Reviews
Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - Sat 7th Apr 2012
Swing City Trio with guest Ray Harley
Steve Andrews reeds, Roy Cansdale bass, Ray Harley tpt, Roly Veitch gtr.
Faced with the choice of battling with the DIY crowds at B+Q on an Easter weekend, or a short trip down the road to support the last days at the Arts Centre with some easy listening classic jazz, we deliberated only for a minute ........"put away thy paste board" we heard, it was an easy choice really ........
Thankfully the snows of the previous week had eased and; the "men from Cumbria" (Roy and Steve) made it safely across the Pennines. The ever diminishing Steve Andrews produced the usual polished performance on sax and clarinet, his partner on the front line on this occasion the excellent Ray Harley, star of Maine Street Jazzmen and surely one of the best trumpet players around........they blended together beautifully to ease a good crowd through a most relaxing session .......it's a long time since I've been so relaxed on a Saturday afternoon, though perhaps the Toon's welcome on the welsh hillside the previous evening and the smooth Deuchars IPA may have added a tad to my mellow mood ........
Out of Nowhere, Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?, Nagasaki, Stardust then It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing.....all too quickly we reached the first breather. Crazy Rhythm, Blue Turning Grey Over You, Sweet Sue, Blue Skies, She's Funny That Way, Honeysuckle Rose, Bunny Berigan's I Can't Get Started ft solo from Ray, then China Boy took us to a quick break and the all important raffle. I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me, Sugar, 'Deed I do, Darn That Dream ft Steve on sax, then as the sun at last emerged outside, an appropriately timed On the Sunny Side of the Street before the final number After You've Gone ........cue a well deserved round of applause.
As always, the rhythm of Roy & Roly drove our very own Swing City Quartet through the day, well done guys. Vocal treats were provided by Roly & Steve.
Though the jazz was superb, in truth the important highlight of the day was that the Darlington Jazz Club has found a new venue ........though sadly the Arts Centre itself will fall victim to the cuts of today, the jazz club will see tomorrow, moving to the Dolphin Centre after July's swan song .......well done to all involved with the club, come on guy's, get out there & support your local jazz venues ...keep the music live !!!!
Ray Robson
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Blaydon Jazz Club - Wed 14th Mar 2012
Bill Harper pno, Anne Devere vcls, Neil Harland bass, James Birkett gtr, Paul Edis flt/clnt, John Bell vcl, Roly Veitch gtr.
This was an evening of nostalgia, memories, hellos and whatever became of? evenings. Oh yes - and there was some lovely music along the way.
Ann Devere and Bill Harper had been staples of the north-east jazz/big band scene for many years before they moved to Brittany some years ago and it must have warmed their very souls to have so many old friends turn out. I'm not going to list them all but there was Bill Smith, Billy Nicholson, John Bell, Tommy Moran, Olive and Alan Rudd, Germaine Stanger, Brian Chester and many more musicians whose names I couldn't match to the faces plus entrepreneurs Taylor and Pollard from Ashington and Gateshead Jazz Clubs. Jazz North East was represented by "Wor" Russell and Margaret Barnes.
Roly, James - to hell with formality - Jim (I never came to terms with calling Johnny Dankworth John either!) and Neil got things rolling with a lightly swinging 'All of Me' during which our guests of honour arrived with Bill sliding on to the piano stool mid chorus.
'All The Things You Are' - and there were many - Bill, 'Anthropology' and 'Darn That Dream' followed. This latter tune caused me to chuckle as I seem to recall that, many years ago, Bill was the first person I met who referred to it as Darn That Sock!
An up-tempo blues and a lush Body and Soul brought Paul Edis to the bandstand. Not to play piano but to blow Flute on 'Meditation' and clarinet on, as Roly introduced it, 'A Nightingale Sang in Blaydon Square'.
I'd heard Paul on flute before but not on clarinet and it was interesting listening to his dry contemporary sound.
A nightingale DID sing in Blaydon after the break when Anne Devere joined her husband for 'If You Could See Me Now' followed by 'I'll Remember April' and poignant tear-jerker, 'If You Were There'. The voice is still there but a sore throat limited Anne from doing too much. 'Satin Doll' swung.
Former Mayfair crooner John Bell sang 'What are you doing the rest of your life' finishing just in time for me to catch the 10:50 number 11 bus to Newcastle.
It had been a grand night and a nice gesture to two lovely people and of course Roly and everyone else who turned out.
Bill Harper plays the Cherry Tree on Monday.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Kendal Jazz Club - Tim Kliphuis vln, Roy Cansdale bass, Roly Veitch acoustic gtr. Wed 8th Feb 2012.
February saw the welcome return of virtuoso violinist Tim Kliphuis (is it really three years since his last visit?).
Always a firm favourite, he didn't disappoint, getting into the swinging groove at once with 'I can't give you anything but love'. With the ever reliable accompaniment of Roy Cansdale on bass and Roly Veitch on guitar, he then provided a wide ranging repertoire of classic jazz standards, with a judicious balance of tempos.
Favourites of this writer included a slow version of 'I can't get started', which used the full range of the instrument from top to bottom. The violin seemed the ideal instrument to express this somewhat plaintive tune.
As usual, Tim spliced up the proceedings with some classical interpolations, notably a Baroque insert into a bouncy 'I've found a new baby'. Honeysuckle Rose, played in an unusual key, started off at a brisk pace and, almost unbelievably, doubled this tempo after the first chorus, leaving the audience almost breathless. 'Flamingo', in bossa nova style, turned into a duet between Roly and Tim, the latter playing deft pizzicato violin. Roy was given the chance to stretch out on the bright Django Rheinhardt tune 'Swing 42'.
The audience was nothing short of ecstatic, and left the musicians in no doubt of their appreciation, demanding an encore forcefully. No doubt many are looking forward to Tim's next visit, as surely there will be one.
Jim Hadfield
Kendal Jazz Newsletter
Kendal Jazz Club - Enrico Tomasso + Swing City Trio. Wed 14th Dec 2011.
Enrico Tomasso tpt/vcls, Steve Andrews sax/clnt, Roy Cansdale bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls.
December’s first visit by Enrico Tomasso proved to be quite a memorable one, for all the right reasons. Nearly fifty of you braved the rather foul weather – please accept a gold star- and were duly rewarded by a great evening of warm and skilful music-making.
From the first notes of the opener, Irving Berlin’s ‘The Song is Ended’ (surely more suitable as a sign-off, guys?), it was apparent that all present were very much on the same wavelength, and that a treat was in store. Enrico may be, no is, vying with recent visitor Digby Fairweather for the title of top UK mainstream trumpet player, but our less-well-known local luminaries (yes, I’m going for the alliteration award) were not outshone in any way.
You could see, feel and most of all hear the mutual respect between Enrico and the Swing City Trio, and many of the best moments involved the inter-twining of the two blowing instruments, aided by the subtly swinging rhythm.
The programme was little short of inspired, mixing quality standards like ‘How High the Moon’ and ‘That’s My Home’ with less frequently heard but very welcome picks from the Great American Songbook like ‘I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues’, I Know That You Know’ and ‘Indian Summer’.
Steve Andrews was majestic on ballads like ‘Don’t Blame Me’, Roly Veitch was quietly impressive throughout, and Roy Cansdale made the most of his few solo outings while remaining indispensable as an anchor.
Enrico sang engagingly on a few numbers, soloed impressively on all of them, but totally stunned the audience with a magnificent tribute to Bunny Berigan on ‘I Can’t Get Started’, popping out the high notes with apparent ease.
All in all, another truly splendid night.
Bruce Carnaffin
Kendal Jazz Newsletter
Ashington Jazz Club Christmas Party at 'The Elephant' - 7th Dec 2011
Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with Caroline Irwin.
Keith gtr/uke, Bruce Rollo bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls, Caroline Irwin vcls/pcn.
Christmas came early at the AJC on Wednesday, December 7th, for as we drove up to the Elephant Pub I could have sworn that a star shone brightly down upon the impressive dome of the Jazz Temple known to us affectionately as The Elephant. It was obvious immediately that a good crowd of fans and friends had made the effort to travel from far away to be there on this special evening. They had all come to witness the arrival on stage of the three wise musicians of Gypsy Jazz supporting the Newbiggin singing Angel bringing beautiful Jazz ballads to our celebration. We would not be disappointed for a programme of twenty one melodies were performed during this exceptional evening.
Since the group was formed the quality has improved as the members have understanding of each others professional abilities producing a delightful sound with exquisite taste which blend together like Christmas Pudding and rum sauce. Keith and Roly exchange rhythm sections and solo improvisations like the gear box of a Formula 1 performance car. Bruce on bass is incredible at times giving the impression of two instruments bass and drums. How does he achieve that wonderful combination? The repertoire has been extended with the developing arrangements of the guitars and this was elegantly seen throughout the comprehensive programme.
It must be very satisfying for Caroline to be working so well out front and she too is developing in stage presence with a voice maturing with each performance. She enjoys singing before an appreciative audience and is an accomplished performer for one so young. Her confidence grows and her rapport with her audience is excellent. Singing on more than half the numbers Caroline introduced a taste of seasonal lyrics with Winter Wonderland and Santa Baby, Cuckoo (in French) and a very pacey Happy as the day is long. I don’t know anyone who can sing as quick without stumbling.
There were other numbers more romantic and smooth included throughout the evening. Roly sings well and gave us 'What a little Moonlight' and 'Honeysuckle Rose' and also made time for his own composition 'Calypso Jim'. Keith and he offered a superb interpretation of Stardust – brilliant. There was almost too many to list here but we got more than our monies worth.
One item which must not be forgotten was Caroline’s recitation of an instant poem composed by herself earlier in the evening. So now you know this versatile lady is also a poet and not many people know it.
As the happy audience left the building Caroline was overheard saying to Keith, “I told you the room would be full this Christmas evening. We should have gone to the Holiday Inn.” (not true)
But as I left the Elephant and looked up into the Heavens the bright star had definitely moved South in the direction of Blaydon or maybe Low Fell. That does not need an explanation for Jazz Fans.
Finally on behalf of Ashington Jazz Club may I thank all those who have supported throughout 2011 and a big thank you to John Taylor for making this possible. Thanks to Lance Liddle for posting the reviews and pics and to Elephant management for the encouragement. The Club owes much to all musicians and band groups who have willing performed for us and made our lives the better for the music they create.
May you all have a wonderful Christmas wherever you are and may 2012 bring everything you could wish for yourselves and families.
REMINDER - The Club will resume in the New Year after a Winter break on the first Wednesday in MARCH 2012. See you there.
Peter S.
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
CD 'Attune - - or two' - Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with Caroline Irwin (vcls/pcn) and Mike Piggott (vln)
Keith gtr/uke, Bruce Rollo bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls, Caroline Irwin vcls/pcn, Mike Piggott vln.
Several of the tracks were recorded live in the Old Ship Inn at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea during the summer. However, I must confess that, by closing my eyes, I found myself transported from the Northumberland coast to the River Seine where I was sipping un aperitif in a café on the Left Bank. The second world war may be imminent but with the Maginot Line and music like this who cares?
Wait a minute - this isn't Paris even though Mamselle Irwin chantez 'Autumn Leaves' ('Les Feuilles Morte') - this is today and Mike Piggott is keeping the Grappelli image alive with some fine swing fiddling whilst leader Stephen and his cohorts are doing the same for Django.
It's an enjoyable CD - Keith Stephen can slug it out with most of the better known gypsy guitarists aided and abetted by Roly's chordal support and Bruce's sympathetic bass-lines. Roly also kicks in with a couple of vocals ('I Saw Stars' and 'Sweet Sue') as well as his own pieces - 'Attune' and 'Calypso Jim'. Caroline, slots in nicely with idiomatic vocals culminating in 'Running Wild'. You Like it Hot? You got it!
A special mention of 'Robbins' Nest' - great tune - should be in every band's repertoire - well maybe not every band!
Recommended.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
The Roly Veitch Trio at The Cherry Tree - 19/9/2011
Noel Dennis tpt/flgl, Neil Harland bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls
On a Roly Veitch gig what you see is what you get. No hidden agendas, no pushing for new frontiers, just a choice selection of tunes that, by and large, haven't been done to death - rather like the menu at the Cherry Tree.
