Ron Burnett reviews J Night with Clare Teal at Theatre Royal York (From York Press)

Ron Burnett reviews J Night with Clare Teal at Theatre Royal York

11:19am Saturday 24th October 2009 in Search By Ron Burnett

After last year’s sell-out visit, the singer, songwriter, BBC Radio personality and all-round funster returned. Adrian Chivers (guitar, percussion, backing vocals), with Clare for some time, stays with a brand new show and a new band.

Pianist Grant Windsor is musical director, adding spice to familiar songs, syncopating the vocal lines of Fascinating Rhythm to exploit the song’s title and adding a waltz-time section to Just One Of Those Things.

He also provided one of the highlights, his composition The Space I Leave For You, Clare’s delicate vocal matched by his masterful, economical accompaniment reminiscent of Lyle Mays with the Metheny Band.

She was voted Jazz Vocalist Of The Year three years running, her voters were in the audience judging by the warmth created by the vivacious singer. Comedy banter between songs is a celebrated feature of Clare Teal concerts and she moved briefly into a funky Ilkley Moor Ba’t’at before a Gershwin song. She further revealed that the lyricist of Porgy And Bess, DuBose Heyward, was from Pocklington, as was Gershwin.

The poignant I Loves You Porgy, another highlight, showed her command of the stage and not a dry eye in the house after the hilarious introduction. Clare’s fears about the declining recording business were balanced by the excellence of her young band. The stagecraft, awareness and stunning virtuosity of double bassist Simon Little and drummer Ben (Burt) Reynolds are no doubt due to the burgeoning jazz college courses. The future of jazz and popular music is safe in hands such as these.