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.

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