As I was deliberating over the Bacon and Sweetcorn Chowder and the Pork Rillette, Toast and Garden Leaves (the latter dish got the nod) Roly was crooning I've Got a Date With an Angel.- what a great song. It was enhanced by Noel Dennis' exquisite trumpet accompaniment and subsequent solo. A few Chetian characteristics in their respective singing and playing.
There Is No Greater Love - another gem - and the perfect side dish for my pork starter. Noel went onto flugel for Nature Boy which, I have to confess, is not a song I particularly like yet Roly sang it well and again Noel played with lots of feeling so maybe they're converting me - something Nat King Cole didn't manage!
It was as I was midway through my succulent Fillet of Pork, Black Pudding and Caramelised Apples that, for me, came the musical the highlight of the evening - 'Tis Autumn. Loved this song since I heard George Evans sing it with Geraldo and, subsequently, a beautiful version by Stan Getz kept it on my radar. A relaxed vocal from Roly, more flugel horn from Noel with the whole lot underpinned by Neil Harland. It's hard to equate the laid back double bassist Neil w
ith the wild bass guitarist Neil with Mo Scott's band - tonight he was the King of Cool. In fact all three are straight from the fridge (and that's a compliment by the way guys!) a good name for the band would be The King Cool Trio!
I've Never Been In Love Before - another classic performance - as was the Chocolate and Praline Brownie, Brandy Chantilly and Raspberries.
Too many good tunes to list them all although It Could Happen To You couldn't be allowed to go by without a mention - great song, great rendition.
As an interesting sideline Proprietor Peter introduced me to a couple - 'Doc' Foster and his wife. Doc was a member of the legendary Mighty Joe Young Band back in the 1950s and we shared a few reminiscences of luminaries now departed such as Ronnie McLean, Clem Avery, John Saxelby and others from bygone days.
As a matter of further interest, for those who like their music to be melodic - an article by Branford Marsalis in the Seattle Weekly (brought to my attention by LondonJazz) will be manna.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Jazz in the afternoon - Crescent Club, Cullercoats - 29/8/2011
Mike Durham (tpt/vcl); Barry Soulsby (clt/vcl/gtr); Brian Chester (tmb); Roly Veitch (bjo); John Carstairs Hallam (tuba/bs); Jim McKeown (dms). + Don Armstrong (alt); Laurence McBriarty (tmb); Teresa Armstrong (vcl); John ? (vcl).
As befits a club in a seaside town on a Bank Holiday Monday, the Crescent Club was standing room only.
This is always a fun session made all the more enjoyable today by seeing Roly Veitch on banjo - Barney Kessel must be turning in his grave! In fairness, it has be said that Roly plays the infernal thing pretty damn good - just don't make a habit of it Roly - Blame It On My Youth won't sound quite the same!
Other quirky moments were Barry Soulsby playing guitar and singing Putting on the Style, Roy playing Black and White Rag on the venerable upright piano, Chester and McBriarty duetting on Indiana, Teresa singing Mean to Me and, last but not least, Don Armstrong blowing Rosetta.
Don, a pivotal figure of the 1950's Newcastle jazz scene, is over here from down under and taking the opportunity for a blow whenever the occasion arises. Nice middle period alto.
On trumpet and occasional vocal, Mike Durham provides a strong lead whilst Jim McK and JC hold it all together. The latter allowed me a blow on the hot fountain pen he has just acquired - I told you it was a quirky day!
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Jazzathon - all proceeds to East African Famine Appeal
'The Lit & Phil', Newcastle - Sunday 21st Aug 2011 (organised by Paul Edis)
I'm not sure what the august figures whose portraits adorn the hallowed halls of the Literary and Philosophical Society would have thought on this August afternoon as the 2011 Jazzathon kicked off it's 12 hours of music in aid of the crisis in East Africa. They would surely have approved of the end result which raised over £1000 thanks to the generosity of fans and of course the bands who gave of their services free.
It was a rich and varied program with too many highlights to list and it would be both difficult and unfair for me to single out any one band or individual with the possible exception of Paul Edis who not only played in several different bands but also organised the whole shebang! On top of that he's just got married.
When I arrived, the Noel Dennis Quartet and ACV had already played sets that the durable Russell, who was there from the birth to the death, tells me were excellent. Armed with a bottle of Wylam Brewery's Angel Bitter I settled back and enjoyed the Sue Ferris Quintet who were in a very boppy mood on the opening Opus de Funk. Alongside Sue (pictured on tenor) was Graham Hardy. This was quite a poignant moment as Graham was playing the late Mike Gilby's flugel horn passed on to his former pupil - he did his mentor proud.
Next band up was Legohead described to me by someone sitting close by as McLaughlin meets Cobham meets Pastorius it was an apt description of this driving jazz/rock trio.
We'd had Mike Gilby's flugel horn now we had his daughter.
What is there left for me to say about Zoe Gilby that hasn't been said 1000 times on this blog? Well, nothing except I thought this was the best I'd ever heard her! Ditto Noel Dennis on trumpet and flugel. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines, I'm Always Drunk in San Fransisco just two of the many gems.
The only way any one could follow this set was by complete contrast and that's just what we got from the James Birkett/Roly Veitch Duo with the added bonus of new guitar hero on the horizon Bradley Johnson. Cool and laid back this was gentle chamber jazz that was as cool and refreshing as a Mint Julep on a hot day in Manhattan.
More boppy arrangements in a well chosen set by the Mick Shoulder Quintet before an awesome nonstop one tune set by the Lewis Watson Trio.
This was a new Lew - I guess he'd taken a sabatical practising late at night on the Millennium Bridge - a sheer tour de force a la Sonny Rollins, Joshua and Dewey, David Murray. I was left as breathless as he should have been but wasn't! The moods varied from a Debussy like pastoral tranquility to the Ride of the Valkyries on Speed. This was a tone poem created in a thunderstorm! And so it continued...
Mick Donnelly blew some nice straight down the middle tenor that never stopped swinging. The Paul Edis Sextet kept the flag flying even though the audience were flagging!
The bar was kept busy - and so it should at a mere £2.50 a bottle - sandwiches were acquired from Subway and the numbers multiplied for Ruth Lambert.
Finally, the evening drew to a close with Ex Extreme (pictured right) the band formerly known as Extreme Measures before the departure of leader David Carnegie to Barbados. Indeed a piece was dedicated to David appropriately entitled Barbados!
A day of unmitigated delight.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
CD 'What a little moonlight can do' by The Swing City Trio
Steve Andrews tnr sax/clnt/penny whistle, Roy Cansdale bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls
A welcome second issue from one of our most reliable and swinging local bands. The inimitable Steve Andrews on tenor sax, clarinet and penny whistle, the dependable Roy Cansdale on bass and the increasingly versatile Roly Veitch on guitar and vocals have produced another little gem.
Peter Bevan
Northern Echo
CD 'What a little moonlight can do' by The Swing City Trio
Steve Andrews tnr sax/clnt/penny whistle, Roy Cansdale bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls
A delightful little gem by three outstanding yet understated (and often underrated!) musicians.
On tenor Andrews takes a central path flanked by Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster to produce some of the best mid-period tenor solos around - and I don't mean around here - I mean around anywhere.
Likewise his sound on an old plastic Boosey and Hawkes Regent clarinet indicates that that instrument was worthy of much more than the student market it was aimed at!
Steve even uses a tin whistle on Tishimingo Blues to great effect.
Roly, as well as his sensitive guitar chording, gently croons several of the songs he often features on gigs. In particular, 'I Wished on the Moon', 'I Saw Stars' and 'The Touch of Your Lips' stand out although, in truth, there aren't any 'throwaway tracks'.
Ably supported by Roy Cansdale's bass, this is one of those CDs that exude class and if you play it in the car make sure the seat recliners work you know 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do' - you could hit lucky!
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
'One guy named Mo' at The Cherry Tree Restaurant - 6th June 2011
Rod Sinclair gtr, Neil Harland bass, Paul Smith drms & Roly (Mo) Veitch gtr/vcls
It was billed as Mo Scott and her Trio but Mo was, metaphorically speaking, 'under the doctor' so "Mo" Veitch aka Roly stepped into the breach once more dear friends.
I've heard Roly in duo situations with Jim Birkett and I've heard Jim Birkett doing likewise with Rod so I guess this completed the 3 x doubles' scenario.
It seemed to work well and all four musicians gelled as effectively as the Pressed Ham & Parsley Terrine, Crispy Oxenrig Free Range Eggs and Dandelion. That was my starter. I didn't recognise theirs but Roly's vocal on Lotus Blossom (Coslow/Johnston) was a tasty item indeed.
Roly knows a good tune when he hears one and Polka Dots and Moonbeams is one of the best. However, as this is a story in song that starts with a boy and girl meeting at a country dance that was being held in a garden and concludes with them being shacked up in cottage full of lilac and laughter it seems a bit pointless, after the solos to tell the tale all over again!
To draw a parallel my Wallington Hall Rump Steak with Wild Ransom Butter, Yorkshire Watercress and a mountain of French Fries was delicious but I wouldn't want the same again a few minutes later!
The two guitars contrasted stylistically and sound-wise yet still gelled perfectly. Roly, smoother, more gentle; Rod crisper, more volatile yet each one enhancing the other's qualities if you follow me.
Lot's of other good numbers including Mercy Mercy Mercy, My Buddy, Say It Isn't So, Skating in Central Park.
I couldn't think of a tune to link up with my British Cherry Eton Mass in Rosewater Cream until Roly sang Till There Was You! Summed up my desert perfectly!
One thing about the Cherry Tree - the audiences are usually appreciative yet, apart from a select few, are invariably not from the core jazz audience (if there is such a thing) - the mixture of good jazz and class cuisine for less than the price of a concert at The Sage seems to me to be a good deal.
We choose to listen and we have to eat - where's the problem?
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio + Caroline Irwin
Ashington Jazz Club, The Elephant - 1st June 2011
Keith & Roly Veitch gtrs, Bruce Rollo bass, Caroline vcls
A good turn out for the return of Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with Caroline Stephen (formerly Irwin) and what a good evening we had. The members also welcomed Lily Veitch, Roly's mother, who at almost 90 is an amazing lady, with a passion and enthusiasm for Jazz and an inspiration to all who are in their Autumn years.
Through-out the evening The Elephant was haunted by the ghosts of Django and Piaf, who would I think, have applauded the tribute to their unforgettable talents. Roly provided two originals - Attune and Calypso Jim. The melodies were excellent.
Caroline's vocals mature with every performance. Showing complete confidence she has developed into a most entertaining artiste. C'est Si Bon, Happy as the Day is Long, I Get The Blues When it Rains, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Running Wild and La Vie En Rose, were all executed with great skill and animation. An audience pleaser!
The trio of Keith, Roly and Bruce Rollo play together in superb harmony and with perfect understanding.
We enjoyed marvelous solo improvisation from all three and it was wonderful to hear Bruce on bass featured on Indiana. As always his Slam Stewart slapping bass style sounded as if there was a duo. How does he do that?
Roly sang Oh What a Little Moonlight Can Do (oo oo).
As we moved into the second half with After You've Gone and Bie Mir Bist du Schoen, little did we know that there would be further treats along the way. Keith brought out his banjo and played a melody which to me had a Greek sound which was new to our ears it was warmly applauded (Valse des Niglots).
Caroline, performer extrordinaire, produced a kazoo and with Keith on banjo gave us If it Don't Fit, Don't Force it which caused much laughter, certainly more risque that her version earlier of Over the Rainbow.
She also added Stupid Cupid with great guitar support.
The floor was invaded once again by two young dancers in the French Style which was warmly received.
There were other numbers in this long programme and we got good value for money.
The night ended with You Meet a Lot of Very Nice People in Your Dreams.
After the show we all would definitely remember this night for its quality and variety and the nice people of Ashington Jazz Club look forward to seeing them again. See you next month when Maine Street Jazz and Olive take the stand.
Peter S.
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
"What a swell party this was" - Lily Veitch's pending 90th bithday (its on 8th June) - 31st May 2011
Paul Edis pno, Mick Shoulder bass, John Hirst drms, Ruth Lambert vcls and with guest players Steve Andrews tnr sax,
Jim Birkett/Roly Veitch gtr duets
There can't be too many 90 year olds among the jazz fraternity although there are quite a few who look as if they're but a few years short of the century. However, Lily Veitch isn't one of them. Lily carries her years well and never more so than tonight at the family and friends celebration at Blaydon Jazz Club.
