15-08-2020, 10:48
^Coincidentally, Peter-John Vettese was born on this day in 1956, in Angus, Scotland. He grew up in a musical family, first performing publicly at the age of nine when he was given a fulltime gig with his father’s big band. At 17 he signed up with one of the UK’s premier big bands which didn’t last long; he was fired for practicing with his own ensemble on ‘company’ time.
He has since had a rather more commendable career, working with a variety of artists, producing, songwriting, doing session work and arranging - he also produces music for film and installations. Some of those on his CV include Simple Minds, Annie Lennox, Mick Hucknall, Dido, Sophie B Hawkins, Zucchero, Cutting Crew, Sia and Foreigner.
Vettese also worked with the Bee Gees on three of their lesser lauded albums, and with Robin Gibb on his final and posthumously released 50 St. Catherine’s Drive.
In earlier days, while touring pubs and clubs in Scotland with his then jazz fusion group, Solaris, he responded to an ad for keyboard players in Melody Maker which turned out to have been posted by none other than Jethro Tull. He joined them for Broadsword and the Beast, Under Wraps (which we won’t say too much about) and Rock Island.
He also had a lot to do with Ian Anderson’s debut solo album (composition and keys), Walk Into Light, (which incidentally was wedged between BATB and Under Wraps and which is very much of the latter’s ilk, at Anderson’s behest, might I add – his experimental foray into early 80’s electronica, LinnDrum, etc.,) – super synth laden and a bit of a departure from things Tullish - boasting a couple of decent tracks nonetheless - here’s “Made in England” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03GRfmpfz0I, which is a little ironic since neither of them were! And “Looking for Eden” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1V1RC600AQ.
And just because I like it …
He has since had a rather more commendable career, working with a variety of artists, producing, songwriting, doing session work and arranging - he also produces music for film and installations. Some of those on his CV include Simple Minds, Annie Lennox, Mick Hucknall, Dido, Sophie B Hawkins, Zucchero, Cutting Crew, Sia and Foreigner.
Vettese also worked with the Bee Gees on three of their lesser lauded albums, and with Robin Gibb on his final and posthumously released 50 St. Catherine’s Drive.
In earlier days, while touring pubs and clubs in Scotland with his then jazz fusion group, Solaris, he responded to an ad for keyboard players in Melody Maker which turned out to have been posted by none other than Jethro Tull. He joined them for Broadsword and the Beast, Under Wraps (which we won’t say too much about) and Rock Island.
He also had a lot to do with Ian Anderson’s debut solo album (composition and keys), Walk Into Light, (which incidentally was wedged between BATB and Under Wraps and which is very much of the latter’s ilk, at Anderson’s behest, might I add – his experimental foray into early 80’s electronica, LinnDrum, etc.,) – super synth laden and a bit of a departure from things Tullish - boasting a couple of decent tracks nonetheless - here’s “Made in England” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03GRfmpfz0I, which is a little ironic since neither of them were! And “Looking for Eden” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1V1RC600AQ.
And just because I like it …
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson