Reviews

“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)

“When the players are Xenopoulos and Nigel Price…the outcome is downright irresistible.” (The Guardian) ★★★★

“Dashing Greek tenorist…real passion…full-blooded, hard-swinging solos.” (Evening Standard)

Biography

Saxophonist, composer and educator Vasilis Xenopoulos is widely regarded as one of the leading Greek jazz musicians of his generation and a distinctive voice in contemporary straight-ahead jazz. After graduating with honours from Berklee College of Music, he made London his permanent base and quickly established himself as a major presence on the UK jazz scene.

Over the years, Xenopoulos has performed internationally as a bandleader, section leader and guest soloist, collaborating with many acclaimed musicians across the global jazz community. His energetic, hard-swinging approach and commanding tenor sound have earned praise from critics and audiences alike, with The Guardian highlighting him as one of the finest examples of European jazz musicians enriching the British jazz scene with a distinctive continental voice.

In 2009 he formed The Xtet, releasing the debut album Loud City on 33Jazz Records in 2011. The album featured eight original compositions and introduced Xenopoulos as an exciting compositional voice as well as a formidable improviser. This was followed by The Wind Machine (2013), also released on 33Jazz Records, which received widespread acclaim from major British media outlets including The Times and BBC Radio 3.

In 2017, Xenopoulos and acclaimed guitarist Nigel Price formed the XPQ (Xenopoulos/Price Quartet), releasing their debut album Sidekicks, a celebration of some of jazz history’s most iconic saxophone and guitar partnerships. Their follow-up album Dexterity (2019) received extensive critical praise, including a four-star review from Jazzwise magazine.

Xenopoulos is also a co-leader and composer for Five-Way Split, one of the UK’s leading contemporary bop ensembles and nominees for Best Jazz Ensemble at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The group has released two acclaimed albums: All the Way (2023) and Modus Operandi (2026).

Alongside this, he co-leads a quartet with award-winning pianist and composer Paul Edis. Their collaborations include the albums Narrow Escape (2016) and Feels Like Home (2024), the latter voted one of the best new albums of 2024 by Jazzwise magazine.

Beyond the UK, Xenopoulos maintains strong musical ties with Greece and Cyprus, performing regularly both as a leader and guest artist. His charismatic performances, passionate sound and deep respect for the jazz tradition continue to make him one of the most compelling tenor saxophonists on today’s European jazz scene.

Alongside his performing career, he is also an experienced educator, delivering seminars and workshops on jazz saxophone and improvisation.