Perhaps it was a legacy of her earlier years when she performed in a dance troupe (3rd from left in b&w photo) that drew Lily to the music. Coupled with her son's jazz life as a guitarist and singer possibly it was ineveitable. Whatever, tonight; fans, friends, family, and her son's fellow musicians paid tribute in a most enjoyable evening.
The Edis Trio set the standard with The Touch of Your Lips and Joyspring. Classic piano trio work that set things up for Ruth Lambert and Falling In Love With Love, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, No Moon At All and Devil May Care.
The trio also played a couple of originals dedicated to Bird and Bach.
This brought us up to buffet time and what a sunptuous spread was laid before us! There was much chat among fans and musicians who not only came to pay their respects to Lily but also to show their support for Roly and his endeavours to keep jazz afloat in Blaydon. Many residents don't realise the unique gem they have in their midst - just wish we had the like in Jarrow and Hebburn.
After the cutting of the cake, Roly and Jim Birkett played a mini duo set comprising John Lewis' Skating in Central Park and All The Things You Are. Absolutely delightful is the interplay between these two master craftsmen.
Next up was Steve Andrews. Sadly we only had time for a chorus of Honeysuckle Rose before the number 11 bus beckoned - apologies Steve it wasn't a reflection - what I heard sounded good. So a grand night was had by all.
Party Postscript...
...after Honeysuckle Rose, which featured a bowed bass solo, it was all aboard for Skylark, described by Steve Andrews as “one of Hoagy Carmichael’s better tunes – and who were we to disagree? After Steve’s stately dismount from the stage drew a second round of applause, it was back to Ruth and the trio for My Romance and How High the Moon. Fine vocals and typically good solos in the encore, West Coast Blues, brought this wonderful evening to a close.
Congrats Lily, and thanks, Roly (and all at Blaydon Jazz Club).
PS. Lily 3rd from left in dance chorus photo.
Lance Liddle and PS by Jerry
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Paul Edis Trio at The Cherry Tree Restaurant - 16th May 2011
Paul Edis pno/flute, Mick Shoulder bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls
We arrived at The Cherry Tree ravenous and caught only hints and fragments of the first two numbers from the bar area while being tormented by delicious hints and fragrances from the kitchen opposite. These “soundbites” whetted the appetite for jazz and food alike.
Tonight’s unusual line-up (Crook revisited!) saw Roly Veitch’s guitar and vocals replacing drums at short notice (and very ably indeed).
We were at table and up to speed by Nature Boy with Roly’s vocals as smooth as the tarragon and truffle oil which garnished my Gratin of asparagus and salsify – wonderful! After Paul gave the flute its first outing of the evening (sorry, I missed more titles than I heard!) we had Darn that Dream and a dreamy Crab linguine with chilli, garlic and lemon – a Cherry Tree favourite.
Chef on victuals, Roly on vocals: what can I say? The boy's darn good!
Then it was Montego Bay to Osborne Road (via Crook) with Calypso Jim – a Roly Veitch gem – with infectiously sunny solos on both flute and guitar, swiftly followed by All the Things You Are which, accompanied by Crème brulée with rhubarb compote and vanilla shortbread (All the Things You Like?) took us to the break.
The restaurant was gradually filling, now, having been quieter yet, thanks to one couple (utterly oblivious to the musicians), noisier than usual! This pair apart, everyone was visibly enjoying the food and the music.
Set two opened with a lively, rhythmical number (sorry, missed that title, too!) followed by more vocals from Roly on 100 Years from Today. The next “untitled” featured melodic flute, a fine bass solo (with flute “long-notes” thrown in) and flute/guitar fours too!. In this number and throughout the evening, Mick Shoulder’s steady bass was the band’s pulse.
At this point Roly got vocally romantic with My Romance but, unfortunately, “Dumb and Dumber” on a nearby table (and on their third bottle of red in double-quick time!) got Loud and Louder! In which company the Chopin-inspired How Insensitive, seemed remarkably appropriate!
Things quietened then as Roly did a beautiful version of In the Wee Small Hours and another young couple (God bless them for restoring my faith!) showed how to react to romantic music by doing a spontaneous two minutes of “Strictly Ballroom” on the landing above, seemingly unaware that they could be seen from below!
The set ended with a choo-choo-boogie blues (not the title – another train I missed!) featuring some great picking and piano, a bowed-bass solo and a whimsical flute flourish at the close.
That sounds a bit like tasting notes for a flavoursome wine: this was a vintage performance full of subtlety and variety – and that goes for the food, too!
Jerry
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Calypso in Crook - Edis/Shoulder/Veitch at St. Cuthbert Centre, Crook - 13th Apr 2011
Paul Edis pno/flute, Mick Shoulder bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls
Crook rarely features in "Be-bop….", this 150 year-old hall had probably never hosted a jazz gig before and things seemed to start inauspiciously when Paul was attacked by his own flute a few bars into 'Have You Met Miss Jones'! Although the flute came 'Out of Nowhere' (well, off the top of the upright piano, actually), never a beat was missed and the evening seemed to get thematically sunnier as the darkness fell outside.
Then, when Roly (nice vocals) said 'I’m Old-Fashioned', we all agreed to be old-fashioned too!
Eden Ahbez’s 'Nature Boy' then brought an air of wistful enchantment with soft vocals and a magical flute solo (it was worth bringing it, after all) from Paul. Next up, 'My Funny Valentine' took us from wistful to whimsical with some fine interplay between piano and guitar.
The mood changed again with the Mandel classic 'Emily', which opened with solo flute echoing around the beautiful, high-beamed hall and which featured an excellent bass solo with flute long-notes in the background – a new combination on me! The set closed with Jerome Kerr’s Look for the Silver Lining exhorting us to "find the sunny side of life" which, with such tunes (and pizza to come at half time), is pretty much where we were at anyway!
After the interval Roly performed two dialect songs – one for the Mags and one for the Mackems – which went down really well considering we were so far south!
Then we REALLY swung into the second set with 'It Don’t Mean a Thing…' where the bass solo again got deserved applause. After which it was back to sunshine (sitting on a rainbow) jazz with 'I’ve Got the World on a String', followed by 'Bye Bye Blackbird' on which Roly crooned and Paul trilled and soloed as if four and twenty piano styles had been baked in a pie and turned out hot!
It was all good, but my favourite number was when the Caribbean sunshine came to Crook via Roly’s original, 'Calypso Jim' - beautiful guitar and flute on this one and, thanks to a tricky ending which caught us all out, TWO lots of applause! Roly crooned us through 'The Wee Small Hours of the Morning' culminating in a piano lullaby before the tempo went up again (way up in the middle-section) 'On the Sunny Side of the Street'. "…Of life…" in the first set, "Of the street" in the second – but always the sunny side!
Prolonged applause demanded an encore and the evening closed with more melodious flute on 'All the Things You Are'.
I’m due in Nice tomorrow – but there’s so much sunshine in Crook that I might just cancel!
Jerry
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
CD 'Wrap your troubles in dreams' - Roly Veitch Trio
Noel Dennis tpt/flgl, Neil Harland bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls
When I'm at a loose end as to what to listen to whilst blogging I sometimes close my eyes and pick the first CD my paws land on. Like a fisherman who throws a fish that is too small back into the water I sometimes move on to the next one.
Tonight I did just that. I'd landed on Stanley Turrentine's The Common Touch a fine album but it was getting late so I moved alphabetically on. The Roly Veitch Trio - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams.
Why not? I hadn't played it for a while and, as I soon discovered, it has most certainly, like good wine, matured with age - vintage 2006.
Quite a unique trio record. Guitar and vocal (Roly); Trumpet and flugel (Noel Dennis); Double bass (Neil Harland). If this disc had been around in the 1950's I rather feel it would have provided the background to as many romantic encounters as did Frank's Songs For Swinging Lovers and that is some comparision to make!
Thinks - perhaps I should keep it in the car stereo just in case although this time round I can hardly 'Blame It On My Youth'.
Lance Liddle 13/4/2011
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Caroline Irwin + Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio
Ashington Whitehouse Club - 11th Feb 2011
Charity event - proceeds to Motor Neurone.
Co-promotion - Ahington Rotary Club/Ashington Jazz Club
Caroline vcls/uke, Keith gtr/bjo, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls, Bruce Rollo bass.
Ashington Rotary Club and Ashington Jazz Club engaged Keith Stephen and his Trio plus Caroline to entertain at a Charity Fund Raising event in aid of Motor Neurone at the White House Club on Friday evening.
The event attracted an audience of 170+ in the function room where the musicians treated the supporters to a lively and exciting evening.
Keith, Roly Veitch and Bruce Rollo performed, as always, an interesting programme while the Newbiggin Nightingale, as Caroline was described, gave an energetic and lively show, much apprectiated by the men and the ladies who joined her in some of the vocals, evidence of her appeal, attraction and personality.
At the final number an encore was demanded which the group willingly provided.
As the evening came to a close it was revealed that after expenses £900 had been achieved for the charity and applauded by all those whose families and friends were affected by the condition.
We thank the White House and staff for cooperation and use of facilities and of course all members of the band who who played their part and must have been exhausted after a successful evening.
Peter S
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
The Blaydon Aces
Ashington Miners Institute - 20th Jan 2011
Co-promoted by Ashington Folk Club / Ashington Jazz Club
The Blaydon Aces - Roly Veitch (gtr/vcls) & James Birkett (gtr)
A unique coalition took place in Ashington last week.
This was a fusion of the long established Ashington Jazz Club and Ashington Folk Clubs, the members from which came together for one evening to enjoy the talented duo of Roly Veitch and Jim Birkett as the Blaydon Aces.
Those of us from the Jazz Club have had the pleasure, and recognize the brilliance, of these two established local musicians, while this proved to be a new experience for Folk Club members.
The versatility on guitars of Roly and Jim was established from the first number with Roly's vocals, in a distinctive and wonderful Tyneside and North East accent, being much appreciated. It is a rare occurence these days to hear the music of our heritage and all agreed that this is an art that must be preserved.
The arrangements were delightful and melodic with an injection of humour within the lyrics. To the surprise of all some of the items were accompanied by a Bossa Nova rhythm which gave the duo the opportunity to air their skills.
The audience listened intently to the stories the songs told, while R and J skillfully and so professionally painted a classical background of great accompaniment, as the audience joined in some of the more familiar lyrics.
It was a masterful evening by two respected collaborators and we are fortunate to have both living in the North East. It is not surprising that they can move so easily between different genres of music and I recommend them to you all without any hesitation.
Let us keep our traditions alive where and when possible alongside our love of Jazz in all its forms.
Congratulations Roly and Jim and thanks to the two leaders of the Clubs for the use of the venue and arranging this for our delight.
I suggest you take a look at Roly's web site for more information and listing of many of the songs presented to us.
Peter S
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Enrico Tomasso with The Swing City Trio
Darlington Arts Centre - 6th Nov 2010
Enrico Tomasso(tpt/cnt), Steve Andrews (reeds), Roy Cansdale (bass), Roly Veitch (acoustic gtr/vcls)
A particularly busy week for jazz at the Arts Centre ended with this delightful recital, part of Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club’s regular monthly series.
It’s always a pleasure to hear the aptly named Swing City Trio, which comprises the multi talented Steve Andrews on clarinet and saxophones, Roly Veitch on guitar and occasional vocals and Roy Cansdale on double bass providing a continuously steady backing and a springboard for the horn player or, in this case, players.
On a short, but crowded, northern tour, they were joined by trumpet and cornet player Enrico Tomasso, recognised as one of the finest swing trumpeters in the country.
The opening numbers 'Spotlight' (which reverted to 'Just You, Just Me' for Veitch’s vocal), 'I’m confessin’ and 'Fine and Dandy', made it clear that rather than being a trio with a guest soloist, this was now a rather well balanced quartet, with Tomasso integrated into the group.
A typically generous performance of three sets included a wide variety of songs with many highlights. 'My Romance', for example, began with the gentlest of openings by bass and guitar, paving the way for an exquisitely beautiful and suitably romantic tenor saxophone solo.
Then there were Tomasso’s stop-time choruses on tunes such as 'I’ve got the world on a string', a wistful and gently lilting 'My gal Sal' and a tenor solo on 'This Years Kisses' where, without directly copying him, Andrews managed to recreate the aching tenderness of Lester Young’s classic solo.
