Clare makes happy move to jazzier climes

10:09am Friday 1st February 2008

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Interview with Clare Teal by Rick Bowen

IT'S very appropriate that Clare Teal's new album is called Get Happy, because whenever she performs live the feel good factor is so strong it's impossible not to be infected by it.

Not only does she have a singing voice that is so multi-faceted it's like a musical instrument in itself, she also punctuates her sets with gentle jokes and humorous anecdotes from her personal life.

She's a jazz star and stand up comedian all rolled into one and she says when on stage she simply loves to talk to the audience. Is that something that comes naturally to her?

"It does and it's really important for me to do that because it relaxes me. When I hear the audience laugh I can relax and do what I can do," she says.

Clare is relishing her return to Bowdon's Cinnamon Club next month and it becomes apparent that she regards the venue, dubbed "the Ronnie Scott's of the north" by one particular commentator, as her second home. One of the many things she likes about the club is its intimacy.

"Intimacy is a big part of jazz, isn't it? It's nice to get close to the music and the people who are performing the music. I mainly perform in theatres and it's as enjoyable but it's very different. What I love about spaces like the Cinnamon Club is people can have a drink and eat and they're very, very relaxed while watching you," she says.

Get Happy is released on February 25 and Clare describes it as "a move back to jazzier climes." She left her former record label Sony - describing the move as a very amicable split - so she could return to her musical roots. Clare then joined Universal.

"They Sony were very nice people but they didn't really want to make jazz records and I really tried to make the record they wanted, but the record didn't do very well and it just made me realise that I was supposed to sing jazz. That's what I'm here to do. Then I met this chap from Universal who really wanted to make jazz records," says Clare, who describes Get Happy as a mixture of jazz standards, pop classics and original material. Rick Bowen n Clare Teal plays the Cinnamon Club in Bowdon on February 15 at 8pm. Tickets are available from 0161 926 8992 and further information is available from www.thecinnamonclub.net For the full interview, see Lifestyle magazine.