Clare Teal

Clare Teal (born 14 May 1973) is an English jazz singer who has become famous not only for her singing, but also for having signed the biggest ever recording-deal by a British jazz singer.

Teal was born on 14 May 1973, and brought up in the tiny village of Kildwick, near Skipton in North Yorkshire, where she developed an interest in jazz from an early age through her father's collection of 78rpm records. She took music lessons (first on the electronic organ, then more formally on clarinet), before going to study music at university.

After graduation, she started a career in advertising, singing in her spare time with various amateur and semi-professional bands. Her break came when she was asked to stand in for Stacey Kent at a weekend festival. This led (after some determined self-promotion, in which she drew upon her advertising skills) to a three-album contract with the jazz-specialist label Candid Records. Her popularity soared, with appearances on radio and television bringing her to the attention of a wider public. This eventually led to her being signed by Sony in what was the biggest recording deal by any British jazz singer.

In live performances, Teal performs with a band led by pianist/music director Simon Wallace. While the majority of her recordings are standards, earlier albums feature many original songs, including post-swing material, most notably a cover of The Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreaming". This cut attracted the attention of popular BBC radio presenter Michael Parkinson, garnering significant publicity during her period with Candid Records.