Tomasso, of course, featured on Louis Armstrong songs such as 'Struttin’ with some barbecue' and 'Sleepy time down south', including his occasional vocals backed by Andrews on alto, tenor saxophone or clarinet.
The whole performance was a constant delight and a lovely way to spend a Saturday lunchtime.
Peter Bevan
The Darlington and Stockton Times
Bob Barnard with The Swing City Trio
Trinity Centre, Gosforth - 11th Sept 2010
Bob Barnard (tpt), Steve Andrews (reeds), Roy Cansdale (bass), Roly Veitch (acoustic gtr/vcls)
This was one of those gigs that one remembers because of the restraint rather than the kick the door down, put the boot in, excitement that characterises most jazz gigs that stick in the memory.
This was different. It was the Bechet/Spanier 4, the Mulligan Quartet, the MJQ - it was chamber jazz of the highest quality.
Bob Barnard, like Bix, Chet, Bobby Hackett even Miles, knows that one note hit on the nose is better than a hundred despatched into outer space. When Bob takes a solo he isn't just taking the chords for a walk around the block he's creating an alternate melody.
True that alternate melody may have been honed over the years but the end result is worth it.
Steve Andrews kept pace with the star and had more than a few moments of his own to draw applause from the appreciative crowd.
Steve also did the announcing in his own fine and humourous manner. However, knowing Bob' Barnard's illustrious pedigree, I'd have liked to have heard some of his own stories first hand.
Nevertheless, it was a good gig and the set lists are worth salivating over...
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, I Surrender Dear, Easy Living, I Saw Stars (vcl by Roly), Indian Summer, Come's Love, Sweet and Lovely and As Long As I Live.
The second set opened with Just You, Just Me (with the boppish Spotlite riff and a Roly vocal) followed by Topsy, Skylark, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, Three Little Words, You've Changed, Out of Nowhere and, finally, Swing That Music.
Throughout, Roly as well as his cool laid back vocals provided the perfect rhythm guitar acc. and played some nice solos a la George Barnes, Carl Kress. On bass Roy was his usual tower of strength.
A most enjoyable and relaxing evening - I hardly noticed the absence of drums so much did the group swing!
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio + Steve Andrews
Ashington Jazz Club - 4th Aug 2010
Steve Andrews (reeds/penny whistle), Keith Stephen/Roly Veitch (gtrs) Bruce Rollo (bass)
Suffering from withdrawal symptoms, (no Splinter at The Bridge etc.), we ventured further north to The Elephant at Ashington expecting to be charmed by Caroline Irwin vocals and Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio. The Trio were on fine form but Caroline had a sore throat and had been replaced by the "slightly less than petite" Steve Andrews.
However! We received a very warm welcome at the door and joined quite a large audience for what turned out to be a very enjoyable evening.
The Trio - Keith Stephen who makes and plays his own instruments, Guitars and Banjos! - with our very own (Blaydon) Roly Veitch on rhythm guitar and vocals and Bruce Rollo on Bass began the proceedings with a Django number Rue Vingt Six and I imagined myself round the fire in a Gypsy encampment, very exciting.
The Trio were then joined by their guest of very short notice Mr Steve Andrews with a selection of instruments namely alto and tenor Sax, (I think?) clarinet and penny whistle. I will not list all of the numbers but a delightful smattering of Stardust was followed by such numbers as Say It Isn't So with Roly vocals. Swing Gitane another Django piece and various others from that well known Song Book.
In the interval Roly had a request to sing one of his Canny Tyneside songs, I have forgotten the name of the woods involved but some poor soul made the mistake of falling for a strumpet called Rose and paid the price. Very Entertaining. (Ed-The Ha'penny Woods of Bedlington).
The second half included one of Roly's own compositions Calypso Jim, one or two more from the book and Nuages (that means Clouds in French) another Django number and then the evening came to an end with Keith on Banjo and Steve on Alto playing Sheik of Araby.
We may have initially been disappointed by the absence of Caroline but Steve played with such feeling and sensitivity with the excellent backing of the trio that we felt very glad we had ventured out to hear something rather different to out normal taste and had enjoyed it greatly.
PS: Other numbers, I'm told on authority, included; Swing 39, Minor Swing, There Will Never be Another You, China Boy, Exactly Like You, I Saw Stars, I'm Confessin', Sweet Sue.
J & K
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Concert for Chris - to celebrate the life and legacy of Chris Yates, secretary of JNE 1973 to 2009
Corner House, Newcastle - 25th July 2010 - 1pm to 6pm
Alan Glen (pno), John Pope (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
It was just on 1:00pm when Alan went into Love For Sale and already the room was close to capacity. How Deep Is The Ocean followed with, as one has come to expect from Alan, a further selection of choice tunes. An immaculate set by the swingiest, boppiest trio around. This was worth the entry on its own.
If you missed them or want to here them again they play the Chilli on Chillingham Road, Heaton, next Wednesday (July 28).
Paul Edis (pno), Graham Hardy (tpt/flg), Graeme Wilson (ten), Chris Hibbard (tmb), Mick Shoulder (bs), Adam Sinclair (dms).
It took a sextet to follow the previous trio! Led by another piano ace, Paul Edis, who also doubled as sound engineer, the group opened up with a rather moody, but harmonically strong, original Dorian Gray, followed by a beautifully charted In A Sentimental Mood before rocking out on Angular. A well contrasted set with impressive solos all-round. Graham Hardy blew his socks off - clearly not over-awed by the act to follow.
Steve Waterman (tpt/flg), Roly Veitch (gtr), Neil Harland (bs), Adam Sinclair (dms).
From the opening Stella By Starlight the now standing room only bar knew Steve was playing for keeps. He had moments of Freddy Hubbard on Invitation and screamed in the upper on Line For Lyons sounding nothing like Chet although Steve and Roly did indulge some Mulligan Quartet type interplay. Roly's clean-cut solos the perfect foil for Steve's virtuosity. A memorable gem.
Alan Barnes (alt), Graeme Wilson (ten), Graham Hardy (tpt/flg), Paul Edis (pno), Mick Shoulder (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
By this time the walls were bursting at the seams as the audience numbers continued to grow. Chris Yates couldn't have had a finer tribute paid to him than by the quality of the music or by the turn out. It's You Or No One kicked from bar one with Alan Barnes unleashing soul-searing choruses and both Graham and Graeme staying with him. The final Blues Walk raised the bar even higher.
Graeme Wilson (ten), Roly Veitch (gtr), Neil Harland (bs), Scotty Adair (dms).
Where will it end? Just so much good music surely this is the gig of the decade.
Roly puts in the polished performance we have come to expect from him with Graeme blowing nice smooth middle period tenor - can this be the same guy who sometimes singes the rooftops?
We don't often see Scotty on a jazz gig these days but he's still got it - he still swings.
Tim Garland (ten/sop), Andy Champion (bs), Adrian Tilbrook (dms).
Suddenly we're in a different game. Tim Garland went snarling into Killer Joe and battered KJ into retirement - an awesome performance backed up to the hilt by Andy and Adrian. Throughout the set castles crumbled, Gibraltar tumbled.
Tim, Adrian and Andy stayed on stage for the final set where they were joined by Paul Edis (pno), Alan Barnes (alt), Steve Waterman (tpt).
This was the finale to end all finales with, blasting off on What Is This Thing Called Love, they really went for the jugular on the final Anthropology. This was Jazz At The Phil revisited. A million choruses by Alan Barnes on alto, a trip to Mars and beyond by Steve and a kickass tenor surge by Tim - this guy should be walkin' the bar in New Orleans he can blow that kind of tenor.
Naturally the crowd ovated standing so the boys gave us How Deep Is The Ocean which brought us the full circle from Alan Glen's opening set.
What a gig! I'm still up where the air is rarefied and all these guys gave of their services free - such was the respect the late Chris Yates was held in.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival - Sat/Sun 10/11th July 2010
Below are two session reviews from just a few of the many festival concerts.
Bohem Ragtime Jazz Band (Hungary)
Andy Schumm's Bixologists (USA/UK)
Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with Caroline Irwin (UK)
Keith Nichols & Martin Litton - Ragtime Piano Summit (UK)
Day two of the festival saw many a bleary eye (mine included) around noon at the Village Hotel. Nice weather once again, it was a bit of a shame to head indoors to hear the jazz in the Sunset Cafe. Hungarian outfit, the Bohem Ragtime Jazz Band, held court to another sizeable audience. Led by pianist/violinist Tamas Itzes the band moved effortlessly through a wide ranging repertoire including Jelly Roll Morton.
A swift exit was necessary to get to Kelly's Stables to catch Andy Schumm's Bixologists. American cornetist Schumm is a Bix devotee. He was in the company of his fellow Americans Josh Duffee and Paul Asaro. Drummer Duffee looks the part - slicked-back hair and all - and Asaro is a student of early jazz piano styles. On this gig they were joined by the UK's Norman Field (reeds) and Paul Munnery (trombone) together with guitarist/banjoist Jacob Ulberger. Andy Schumm's cornet, to my ears, sounded remarkably like his idol. Good to listen to, make sure you catch them next time.
Down at the One-Cent Club it was standing room only to hear the north east's superb Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with Caroline Irwin. Hot Club-style certainly but with many more strings to their bow (or should that be ukulele?). Guitarist, banjo player, ukulele man and occcasional, indeed I suspect reluctant, vocalist, Keith Stephen is a master of early jazz guitar styles. He is much in demand in other ensembles as is rhythm guitarist and vocalist Roly Veitch. Veitch in partnership with jovial double bassist Bruce Rollo supplied a cast-iron rhythmic foundation for Stephen to do his dazzling stuff (principally on guitar).
Enter Caroline Irwin. Petite, yet big on personality, she is quite captivating, performing all sorts - What a Wonderful World to Somewhere Over... FIRE! PLEASE LEAVE THE BUILDING. FIRE! PLEASE LEAVE THE BUILDING. The hotel's fire alarm system activated just as our Ukulele Girl was taking on Judy Garland. Undaunted, the band reassembled outside in the carpark and as the saying goes 'The Show Must Go On' and it did. An impromptu couple of numbers including Stupid Cupid was met with roars of approval. Worryingly there was no sign of the fire brigade. Fortunately it was a false alarm.
We returned to the One-Cent and took up where we left off...Somewhere Over the Rainbow - fantastic! Not exactly jazz? Who cares? This was great stuff. Hear them next time they play anywhere near you and you won't be disappointed.
Staying on in the One-Cent the closing performance of the afternoon was a Ragtime Piano Summit meeting of the great Keith Nichols and the equally great Martin Litton. This was a most entertaining history of ragtime piano. Nichols and Litton are top class exponents of the form, taking time to place composer and tune in context and their playing, from Twelfth Street Rag to Maple Leaf Rag, was that of virtuosi. This was an afternoon of varied, top class jazz. More to come.
Barrelhouse & Boogie: Jeff Barnhart & Paul Asaro.
Cecile McLorin Salvant with Jean-Francois Bonnel & his Band: Cecile McLorin Salvant (vocals), Andy Woon (cornet), Jean-Francois Bonnel (reeds), Martin Litton (piano), Paul Munnery (trombone), Roly Veitch (guitar), John C. Hallam (bs), Josh Duffee (drums).
Fidgety Fingers: Tom 'Spats' Langam, Martin Wheatley, Keith Stephen, Roly Veitch, Philippe Guignier (guitars).
The last in the one hour piano concerts featured Americans Jeff Barnhart and Paul Asaro playing barrelhouse and boogie. From first note to last this was a treat. Our pianists are great communicators offering incisive comment on the players and styles developed one hundred years ago and more. Barnhart, a big man, played Eubie Blake's Charleston Rag (dating from 1899), a masterful version of High Society (!), Chattanooga Choo Choo and others. At the conclusion of each piece there was thunderous, well deserved applause.
Paul Asaro, the other half of the recital, is a young man of prodigious talent. At one point he claimed to 'dabble' in certain aspects of the music. Well, if that's the case, I bet the audience wished they could turn their hand to whatever took their fancy. Asaro can play, no two ways about it. Blind Pig Blues, Alligator Crawl and Juan Tizol's Caravan were executed quite brilliantly. Barnhart and Asaro rattled off any number of tunes (James P Johnson's Riffs and Meade Lux Lewis' Honky Tonk Train Blues were highlights) and as a finale they went out with St.Louis Blues as a four-hander.
