Pete Roe

There's a rock and roll band rehearsing in the building. In the bar downstairs a drunk vicar orders more more cheap gin whilst Billie Holiday hits those high notes at top volume. Outside on the cobble stones of the oldest street in Bristol there are two gipsy guitarists swapping Django Reinhart licks whilst a small toy helicopter buzzes over their heads. It's a small box room on the top floor of this eccentric live music pub that singer songwriter Pete Roe calls home. The Old Duke has seen him sit in with ancient dixieland jazz bands, share a stage with Chuck Berry's pianist, and trade solos with some of Dylan's former session men; there's been gigs, open mics, festivals in the street and parties on the roof and all the while he's absorbing what it means to be a musician.
It's this kind of musical education that has made Pete into the performer he is today. "That easy, conversational, semi spoken delivery is wrapped in authority" said Venue Magazine. His understated style is indeed confident and draws strands of Folk, Blues, and occasionally Jazz and Gospel, and combines them in an ethereal, yet quite unholy manner. 2006 saw him give performances at the Colston Hall, on the main stage of the Bristol Harbourside Festival and also the release of 'Propeller', his very well received debut album featuring Pete on piano and guitar backed by the cream of Bristol's vibrant music scene. With his new collection of solo material Pete decided to leave the piano (his primary instrument for thirteen years) and play almost entirely on acoustic guitar, as he explains -"The guitar is a more personal as an instrument; I wanted to communicate more effectively. The piano can sometimes be a barrier, so guitar seemed an obvious choice." Jim Barr (bassist with Portishead) is producing his forthcoming album - a collection of stories and musical vignettes - which is due for release later this year.
'Propeller' 2006