Clare Teal brings headline tour to Shrewsbury - review
Better late than never, a slightly flustered Clare Teal arrived behind schedule in Shrewsbury following an unfortunate incident pumping unleaded petrol into a diesel vehicle at the motorway services.
Apologising profusely for the resultant half hour delay, the Yorkshire jazz singer charmed her audience with her anecdotal explanation, delivered with that genial good humour that she also radiates as host of BBC Radio 2’s Sunday night Big Band Special.
No big band tonight, but size doesn’t matter when you have a trio as tried, trusted and tight as Jason Rebello (piano), Simon Little (upright bass) and Ben Reynolds (drums).
Ms Teal is not only a jazz enthusiast, she is also a great exponent as one of the UK’s very best jazz vocalists. Her two 50 minute sets mixed American songbook classics with some rarely heard treats and jazzed up takes of rock and soul songs.
Opening with Hallelujah I Love Her So, she eased into finger-clicking easy jazz mode, her voice a little reminiscent of her jazz heroine Ella Fitzgerald. She paid tribute to Ella with Mr Paganini, It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) and by showcasing her own scat singing prowess on Mack The Knife.
Other highlights included versions of Bob Dyan’s I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, soul classics Tainted Love and I Will Survive, the latter given a latin flavour, and Elvis Presley’s Don’t. For the jazz aficionado her versions of such rare gems as If I Had A Ribbon Bow and Blossom Dearie’s Walk A Little Faster were delights to be savoured.
It was a classy night of top-class musicianship that went with a swing, come back soon Clare... just be careful at the petrol pump.
