Clare Teal
Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University
Saturday, June 21
CLARE Teal has become a firm favourite at Taliesin over the years, and it is easy to see why.
She is the UK jazz scene’s answer to Victoria Wood, a consummately gifted artist whose penchant for droll, comedic Northern banter makes her stand out from the crowd.
Teal’s last visit to the venue caused some jazz purists to bemoan the fact she was showing signs of leaning more towards the genre popularly known as “lounge” music instead of the jazz and swing for which she was renowned, and this time around we were promised a show which would see her going back to her musical roots.
It is fair to say that this hugely entertaining concert did indeed live up to the promise – even if the return of Teal’s knowingly kitsch and camp backing singers, The Symphomaniacs, proved to be every bit as distracting this time around as during their last visit.
Teal’s love of what she described as “hard core” lounge music was confirmed by a brief reference to Juan Garcia Esquivel, the inventor of space-age “bachelor pad” music, and there were moments during the songs when her vocal gymnastics sounded ever so slightly like lounge legend Yma Sumac, but for the most part this was geared more towards jazz and swing than anything else.
Highlights included, In a Mellow Tone, Begin the Beguine, Shiny Stockings and a rendition of Get Happy to rival the classic recording by Judy Garland, as well as the gloriously upbeat and soaring, The Road Less Travelled – the perfect vehicle for Teal’s richly textured voice – and a version of Van Morrison’s Moondance, which was infinitely superior to the original.
Jamie Cullum – who himself appeared on stage at Taliesin just as he was on the brink of stardom – has described Clare Teal’s vocal style as “music to melt to”. I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Graham Williams
(c) 2008 South Wales Evening Post. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
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