On leaving the One-Cent Club the word was out that a 'must see' was Cecile McLorin Salvant. Arriving at Kelly's Stables it was impossible to get into the joint. It was packed to the rafters. Fortunately the door was kept open (it was rather warm!). I, together with thirty or forty others, stood in the corridor, faces pressed up against the glass. The sensation that is Cecile performed a programme comprising tunes associated with Billie Holiday. Phrasing, interpretation of the lyric, everything about the perfromance was flawless.
The band, led by Jean-Francois Bonnel, was hand picked for the occasion. All were stars but none more so than Cecile McLorin Salvant.
Meanwhile, back in the One-Cent, the afternoon was winding down with four then five ace guitarists on the stand. An all acoustic show, Langham, Wheatley, Stephen and Veitch played a wonderful set - each guitarist taking the spotlight in turn and appreciating the skills of the others. It wasn't competitive, just relaxed, no egos here.
Riverboat Shuffle, I Saw Stars (Veitch taking the vocal) and Stompin' at the Savoy were a joy, then the boys were joined by the Hot Antic's Philippe Guignier. He called Come to Me My Melancholy Baby and so we had it - just like that, no problem. Then Sweet Sue Just You (another relaxed vocal by Veitch). A finale, with an astral theme, saw each take a two-chorus solo and so we got, variously, Stardust, Moonglow, Blue Moon, Stella By Starlight etc. Perfect.
Russell Corbett
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Blaydon Races Festival - Thurs 10th June 2010
John Hallam, reeds with Jeremy McMurray pno, John Hirst drms, Neil Harland bass, Roly Veitch gtr .
John Hallam was superb tonight blowing tenor on Just Friends, a Victor Young tune, Was I to Blame For Falling in Love With You? and a belting Blues in the Closet.
On clarinet we enjoyed Where or When? and Putting on the Ritz before John donned the baritone for a sumptuous Dream a Little Dream of me followed by Ellington's I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart.
This brought us up to the interval where I hit for a bottle of Chianti in the raffle. Coincidentally, earlier in the day I had received a postcard from Colin Aitchison with a drawing of Raffles Hotel in Singapore - was that an omen or was that an omen?
My joys were not over.
After What is This Thing Called Love and Out of Nowhere on tenor came a clarinet feature - I Would Do Anything For You - a Claude Hopkins tune from way back that I picked up again on a Harry Allen CD.
It's been one of my favourite tunes ever since and this was the first time I recall hearing it played live although I'm sure I must have - superb.
It goes without saying the other guys too were great. Roly, I thought, excelled and the sound he got was my kind of guitar sound - nice round tone - he was worried about playing through the PA but he needn't have it was good.
Jeremy, John and Neil were all first class.
It occurred to me that on another night any one of the quartet could be the headline star.
Splendid evening.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Blaydon Races Festival - Mon 7th June 2010
Roly Veitch gtr/vcls and James Birkett gtr.
Blaydon Jazz Club's Roly Veitch took the opportunity in Blaydon Races Week (Twas on the ninth of June and all that) to invite his friend and fellow guitarist Jim Birkett to join him in playing some favourite Geordie dialect tunes. It just so happens that the Blaydon Aces latest CD 'Gan Canny' is released tomorrow (Wednesday - Twas on the ninth of June and all that), now that's what I call good marketing!
Geordie tunesmiths from down the years were the focal point throughout three entertaining sets in the concert room. Joe Wilson's Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinny, The Lambton Worm from the pen of C.M. Leumane (of whom little is known), Tommy Armstrong's The Row Atween the Cages (a commentary on developments in the mining industry) and many other familiar tunes by the likes of Thomas Wilson (Thomas Wilson CIU Club in Low fell is worth a visit!), Jack Robson (Wherever Ye Gan You're Sure to Find a Geordie), Geordie Ridley (Blaydon Races) and Alan Hull (Fog on the Tyne).
Highlights were many - two in particular for this listener were a beautiful ballad The Cliffs of Old Tynemouth by David Leitch (Roly described Leitch as a humanitarian - no bad thing to be, I'd say) and a Veitch original Gan Canny. The musicianship and vocals (!) were of the highest calibre and jazzers though they undoubtedly are, Veitch and Birkett, for the most part, kept in check their natural inclination to Play That Thing!
All in all this was a most convivial evening in the always welcoming surroundings of Blaydon CIU Club.
Russell
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Ashington Jazz Club 25th Anniversary Concert - Wed 2nd June 2010
The Jubilee Quintet - James Birkett gtr, Graeme Wilson tnr sax, Neil Harland bass, John Hirst drms, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls.
Some of you may be old enough to recall the Newport 1958 film - Jazz on a Summer’s Day. Last night we enjoyed Ashington 2010 Jazz on a Summer’s Evening which will remain long in the memories of 51 loyal members who welcomed the appearance of the Jubilee Quintet brought together by Roly Veitch, a regular visitor to our club during the last 25 years. Other members in the band included another popular musician in Jim Birkett with Graeme Wilson (tnr sax), Neil Harland (bass) and a young drummer, John Hirst.
The audience was entertained by the group with many well known standards from an extensive jazz repertoire which were at times exquisitely performed, sometimes exciting and sometimes gentle and melodic and always creative improvisation. Other masterpieces came from the libraries of Sonny Rollins, Gerry Mulligan and the Modern Jazz Quartet. Each performance brilliantly executed and receiving rapturous applause from enthusiastic fans.
The surprise of the evening was duo guitar renditions of two Geordie folk songs, one of which was set to a bossa nova rhythm. Most unusual but appreciated.
Bass and percussion accompaniment was of a high standard throughout the evening and the saxophone interpretations were superb.
The members, both old and new, enjoyed a fantastic evening of quality jazz music.
Thank you Roly and members of The Quintet.
Peter and Luke
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
The Cherry Tree - Paul Edis Trio + Roly Veitch - Mon 19th Apr 2010
Paul Edis pno/flute, Mick Shoulder bass, Adam Sinclair drms, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls.
Take Paul’s trio, add Roly’s guitar and vocals and what do you get? Musically the most varied (and arguably the most successful) programme I've yet seen at The Cherry Tree. There was something for everybody: standards, bossa nova and twelve-bar blues. The musicians really seemed to gel and to get a kick out of playing together creating wonderful combinations of sound - flute and guitar on the bossa nova, Meditation; piano and bass on Emily and piano and guitar on Just One of Those Things.
It was delightful.
The roll-call of composers and lyricists was impressive too, featuring Rodgers and Hart, Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin whose beautiful Ah loves you Porgy was, for me, the high-point of the evening.
The first set opened with the trio playing a request, Satin Doll, Roly crooned away our “cares and woes” with Just You, Just Me and Bye, Bye Blackbird. Paul gave his flute an airing on the aforementioned Meditation and Mick was to the fore in Emily.
Paul’s arrangement (Bill Evans influenced?) of Singin’ in the Rain is one that I would dearly love to hear in a quieter atmosphere as, by this time, main courses were in full swing. My Funny Valentine was next up and the set closed with more fine vocals from Roly on that optimists’ anthem, Wrap your Troubles in Dreams.
In the second set we were treated to Yesterdays, Say it Isn’t so” (another good solo from Mick), the Gershwin love song (Porgy) and Johnny Mercer’s Harlem Butterfly. Roly said "We could only guess at where Paul got his title for Big Jug Blues from" (a pub on Claypath, Durham City, Roly, actually!) but the number drew warm applause anyway. Just One of those Things completed the evening apart from an encore which I missed while paying the bill!
The food normally gets equal billing with the music in these reviews so my apologies for the brevity of what follows: it was, as ever, excellent and, between four of us, we sampled a good cross section of the menu. If you’ve never been yet, why not?
Jerry
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
BlaydonJazz - The Swing City Trio - Thurs 15th Apr 2010
Steve Andrews sax/clnt/penny whistle, Roy Cansdale bass, Roly Veitch gtr/vcls.
This was one of those nice jazz in miniature gigs in the club lounge. Roly always describes the lounge as cosy - a description that could equally apply to the music.
Salon jazz of the highest order.
A host of quality standards both vocal and instrumental. In the latter category I Wished on the Moon stood out - it always does for me - Roly's gentle croon bringing to mind his faves Crosby and Bowlly. A first timer was Berlin's Say It Isn't So with Steve rhapsodising a la Hawkins on tenor and Roly successfully walking the vocal tightrope as he did once or twice tonight. All, I hasten to add without mishap.
These day he seems to like playing acoustically into a mic which, to avoid feedback, means low level volume. In other words, if you want to hear it you've gotta listen!
Steve fluctuated back and forth from tenor to clarinet and, on one occasion, penny whistle! - Tishomingo Blues no less. He blew well from the opening Gone With The Wind to the closing Lester Leaps In with Body and Soul and Stars Fell on Alabama, Honeysuckle Rose in which Roly sang the verse just some of the others.
Holding it all together, anchor man, Roy Cansdale, proved that even anchors have hearts with some soft and gentle solos.
If someone had dropped a pin it would have been like a Buddy Rich explosion!
Grand evening.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Saville Exchange, North Shields - John Hallam (sax/clnt) + Roly Veitch Quartet - Fri 5th Feb 2010
Jeremy McMurray pno, Andy Champion bass , John Hirst drms, Roly Veitch gtr.
When I was young(er) if someone had asked me to choose my dream concert line-up I may well have came up with; Artie Shaw's Gramercy 5, the Stan Getz Quartet/Quintet, the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and possibly a Benny Goodman small group.
Nobody ever did ask me and, although they are now all dead, tonight the dream came true in the form of John Hallam.
On a wet night in North Shields the somewhat less than capacity audience who braved the unpleasant conditions were rewarded with an evening of musical magic from Manchester's John Hallam and the local Roly Veitch Quartet.
Deep Purple and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans - both had a Shavian fluency about them - the phrasing and, most of all the sound, were neo-Artie. Later John switched into Goodman mode for Stealing Apples.
On tenor he achieved the cool, without being cold, feel of Stan Getz. Whether on the uptempo Blues in the Closet or the almost sensuous take on A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square he conjured up an image of Getz's classic 50's small groups.
The same effect on baritone 'cept this time it was Gerry Mulligan who provided the inspiration. Line For Lyons, a few Ellington's including Love You Madly and I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart - all that was missing from this "Mulligan's Stew" was a Chet Baker vocal (wonder where we could have found one of those in this band?).
Behind John, the Roly Veitch Quartet provided not just the kind of support a strolling player needs but they also held their heads up high individually.
Roly, modest and restrained as ever, on his mildly miked-up Epiphone was the epitome of taste and tasty solo flights. Jeremy McMurray, this was his kind of gig and his solos proved it. Andy Champion - the jury returned on Andy a long time ago. The verdict was unanimous: 'guilty as charged of being one of the best bassists around.'
And on drums! John Hirst. A young man capable of crossing many genre and able to say more in his four bar exchanges than some others do in a ten minute solo.
This was an evening of sheer pleasure and a laudable attempt to introduce the Saville audience to jazz sans banjo.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Trinity Jazz, Gosforth - Swing City Trio with Enrico Tomasso (tpt/vcls) - Sat 16th Jan 2010
Steve Andrews (tnr sax/clnt), Roy Cansdale (bass), Roly Veitch (gtr/vcls).
The centre adjoining the church was crowded - surely the hippest congregation in town.
And deservedly so.
This was an evening of jazz that swung, and I use the word advisedly, from delicate chamber jazz to straight down the middle solid stompology.
The delicacy came from, no prizes for guessing, Roly Veitch. Using a lightly miked up acoustic Epiphone, Roly gave us chorded solos a la Carl Kress or Dick McDonough coupled with some nice single string, more modern, explorations. Add his vocals on "I Saw Stars", "I Wished on the Moon", "The Touch of Your Lips" and you had surely the perfect example of, let's call it, "Gentlemanly Jazz" and to hell with the sexists!
Roy Cansdale provided the perfect link, in the absence of a drummer, between guitar and front-line. He was there all the time, a tower of strength in both support and the occasional break or solo - chapeau!
Which brings us to the main event.
