'I saw a gig at the 606 Club with Verona Chard and her band - great night out.'
Jazz FM
'A superior set of musical highs' The Musician
“I’m knocked out, absolutely marvellous” Humphrey Lyttelton
“Highly talented” The Evening Standard
“Fine singer and renowned tutor” Time Out
'Verona Chard...her album FEVER is a delight from opening act to epilogue! A thing of beauty - a sequence of very diverse songs. Verona is a fine jazz singer' Digby Fairweather
“Verona Chard sings with style and pizzazz with a band that adds vigour and invention” Rob Adams – The Herald, Edinburgh
'Chard has a rather captivating voice and Fever gives her the perfect opportunity to swagger her undeniable vocal talents. Her voice was made for jazz. With Willow Weep for Me you can hear the emotion and vulnerability...really portrays Chard as an impeccable vocalist.' Entertainment Focus
‘Fever, an imaginative enterprise well realised. Cool, where ‘coolly cool boy’ erupts in a melismatic tornado sounds unlike anything in the standard jazz vocal lexicon. Alan Barnes and Dave Green appear on a number of tracks, lending top-flight distinction to an ambitious debut.' Jazz Journal
‘Verona Chard is a cut above many of the current crop of chantelles and I have to admit I'm quite taken with her interpretations.
I find the voice a little theatrical - not that this is a drawback in fact it adds a certain charm - She takes chances and they work beautifully on this CD - you get Verona's own take enabling her to proudly hold her head up high.
Lance Liddle – bebop-spoken-here
‘Just occasionally you discover an absolute musical gem. Vocalist Verona Chard, with a sensational line up of the very best Jazz musicians, absolutely oozes class.
Her vocal range at times is reminiscent of Cleo Laine at her peak. However, Verona has a vocal purity and range that is very much her own style and she is blessed with a voice which tells a story musically. A rare singer where the lyrics are crystal clear, her performance is enhanced on this album with superb arrangements.
I cannot pick a highlight from the album as every track would qualify. ‘Fever’ is an album that can be enjoyed for its pure musical taste and artistry or, for the more academic, play spot the Shakespearian connections.
Would the Bard, in turn, be inspired by our present day Chard? I fancy a cry of ‘Once more into the CD player dear friend’ might just be in order! Chris Hare – Encore
Verona trained at the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban formally Trinity College of Music.