Roly Veitch/Sue Ferris Trio @ The Lit and Phil, Newcastle.

Roly Veitch (gtr/vcl); Sue Ferris (ten/fl); Neil Harland (bs).
(Review by Lance.)

There's something very fragile about Roly's singing. Imagine a nervous juggler using valuable pieces of rare porcelain to perform whilst walking a tightrope without a safety net! You hold your breath knowing he's sure to fall breaking his neck and the porcelain. Of course he never does and neither does Roly! It's a quality he shared with Chet Baker and Shirley Horn which isn't bad company to be in. This was particularly noticeable in the tender interpretation of In The Wee Small Hours (at five to two in the afternoon!)

Of course should, heaven forbid, Roly falter he has his guitar playing to fall back on. Guitar playing full of rich chords and angular flights that never fail to impress and with a safety net like that he could throw the porcelain in the air, do three cartwheels and still emerge with nothing unbroken.

Sue Ferris was her usual impressive self. Fullness of tone, melodic solos on both tenor and flute and a fluency that matched the mood of the trio.

On double bass Daddy Cool provided the underpinnings just about making drummers redundant as well as adding his own distinctive and excellent solo work.

A most enjoyable 60 minutes.
Lance.