Steve and Enrico slugged it out like two heavyweights at Madison Square each alternatively complimenting and outdoing the other. Steve's moment of glory was surely his rendition of "Body and Soul" - he has the Hawkins' sound off to a tee, as well as the licks, yet still managed to make it his own - doubt if I've heard him blow better. Enrico came back counter-punching in the up-tempo section but I think Steve edged that one on points.
Enrico's piece de resistance was Berigan's "I Can't Get Started". I've often thought I never want to hear that tune again yet, when I do, I still love it and Signor Tomasso did it more than justice.
Honours even I guess.
Steve played some great clarinet and introduced the numbers with more than a touch of humour whilst Enrico charmed us with his singing - "I've Got The World on a String" being but one delight - and his soaring flights of fantasy into the approaches to the stratosphere.
All this and a full house. Perhaps jazz should move out of the pubs and into the churches!
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Blaydon Jazz Club Christmas Concert - Thurs 17th Dec 2009
Roy Williams tbn, John Barnes reeds, Jeremy McMurray pno, Billy Shield drms, Mick Shoulder bass, Roly Veitch gtr.
Last night was party time at Blaydon Jazz Club. Snowflakes beginning to fall, it was good to get indoors ready to feast on jazz and the promise of much good food. The evergreens of John Barnes and Roy Williams made the trip 'up north' to guest with the Blaydon regulars of Roly, Jeremy, Billy and on this occasion the versatile Mick Shoulder on bass.
Gershwin's 'Strike Up the Band' or, as Roy Williams would have us believe, 'Bike Up the Strand', opened the show to the delight of a large turnout in the concert room. 'Let's Get Away From it All' followed, then there were anecdotes and jokes a-plenty and before you knew it the first set had flown by concluding with Williams singing 'Tangerine'.
The interval buffet was, as ever, one of the highlights of the year at Blaydon. All tucked in and did their best. The raffle offered ten prizes - all went to other homes.
The music resumed with a beautiful rendition of Johnny Green's 'Out of Nowhere'; you know things are going well when Roly comps and smiles with contentment as he did on this and many other tunes including Hoagy's 'Stardust'.
'Deed I Do' was a good one for Barnes (playing alto) and Williams in tandem and the evening drew to a close rather appropriately with a tune associated with and written by Mel Tormé - 'The Christmas Song'.
Russell Corbett
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
'A Dutch treat' - Tim Kliphuis with Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio at The Saville Exchange, North Shields 2nd Oct 2009
Tim Kliphuis vln, Keith Stephen & Roly Veitch gtrs, Bruce Rollo bass.
This was sheer delight! The personable young Dutchman recreated the glory that was France in the decade before World War II with a stunning performance of Djangolic tunes and standards associated with the Quintet of the Hot Club de France.
Tim Kliphuis has taken the genius of Grappelli and moulded it to his own muse resulting in an end result that is more than mere imitation. Some of his fantastic flights were breathtaking in their wizardry.
Likewise, Keith Stephen has assimilated the Django ethos yet still manages to be his own man. Keith too had some amazing solos - not least on "China Boy" where the minor inconvenience of a snapped top e string failed to curtail the creative juices.
Roly, banjoless tonight, provided the accompanying chord thrash that is so characteristic of the world of Hot Club. His rhythm guitar work was totally immersed in that tradition. He soloed on "Sweet Georgia Brown" and even managed to sneak in a bop lick ("Ornithology" I think.)
Beneath it all Bruce Rollo laid down the basslines. Sometimes it was slapbass other times a solid four or a sprightly two. He had some humourous musical exchanges with Tim that raised a few chuckles and was a tower of strength throughout.
Difficult to pick favourites - I loved them all - but standouts included "Daphne". "Double Whisky (or is it "Double Scotch"?), "Swing 42" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love".
A brilliant performance all round.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Blaydon Jazz Club Silver Jubilee Concert - Thurs 17th Sept 2009 - in memory of Randolph (Randy) Heads
Roy Williams tbn, John Hallam reeds, Jeremy McMurray pno, Billy Shield drms, Neil Harland bass, Roly Veitch gtr.
It was a fitting way to celebrate the clubs 25 years by having Roy Williams and John Hallam front the resident Blaydon Jazz Quartet. Roy and John have played at the various Blaydon venues many times over the years but I'm not sure if this wasn't their first appearance together. Roly will no doubt clarify that.
Impossible to mention all of the highlights but Roy Williams' feature "For You, For Me, Forever More" was one. Strange how this rarely played Gershwin tune should crop up twice recently (Chris Connor was the previous).
John Hallam playing "Where or When" on clarinet, "Lullaby of the Leaves" and "Bernie's Tune" on baritone.
"East of the Sun" had a corker from Jeremy. In fact the pianist was in scintillating form tonight as was Neil Harland and the ever dependable Bill Shield.
Roly too shone on whatever tune they called - he was enjoying himself I don't think he stopped smiling all night!
Shirley, who tends the door and a million other things, presented Roly with a framed citation honouring the 25 year achievement and it was a question of who cried first!
Neither actually although it was a close run thing!
It was particularly poignant for Shirley as this weekend marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Randolph(Randy) Heads, her partner and a good friend to Blaydon Jazz Club as well as to all of those he knew. Roly dedicated the evening to Randolph's memory.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Anne De Vere (vcls), Frank Brooker(tnr sax/clnt) and The Billy Harper Quartet - 10/09/09 at Blaydon Jazz Club.
Billy Harper(pno), Andy Champion(bass), Billy Shield(drms) & Roly Veitch(gtr). Zoe Gilby guested two vocals.
This was the night of 1000 delights - well perhaps not quite 1000 but certainly a good few.
Frank Brooker on tenor got things rolling with a booting "Indian Summer" then followed up with Zoot Sims' "Red Door". Frank hangs his hat around the modern end of mainstream - blows straight down the middle, no frills, every note counts: a joy to listen to.
Likewise Bill Harper, Roly and Bill Shield. All three have mastered the art of accompaniment and soloing and they did it well. However, without taking anything away from anyone, for me, Andy Champion's bass solo on "Red Door" was just about as good as it gets. Im-press-ive!
Next up to the plate was Anne DeVere, like Bill Harper, a firm favourite at Blaydon before they tunnelled out of England.
"Spring is Here" cool, laid back and perfectly pitched. A James Taylor song that I didn't know - "Don't Let Me Be Lonely" - full of anguish and heartache and beauty. Finally a Frishberg - "One Little Taste" such a dark sided lyric - it's about an alcoholic.
Frank returned, switching from tenor to clarinet for BG's "Seven Come Eleven" and Barney Bigard's "A Lull at Dawn". Great clarinet sound.
The set finished with Frank back on tenor for Benny Carter's "Only Trust Your Heart."
Time to socialise and buy raffle tickets. Derrick Cogger, down from Belford, Cathy and John from Ryton, Norma from Riding Mill, Scotty Adair, Hil and John - seems like everyone was there including Zoe Gilby.
Raffle prizes distributed, the second set kicked off with Frank playing 'Trane's "Impressions". How many guys do you know these days who are playing Benny Goodman on clarinet one minute and Coltrane on tenor the next? Roly also played a nice chorus or two here as he did on the next number...
"Easy Living" - has there ever been a better ballad for tenor? Frank did it justice bringing to mind the classic version by Wardell Gray.
Zoe, who was once mentored by Anne, stamped her brand on "I'm Beginning to See the Light". It's highly stylised and I don't think anyone but Zoe could pull it off. Frank also had moments on this one. "One Note Samba" was another typical Z that she put over with class.
Talking class - Anne Devere simply oozes it and her "It's Morning" made more than the singer 'dewy-eyed'.
"Whisper Not" had good solos all round whilst "Don't Explain" saw Frank playing the blues. Russell thought this to be Anne's best number even though her voice was, by her own admission, becoming a little frayed around the edges. I thought it added to the ambience and I think I agree with him.
Finally "Forget About Living" with it's slightly risque lyric.
A truly enjoyable night.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Paul Edis/Roly Veitch Quartet - 20/08/09 at Blaydon Jazz Club. Paul Edis(pno), Neil Harland(bass), Billy Shield(drms) & Roly Veitch(gtr).
Another one of those charming miniatures that Roly Veitch so expertly puts together.
Last month it was the trio with Noel Dennis & Neil Harland, This time around a quartet co-led with Paul Edis with Neil on bass and Billy Shield drums.
The room had a respectable sized crowd who listened intently to the opening "I Hear A Rhapsody". Intently was the operative word as, volumewise, Roly's amp was set on one of those low digit numbers that few guitarists know exist.
However, the dial was given a clockwise turn or two for "Dream Dancing" and at last we could hear the tasteful runs and phrases along with the well chosen chords to compliment Paul's piano.
"Jordu", "Cottontail", "Django", "Sultry Serenade" - a real gem - "Donna Lee" and "A Child is Born" were some of a well chosen selection of jazz standards along with some not unduly overdone tunes from the gasbook such as "Darn That Dream" and Jan Savitt's "It's A Wonderful World."
There were also a couple of originals from Paul - a boppy "Charlie's Line" that in places reminded me of a sailors hornpipe as played by Charlie Parker - and a more sensitive opus entitled simply "Dedicated to the Duke".
Paul was also featured on solo piano playing a cleverly interwoven medley of "Surrey with The Fringe on Top", "Blue on Green" and "'Round Midnight."
Neil Harland, as ever excelled on bass his melodic lines and steady accompaniment absolutely gelled.
On drums, Billy Shield kept it simple yet effective.
It was a good gig even though Roly didn't do any crooning - his lyrical phrasing on guitar made up for it.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Roly Veitch Trio - 30/07/09 at Blaydon Jazz Club. With Noel Dennis (tpt/flgl) & Neil Harland (bass).
Noel Dennis's trumpet playing has been justifiably compared to Chet Baker and early Miles Davis. Dressed in casual smart he looked every bit as much the cool dude as his alter ego's did in their youth. With this in mind it came as something of a culture shock to overhear him talking about 11 o' clock feeds for his baby boy.
Noel, dudes don't do that!
However, his image was given a get out of jail card when he started playing - this was Chet, Miles and a few more. Blowing his new Geneva Trumpet - made on Teesside - or was it a Teesside Trumpet made in Geneva? Whatever, the horn sounded good from the moment he blew an obbligato to Roly's vocal on "I'm Old Fashioned" to the plaintive wail on the final "Wee Small Hours of the Morning". Can't recall him sounding better.
This was an evening of sheer delight as gems were plucked from the Gasbook and given the trio's authoritive stamp many with vocals by Roly. His is an infectious voice, you hold your breath and wonder if he's going to make that top note - he always does.
Just look at some of the titles; "Days of Wine & Roses", "I've Got a Date With an Angel", "Stella By Starlight", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Blue Monk" and "Bye Bye Blackbird" - the latter two dedicated to Marshall who, of course played in the early days with Roly at the Black Bull. Our boy's memory is everywhere this week and rightly so.
The second set opened with "You're a Lucky Guy" which Roly kindly played and sang for me totally unprompted. He knows my feelings about this tune - simply love it.
There were more goodies to follow. "Alone Together", "This Year's Kisses", "I Wished on the Moon" (another big fave), "My Funny Valentine" - more excellence from Noel - and penultimately "Now's The Time".
I've mentioned Noel and Roly, who used both acoustic and semi acoustic to great effect, but I must also applaud Neil who soloed tastefully and kept the whole thing together beautifully.
A decent sized crowd too.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Blaydon Races Festival - Janusz Carmello with BJQ (BlaydonJazz Quartet), 11/06/09 at Blaydon Jazz Club.
This was undoubtedly a game of two halfs. The first which was merely excellent and the second - well I'll tell you about the second later but it was something else.
'September In The Rain' played on flugel made for a mellow toned start. Janusz really has the most perfect sound on flugel that I've ever heard and it wafted gently into the audience who, if they didn't outwardly sigh, must surely have heaved an inward one. 'What Is This Thing Called Love?' had a few bop nuances that the hero of the hour threw off effortlessly. He does it all with apparent ease. Roly, Pete and Jeremy soloed impressively, as they did throughout the night, with Janusz on his trademark pocket trumpet slowly stoking the fire.
By interval time the general consensus was 'pleasant'. It had been a set oozing taste but not a lot in the way of fireworks. Most listeners felt the ambience would have been greater if the hall lights had been lower as was indeed the case when they were dimmed for the recall.
