoulos (Artist): vasilisxenopoulosjazz@gmail.com
Paul Edis (Artist): pauledis@gmail.com
Matt Fripp/Jazzfuel (Europe): matt@jazzfuel.com
Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com
BIOGRAPHIES
Photographer: George Vlachos
Vasilis Xenopoulos
Saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos is one of the most accomplished Greek jazz musicians of his generation and a genuine representative of straight-ahead jazz. London became his permanent home after graduating with honours from the Berklee College of Music in Boston and gradually established himself as one of London’s up-and-coming jazz saxophonists. He has worked with some of the best musicians of the international jazz scene as a band leader, a section leader and as a guest soloist on various projects.
In 2009 he formed The Xtet and their debut album, Loud City, containing eight original compositions, was released in 2011. Two years later he released his second album, The Wind Machine, which gained some fine reviews in the top British media such as The Times and BBC radio 3.
In 2017 Nigel Price and Xenopoulos created the XPQ (Xenopoulos/Price Quartet) and recorded their first album under that brand, Sidekicks, which celebrates some of the most successful guitar/sax pairings in the history of jazz.
His album, Dexterity, was released in September 2019.
Vasilis’ very latest venture is with one of UK’s leading contemporary bop ensembles, Five-Way Split, where he is a co-leader and composer. Their latest album, All the Way, was released in March 2023 on the Ubuntu Music record label.
The Guardian newspaper praised Vasilis recently for being one of the leading examples of European jazz musicians who live and perform in Britain and bringing his continental element to the jazz scene. Further to that, he has permanent collaborations with artists from Greece and Cyprus where he performs as a leader or guest artist on a regular basis. As a result, he is permanently active in three different scenes/markets (British, Greek and Cypriot).
Vasilis’ charismatic performances reveal his truly fabulous style, while his energy and passion interact with his audience. With his great talent, love and respect, he cherishes the instrument’s challenges and pushes it beyond.
Vasilis’ credits also include seminars on Jazz Saxophone and Improvisation.
Vasilis is an endorsing artist of JodyJazz Inc. USA and Rigotti Reeds S.A France.
“One of the most fiery young saxophonists around blazes a path through the hard bop repertoire"
- The Times ★★★★
“A tremendous asset to the UK jazz scene"
- London Jazz News
"Old-school warmth and modern-day dynamism"
- Jazzwise Magazine
Photographer: Elizabeth Ridley
Paul Edis
Paul Edis is one of the leading creative musicians in the UK today. As a performer, composer and educator, he has built a reputation for consistently delivering new and original ideas, seeking to innovate within his work while always paying respect to both the jazz and classical music traditions. In whatever genre or musical context he inhabits, Paul is passionate about melody and expression.
He has released several critically acclaimed recordings of new music in recent years, regularly receives commissions from a wide variety of organisations, and is known for his communication skills and breadth of knowledge, working as an educator for organisations including Sage Gateshead, National Youth Jazz Orchestra and National Youth Jazz Collective.
As well as leading his own sextet, trio and performing solo engagements, Paul works regularly with vocalist Jo Harrop. Their album, When Winter Turns To Spring, won Best Album at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2023.
Paul has collaborated with saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos for 20 years, and he has performed alongside other leading jazz names including Jon Faddis, Alan Barnes, Bruce Adams, Nigel Price, Jim Mullen, Tim Garland, Julian Siegel, Tony Kofi, Steve Waterman, Iain Ballamy and Mark Nightingale. His music has been played on the radio in the UK, US and in Europe.
“A major voice in British Jazz…Edis is an incredibly fertile composer and improviser”
- Jazz Journal
“A pianist who has compositional flair”
- Jazzwise Magazine
“One of the leading lights of contemporary jazz”
- London Jazz News
Feels Like Home Album Cover