Claire Teal
| Clare Teal | |
|---|---|
| Born |
14 May 1973 Kildwick, Yorkshire, England |
| Genres | Jazz, big band, swing |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, broadcaster |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | Candid, Mud |
| Website | www |
Clare Teal (born 14 May 1973, Kildwick, Yorkshire) is an English singer and broadcaster who has become famous not only for her singing, but also for having signed the biggest recording contract by a British jazz singer.
Teal was brought up in the Kildwick area of Yorkshire. She developed an interest in jazz from an early age, through her father's collection of 78rpm records, becoming "obsessed" with big band singers like Ella Fitzgerald and big bands like Joe Loss. She took music lessons, first on the electronic organ, then more formally on clarinet, before studying music at Wolverhampton University. While at university, Teal found herself without a clarinet for an unexpected examination. Deciding to sing instead, she not only got her "best grades ever", but discovered that she loved singing in public. After graduation, she started a career in advertising, singing in her spare time with amateur and semi-professional bands.
Teal's break came when she was asked to stand in for Stacey Kent at a weekend festival in Llandrindod Wells. This led (after some determined self-promotion, in which she drew upon her advertising skills) to a three-album contract with the jazz label Candid Records. Her popularity soared, with appearances on radio and television bringing her to the attention of a wider public, and in 2004 she released her first album for Sony Jazz in what was the biggest recording deal by any British jazz singer.Don't Talk topped the jazz charts and entered the UK Top 20 UK Albums Chart.
While the majority of her recordings are cover versions of standards, her albums feature original songs and contemporary cover versions, notably a cover of "California Dreaming" by The Mamas & the Papas. This song attracted the attention of BBC Radio presenter Michael Parkinson, garnering significant publicity during her period with Candid Records.
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