In the second set, the opening 'Joyspring' changed any sense of ennui! Janusz gave the old Clifford Brown warhorse the ride of its life and that was only the start! A beautiful 'Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square' - (JC jokingly changed it to 'Leicester Square') got the heart beating faster and 'Careless Love' was far removed from the banjo driven rhythms normally associated with the tune. A few Bossa Novas were interspersed as well as a delightful number in 3/4 time - what did they call it? Janusz invited everyone to waltz although nobody took up the invitation!
The set ended as it begun with more Clifford Brown - 'Tiny Kapers'. Janusz quoted Brown as his favourite trumpet player and it showed - I'm pleased to say.
Back of the trumpet player the rhythm section gave him solid support as well as handling their own solos with the aplomb and dexterity that their status on the jazz scene deserves. Nice one boys and thanks to Roly for organising the gig which was part of the Blaydon Festival.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Farewell to Humph/Andy Dickens Jazz Band, CB Inn, Arkengarthdale - Swaledale Festival - 30/5/09.
Though the band for this affectionate appreciation of the late Humphrey Lyttelton included virtually the same musicians who had played in Reeth the previous afternoon, the music was markedly different.
Very much led by trumpeter, singer and accomplished storyteller Andy Dickens, the backing trio was again Keith Stephen on guitar, Roly Veitch rhythm guitar and Bruce Rollo double bass, with local hero Roger Myerscough joining in occasionally on both clarinet and baritone saxophone.
Dickens, who tells a very good story, introduced this sincere tribute by recalling Humph’s first recorded trumpet solo, captured on newsreels of the time, when he led the huge crowds outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day in 1945, playing 'Roll out the barrel'.
He followed this by singing 'Just a kid named Joe', from the repertoire of Humph’s first trumpet hero Nat Gonella, and the first tune he learned, one of Louis Armstrong’s recordings of course, 'Basin Street Blues', with Myerscough joining in on clarinet.
Dickens then talked about Humph’s embouchure, demonstrating his points clearly, before giving a very satisfying performance of 'Struttin’ with some barbecue'.
A version of 'Black and blue', with Myerscough’s lovely gruff baritone, was particularly enjoyable, which Dickens followed with a touching version of Humph’s one hit, 'Bad penny blues', with Stephen adapting the piano accompaniment most effectively.
Dickens told many tales about Humph, many possibly true, touching on his foibles as well as his many virtues. With faultless accompaniment from the trio, some telling support from Myerscough and his own infectious enthusiasm, this was another delightful festival performance.
Peter Bevan
Darlington & Stockton Times - 14th June 2009
Keith Stephen Hot Club Trio + Caroline Irwin vcls, Andy Dickens tpt & Roger Myerscough clnt/baritone sax.
29/05/09 at The Buck Hotel, Reeth - The Swaledale Fetival.
A sunny bank holiday Monday brought a packed house to hear this popular band with the added attraction of two guest players.
Keith Stephen on guitar, Bruce Rollo on double bass and Roly Veitch rhythm guitar are now a highly polished swing trio who will get anyone’s feet tapping.
With Andy Dickens on trumpet and Roger Myerscough on clarinet, they certainly swung right from the start with the appropriate 'Swing that music', followed by 'Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?', played with a lighter pulse and including a touching vocal by Dickens.
Then singer Caroline Irwin joined the trio on 'Fly me to the moon', sung slowly at first as she made her way through the audience before switching to the more familiar uptempo.
'La vie en rose', in fluent French, provided a nice contrast, and on 'Crazy he calls me' there was a nice obbligato and solo on muted trumpet.
The vocal programme continued with very wide range from an old Betty Hutton comedy number 'Murder, he says', via 'Les feuilles mortes' (with some lovely solo guitar by Stephen) to a bouncy 'Red hot mama' and 'Amazing grace', which segued into 'C’mon get happy'.
Trumpet and clarinet returned for 'Someday you’ll be sorry', which included Veitch’s only solo, and 'You meet the nicest people in your dreams', with solos by Myerscough, Dickens, Rollo and Stephen, before a suitably cheerful encore, 'Hello Central, give me Doctor Jazz'.
Playing and singing was a delight throughout and there wasn’t a weak link in this thoroughly entertaining show.
Peter Bevan
Darlington & Stockton Times - 9th June 2009
'JRM Trio'(Jim Birkett/Roly Veitch/Mick Shoulder), 28/05/09 at Blaydon Jazz Club.
'A Blaydon Delicacy'
The intimate atmosphere of the club lounge is tailor made for Jim, Roly and Mick's gentle brand of jazz. Add a few friends and acquaintances that I hadn't seen for many years (Hi Brenda, Hi Derek C) plus jazz regulars George, Jim, Kathy and John and you have the recipe for a very enjoyable, well attended, evening with some gourmet guitar jazz the icing on the cake.
This was another feast of quality songbook material although Roly's vocal chords were only used sparingly, but effectively, tonight. When he did sing, I was pleased to hear the verse to such gems as 'A Hundred Years From Today', 'Honeysuckle Rose', 'Take me to the Land of Jazz' and Ray Noble's 'The Touch of Your Lips' all chanted in his cool relaxed style.
However, this was predominantly a guitar night with both Jim and Roly playing some great stuff.
The fugue-like interplay on the opening 'I'll Remember April' set the mood.
This was no cutting contest but two sympathetic players making good music together. Jim's choice of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square" served to remind us, as if we needed reminding, what a marvelous song it is. I love the way the middle eight bursts from the preceding sixteen bars adding a touch of majesty to what, until then, is just a very nice tune. "Meditation" - the vamp-like chord progression at the end has always made that tune special to me.
So many moments to savour - not least the contrasting timbre of the two guitars. Jim, the electric guitar sound associated with everyone from Charlie Christian onwards. Roly, more in the electro/accoustic vein of say George Barnes.
And who would have thought I'd hear 'In Your Own Sweet Way' two nights running?
As well as the six-stringers, on four strings, double bassist Mick Shoulder played as good as I can recall hearing him - his solo on "Yesterdays" impressing both audience and band as the photo indicates. His inclusion, I think, gave tonight's session the edge on last month's gig.
Incidentally, tonight was a hasty replacement for the Bill Harper/Anne De Vere gig advertised. Bill and Anne hope to make Blaydon in September.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
'Swing Guitars' (Jim Birkett/Roly Veitch), 30/04/09 at Blaydon Jazz Club.
The club lounge provided an intimate setting for two of the most tasteful guitarists around to play some tasty tunes.
Who can criticise 'Darn That Dream', Will Hudson's immortal 'Moonglow', 'Nancy', Edgar Sampson's 'Stomping At The Savoy', 'Wave', 'Bernie's Tune', Roly's own pieces (Calypso Jim and Job Shufflebottom), or the delightful 'Skating in Central Park' from the pen of John Lewis?
These were just some of the numbers the duo, who could be musical twins, performed absolutely exquisitely. Personally, I would have liked a little more volume and perhaps more uptempo numbers. However, it's difficult for me to be objective - I'm still on a roll from Tim Garland and Co. this afternoon and will be for days!
In many respects, tonight's recital was the perfect antidote, allowing me to come down gently.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Roly Veitch Trio at Highfield Hotel, East Rainton, 19/04/09 with Graeme Wilson tnr sax, Neil Harland bass.
The one thing I can guarantee about a Roly gig is that there will be some great, and not unduly overplayed, standards on the set list.
Feast your eyes on this Liz - and other lovers of the Gasbook -
'I Wished on the Moon', 'There Will Never Be Another You', 'Blame It On My Youth', 'It's Always You', 'Besame Mucho', 'But Not For Me', 'I'm Old Fashioned', 'Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams', 'My Shining Hour', 'The Touch of Your Lips', 'Have You Met Miss Jones?', 'I'll Remember April' -
this last tune was written by Don Raye and Gene di Paul (who also take the blame for 'Star Eyes', 'You Don't Know What Love Is' and 'Mr Five By Five' among others).
Most were delivered vocally by Cool Hand Roly in his laid back mode with instrumental interludes all round.
The Chet Baker-like horn of Noel Dennis was missing tonight although I have it on good authority that he hasn't been busted and nor is he languishing in an Italian prison.
Graeme Wilson, fortunately, was able to step in at relatively short notice and he played some nice melodic lines. Neil, as ever, held it all together.
Two criticisms - one major and one minor. The minor one is that I'd like to occasionally hear Roly sing the verse as well as the refrain.
The major one? Where have all the North-east jazz 'fans' hibernated to?
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Frank Brooker(sax/clnt) at BlaydonJazz - with Jeremy McMurray pno, Neil Harland bass, David Carnegie drms,
Roly Veitch gtr - 16th Apr 2009.
The new season at the new venue got off to a booting start with Frank Brooker fronting the house rhythm section which tonight included Neil Harland and David Carnegie alongside Roly and Jeremy - they gelled.
Frank Brooker may not be the first name that springs to mind when it comes to tenor sax (or clarinet) players but he must surely rank amongst the most stylistically versatile.
Basically a swing player Frank, nevertheless, successfully flirts with bebop and beyond; tonight playing material from Hank Mobley ('This I dig of you' and 'Soul Station'), Zoot Sims ('Red Door'), Parker ('Anthropology') and Rollins ('Everywhere Calypso') as well as Benny Goodman ('Stomping at the Savoy').
'Body and Soul' had a Samba rhythm that was different whilst 'Nightingale Sang', played with the sensitivity it demands, captured my mood to perfection.
Throughout the evening, Jeremy, Roly, Neil and David provided the perfect cushion for the guest as well as standing tall in their own right.
The long drive home meant I left before the end although, when I heard the strains of 'Black Butterfly', filtering through, I lingered, longer, in the foyer; savouring the liquidity of the clarinet - it was a gem.
A good start for the new venue.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Hot Club Trio + Caroline Irwin (Four Piece Sweet) & Swing City Trio at Saville Exchange, North Shields, 13/3/09.
Personnel - Four Piece Sweet: Caroline Irwin (vcl), Keith Stephen (lead), Roly Veitch (rhythm), Bruce Rollo (bs).
Swing City Trio: Steve Andrews (ten/clt), Roly Veitch (gtr), Roy Cansdale (bs).
If you think that "Santa Baby" in March is out of season - then you haven't heard it sung by the late Eartha Kitt or, indeed, Caroline Irwin; the 'sweet' in Four Piece Sweet.
Wearing an eye-catching Santa outfit Ms Irwin dropped in from Lapland, mingled amongst the mortals and turned a seasonal classic into a hardy perennial!
There were other gifts to be opened - "Autumn Leaves" in French, "Darktown Strutters Ball" in English, Betty Hutton's "Murder, He Says" in Brooklynese and "Crazy He Calls Me" in the universal language of love. "Fly Me To The Moon", Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight", "Cow Cow Boogie" and "Running Wild" give an idea of the wide range covered by "Sweet Caroline" (which she didn't sing thank goodness)
Despite the variety of tunes the spirit of Django was never far away - how could it be with guitar heroes Keith Stephen and Roly Veitch on stage? Keith played some terrific stuff with lots of those difficult runs that are the hallmark of Hot Club music. Needless to say he does some tricky stuff of his own too. Bruce Rollo has successfully incorporated his slap bass style into convential jazz bass whilst Roly gave it the rhythmic thrash that defines Djangology.
Roly remained on stage for the Swing City Trio set - the other two being Steve Andrews (ten/clt) and Roy Cansdale (bs).
The Gasbook was given a good workout by the trio with Roly in good voice - "I Saw Stars" is always a favourite of this band and tonight was no exception.
Steve Andrews blew some excellent Ben Websterian tenor on "Skylark" and also on that fine old standard that few people play anymore - "This Years Kisses". 'Kisses' had another vocal from Rolls as well as an appealing guitar solo that pressed all the right buttons. I could go on all night enthusing but I think you've got the picture by now. "Dear Bix" and "100 Years From Today" ultimately led to Caroline and Keith returning to augment the band for the final "Exactly Like You".
Nothing else for me to say and so I'll close but, by the way, Roy Cansdale's bass was great, ps: I love some of Steve's quips.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Roly Veitch Trio at Side Cafe, Newcastle, 2/3/09 with Noel Dennis tpt/flgl, Neil Harland bass.
