The two songs that started the whole project were Try A Little Tenderness (Woods, Connelly & Campbell) and A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (Maschwitz, Sherwin & Strachey), “I had always assumed these to be American songs and was fascinated to learn that both were written by Americans and Brits working together in the 30’s, a time when transatlantic journeys weren’t exactly cheap and easy.” Add to the mix an uplifting New Orleans take on Ray Noble’s Love Is The Sweetest Thing featuring Clare’s dear friend and demon sax player Pee Wee Ellis (MD to James Brown and Van Morrison), a blistering samba arrangement of Moloko’s Sing It Back with Latin percussion king Bosco De Oliveira and the most heartbreaking yet optimistic version of Ivor Novello’s 1945 song We’ll Gather Lilacs and you start to get a feel for the sheer variety Hey Ho contains. It is to Clare’s credit that all these songs from such wide-ranging eras sit alongside each other so comfortably. “It was important the album open with Noël Coward and close with Ivor Novello as to me these guys are our equivalent to my other heroes Cole Porter and Irving Berlin.”
As well as a collection of some of her favourite songs, Hey Ho also includes two original compositions. One More (Baby Be Good To Me) and Whole (It Isn’t Like Me) sit easily amongst the more famous songs on the album. One More is an uplifting tribute to the old motown sound, written by Clare, her partner Muddy and Windsor. Meanwhile Whole is inspired by a recent trip to the USA’s West Coast where Clare and Muddy drove 600 miles from San Diego to San Francisco in ‘a big tank.’ Both songs were written and recorded this year and their seamless inclusion on Hey Ho is a welcome one.
Hey Ho shows a new depth to Clare’s work. It is more reflective and mature yet confident and self-assured, ably assisted by her brilliant band led and arranged by the vibrant ARIA-winning Windsor. The exceptional musicianship and musicality provide a majestic and luxurious platform to showcase Clare’s effortless ability to sing this collection of world class songs. On reflection she notes “I’m very proud of this record. It’s taken a long time to make and research and whilst Hey Ho celebrates these great songs, by intention it isn’t quintessentially British but it is quintessentially me!”
Clare has twice been voted British Jazz Singer of the year and also the BBC’s Jazz Singer of the year. Away from her singing work, Clare is becoming increasingly well known to radio listeners for her two weekly big band shows on BBC Radio 2, whether it be Clare Teal Sunday Night at 10pm or Big Band Special on Mondays at 11pm. Passionate about the music she plays on her shows, Clare is on a one woman mission to introduce younger audiences to the joys of big band music. Clare has also written articles for the Times and various magazines and for the past 4 years has penned a weekly column for her beloved Yorkshire Post. Clare will be touring throughout the Spring and Summer with her trio and in some concerts the BBC Big Band. Highlights will include Glastonbury Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival, Regents Park Open Air Theatre and London’s Cadogan Hall. Clare will also be Artist in Residence at the Harrogate International Festival later in the summer.