A small but attentive audience were appreciative of this miniature gem by Roly and his coherts. As always, known and not so well known standards were interspersed with original compositions tastefully served.
The highlights included Frishberg's 'Dear Bix' sung with feeling by Roly and featuring some appropriate horn from Noel. 'Line For Lyons', a tune made famous by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, also came over well with good solos all round as well as some fuguelike interplay between guitar and flugel.
However, if I had to pick one tune to stand alone it would have to be 'You're A Lucky Guy'. This is my favourite tune of all time - or at least it is for today. I've got it on record by Becky Kilgore, Clifford Brown, Louis and Ruby Braff/ George Barnes but this is the first time I've ever heard it sung live for which I say 'Thank you Roly -
you, and the boys, did it justice.'
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with singer Caroline Irwin at Ashington Jazz Club - 7th January 2009.
There was a very good turnout for what turned out to be the most entertaining night I have ever had in any jazz club!
As we say in Ashington 'They really worked hard for their coals' using a wide combination of instruments and a most eclectic mix of numbers.
Some of the Christmas decorations were still up so Caroline dressed as Santa's elf and sang 'Santa Baby', making excellent use of the radio mike as she moved through the audience.
Lots of Edith Piaf favourites (in French) and even some Doris Day numbers were welcomed by an appreciative audience. My wife Sheila helped me out on the door and she said how much everyone had enjoyed something a little different.
John Taylor
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
'Bean and the Boys at Blaydon' - Steve Andrews(tenor sax/clnt), Roy Cansdale(bass), Roly Veitch(gtr/vcls) plus, for this concert, Jeremy McMurray(pno) and Billy Shield(drms) - BlaydonJazz 23rd Oct 2008.
The spirit of Coleman Hawkins lingered over Blaydon tonight in a fine session by the Swing City Quintet which is in fact the Swing City Trio augmented by Jeremy McMurray (pno) and Billy Shields (dms). The SCT is, of course, Roly Veitch (gtr), Roy Cansdale (bs) and Steve Andrews (ten/clt).
No bebop here tonight just good old fashioned - and I'm not speaking derogatively - totally honest, middle period jazz.
Steve plays Hawkins to perfection, albeit not without a nod towards Ben Webster, Chu Berry and possibly even Ike Quebec; there's also a lot of Steve Andrews in there too.
On piano, Jeremy was as awesome as ever whilst Roly, being Roly, comped away unobtrusively in the background emerging from time to time for a relaxed vocal or a tasty guitar solo.
Bass player Roy duetted delightfully with Steve (on clarinet) for a surprisingly delicate "Tishomingo Blues". I say 'surprisingly delicate' after Steve's announcment that he first played Tishomingo with the late Peter Gascoigne; most people would agree that 'Gassy' didn't do 'delicate'!
On drums, Billy Shields did the business; rock steady as always.
Enjoyable.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Garry Linsley(alto sax) with the Jeremy McMurray/Roly Veitch Quartet - BlaydonJazz 11th Sep 2008.
Nice is a word I try to avoid; conjuring up twee images of Marshmallow and Turkish Delight as it does. Well it does for me anyway.
Yet there is no other word to describe tonight's session at Blaydon. It was nice - and there wasn't a marshmallow in sight. What there was in abundance, was tasteful and melodic renditions of some fine standards by an alto player very much in the Benny Carter mould.
I've known Gary Linsley for many years but, surprisingly, hadn't heard him play more than a few bars until tonight. It was my loss.
The rhythm section of Jeremy McMurray (pno), Paul Armstrong (bs), Billy Shields (dms) and of course Roly Veitch on guitar and vocals were the perfect cushion for Gary as well as soloing effectively in their own right.
Not very easy to pick a favourite although "I Saw Stars" would be difficult to bet against. Roly's 'Chet meets Rebecca Kilgore' vocal launching Gary into perhaps his best solo of the night. "I Wished On The Moon" and "I Fall In Love Too Easily" were also front runners in an evening of non Turkish delights.
The feelgood factor was high.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
John Hallam(sax/clnt) with the Jeremy McMurray/Roly Veitch Quartet - BlaydonJazz 7th Aug 2008.
There have been few, if any, more relaxed and enjoyable sessions than tonight's offering at Blaydon. Totally unpretentious, straight down the middle swing that kept the audience entranced from the opening 'Perdido' to the penultimate 'Swing that Music'.
John Hallam (not to be confused with the tuba player of the same name), blew like Benny on clarinet, Gerry on baritone whilst on tenor there were touches of Lester and Georgie Auld as well as a lot of John Hallam.
There really was magic in the air during 'A Nightingale sang in Berkeley Square' not least because of the superb chorus from Jeremy McMurray on piano. Where are all these wonderful pianists coming from?
With all due respects to Roland, Yamaha etc. if only we could hear their talents to the full on a Steinway.
There was some tasteful solos and 'comping from Roly, while Paul Armstrong on bass had some nice duo moments with John. Bill Shield on drums, unobtrusive yet decisive, helped to make it a grand night for swinging.
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
The Roly Veitch Trio + sausage sarnies - Quadrata Cafe, Central Square, Newcastle on 16th June 2008.
Went along to the lunchtime session with the Roly Veitch Trio at the Central Square on Monday. It's in a cafe for the office workers but, as the photo shows, some old ladies seem to turn up for this gig.
Nice sausage sarnies!
The acoustics are a little difficult so I did not hear the announcements. I think the line up is as you last reviewed - a great combo, very mellow. Like having two Chet Bakers - one singing and one playing.
John Taylor - Friends in Jazz
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
'Song of Roland' - The Roly Veitch Trio - Side Cafe, Newcastle on 9th June 2008.
Jazz for The Drawing Room could have been the sub-title for tonight's session by the Roly Veitch Trio. This description is by no means intended to be derogatory; MJQ, the George Shearing Quintet, the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and the Red Norvo Trio could all, on occasion, be similarly categorised and Roly's Rascals wear the mantle well.
The comparision with Mulligan is particularly apt; not just because Roly leans towards Chet Baker in the voice dept. and Noel Dennis' trumpet playing has Chetian overtones but because of the fugue-like interplay by the trio which included Neil Harland on bass.
On 'But Not for Me' and 'There Will Never Be Another You' Bach wasn't turning over in his grave - - he was sitting up; applauding!
As ever on a Roly gig, the choice of material was first rate; 'Alone Together', Willard Robinson's 'Old Folks', 'I'm Old Fashioned' and a particular favourite of mine, 'I Wished On The Moon' - I'm still humming that one!
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here - Jazz Blog on the local scene - see links
Swing City Trio - 'Just Us, Just We' CD - CAVCD01
Roly Veitch, guitarist with Keith Stephen's groups, has appeared on several enjoyable CDs lately but this new one is probably my favourite.
Now focusing on acoustic guitar (a 1947 Epiphone Broadway here) he's accompanied by tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Steve Andrews with Roy Cansdale provising the gentlest pulse on double bass. There's a lovely, nostalgic collection of tunes from Stardust to This Year's Kisses on a comfortable, laid back album.
Available from Roly on www.rolyveitch.20m.com
Peter Bevan
The Northern Echo - May 2008.
Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio with Caroline Irwin (vcls) and John Hallam (reeds)/'La Vie en Rose' CD - KSHCT002
Another little gem from the guitarist's Hot Club Trio, with Roly Veitch on rhythm guitar and Bruce Rollo on bass.
This time there is the considerable bonus of John Hallam's clarinet and saxophone on several tracks and some pleasing vocals from Caroline Irwin and Roly.
Peter Bevan
The Northern Echo - Aug 2007.
The Roly Veitch Trio/'Wrap your troubles in dreams' (GeordieJazzFolk GJF/CD/04).
Another delightful album from three of the region's finest musicians and a lovely combination, too, with Roly on guitar and vocals, Noel Dennis trumpet and flugelhorn and Neil Harland double bass.
The programme is an all-familiar one with such favourites as Blame It On My Youth and My funny Valentine.
There are ten tracks in all and Roly sings on half of them in a gentle, slightly wistful way.
Well worth hearing, and available on www.rolyveitch.20m.com
Peter Bevan
The Northern Echo - Dec 2006.
The Roly Veitch Trio/'Wrap your troubles in dreams' (GeordieJazzFolk GJF/CD/04).
Features the reflective trumpet (or often, flugelhorn) of Noel Dennis with guitarist Veitch and bassist Neil Harland on fairly familiar but well chosen material. The title track and 'Blame it on my youth' suit the trio particularly well.
Roly Veitch's unassuming vocals on half the tracks bring variety to the prevailing mood of wistfulness.
Ron Simpson
The Jazz Rag - Winter 2006.
Tim Kliphuis with Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio
Saville Exchange, North Shields - 18th Sept 2006
Dutch violinist Tim Kliphuis joined Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio
for a magnificent Stephane Grappelli celebration.
The single English date was a spin off from a Scottish tour and teamed
Kliphuis with the north-east group for the very first time.
If the first set was a little tentative, the second half was characterised
by a thrilling collective conversation. Kliphuis soared aloft gracefully and effortlessly,
incorporating telling classical references throughout, Stephen matched him with expert Djangoisms.
Another north-east bandleader, Roly Veitch, supplied buoyant chordal underpinning
complemented by Bruce Rollo's driving bass support.
Chris Yates
JAZZ UK Nov/Dec 2006
Tommy Whittle with The Roly Veitch/Billy Harper Quartet (Jazz Express) and with special guest Anne DeVere
The Garden Bar, Darlington Arts Centre - November 2004
Tenor saxophonist Tommy Whittle has been a fairly regular visitor to the North East in recent years, particularly to Blaydon Jazz Club, but this was his first appearance in Darlington. As such, the date attracted several new visitors as well as many regulars.
He was backed by Jazz Express, the house rhythm section at Blaydon, which comprised Roly Veitch on guitar, Billy Shield drums, Mick Shoulder double bass, and, making his last appearance at the Arts Centre before moving to Brittany, Bill Harper on piano.
The band set up with the minimum of fuss and launching straightaway into a lightly swinging version of Have you met Miss Jones? it appeared that this was going to be a relaxed evening with the classic virtues of taste and swing. A leisurely performance of Darn that dream seemed to confirm this but then Whittle counted the band off for a much livelier version of Trottin’, one of Zoot Sims’ few compositions. He continued to vary the programme with a couple of bossa novas, the rarely heard Tom cattin’ by Lucky Thompson and the classic Misty.
For the second set I thought Whittle moved up another notch, with Know it all providing a very lively start, and a highly swinging Bye bye blues. Then he invited singer Anne De Vere to join the band who provided a lovely accompaniment as she sang But beautiful. Not an easy song but all the better for being sung with tenderness rather than over emphasis.
Then on How high the moon Whittle opened on solo tenor, worrying at the opening phrases in the way Sonny Rollins does, before the band kicked in and really booted it along.
Veteran he may be but Whittle is still a confident, assertive player and with Jazz Express’s able support he provided a very entertaining evening.
Peter Bevan
'This is the North East' Nov 2004
Janusz Carmello/Anne De Vere and The Roly Veitch/Billy Harper Quartet at Darlington Arts Centre - 03/2002
This latest performance for The Garden Bar Jazz Club got off to a nice start as the band slipped easily into
'If I should lose you',
featuring Carmello's rich, mellow flugelhorn followed by Roly Veitch on guitar and Billy Harper on piano,
all taken at a comfortable easy tempo.
Singer Anne De Vere, making her first appearance at the Arts Centre, then joined the band for her first number and indeed then sang alternate numbers throughout the evening.
Her programme included 'Round Midnight', 'If you could see me now', 'Don't explain' and 'Here's that rainy day'.
I liked the way she could switch from one of these ballads, sung sensitively and surprisingly deeply at times,
to a light hearted and humerous song like 'Feeling too good today blues' or 'Forget about living'.
Carmello demonstrated his talents on pocket trumpet as well as flugelhorn and on each instrument he showed off a lovely, contolled sound,
whether open or muted. Every solo was tasteful and balanced, from the bounce of 'Joyspring',
the lilt of a bossa nova like Lee Morgan's 'Ceoria' or Victor Feldman's 'Azule Serape' to an expressive ballad like
'When I fall in love'.
Though they played three very full sets, it was one of those evenings that seemed timeless
with musicians and audience in complete accord.
Peter Bevan.
Darlington & Stockton Times - March 2002.
Back to Home Page