Clare Teal and her Mini Big Band

King's Hall, Ilkley

Friday 10th November 2017

CLARE Teal's eagerly anticipated return with her Mini Big Band was greeted by a jam-packed King's Hall. Ilkley's 500 seater flagship venue had been sold out for weeks and there was a waiting list for returns. The Kildwick born singer creates such a wonderful rapport with the fans. She makes you feel like a part of her family. Snappy Introductions to the music and banter with the Band seemed entirely spontaneous.

Ella Fitzgerald is Clare's "absolute hero" and was bound to feature in the programme. Clare slipped effortlessly into the vocals of Sam Color's song You'll Have to Swing it Mr Paganini - one of Ella's great 'scat' numbers. The singer moved down a gear for Rodgers and Hart's My Funny Valentine - a gentle number with muted trumpet solo and pianist Jason Rebello weaving a magic carpet of sound. Clare switched to upbeat mode in a smoky rendering of That Old Black Magic which featured a satin-smooth sax solo. Along the way came tributes to Duke Ellington, Do Nothing 'til You Hear from Me - and Van Morrison's The Way Young Lovers Do.

Popular Guest singer Matthew Ford began with Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, by Jim Croce and recorded in 1970 by Matthew's hero Frank Sinatra. Then came Jimmy Van Heuson's Come Fly with Me (recorded by Sinatra in 1957). Clare and Matthew then delighted the audience with some duets. They breezed through Cab Calloway's Minnie the Moocher - famous for its nonsensical ad libbed 'scat' lyrics - and Irving Berlin's delightful We're a Couple of Swells. Clare's hand-picked seven piece Mini Big Band, of course, anchored the entire programme of twenty songs. Expressive instrumental solos proved that each musician is a star. The is the full glittering line-up:

Sid Gauld - Trumpet, Ashley Horton - Trombone, Chelsea Carmichael - Tenor Sax,

Gemma Moore - Baritone Sax,

Jason Rebello - Piano, Simon Little - Bass,

Ben Reynolds - Drums.

Before the concert, Friends of the King's Hall chairman, John Thirlwell, introduced the latest addition to the King's Hall's technical armoury. An electrically operated lifting platform has now been installed to eliminate the back-breaking manual handling of such heavy equipment as sound systems and musical instruments. The Friends have contributed £10,000 towards the facility which has been financed by Bradford Council to enable the King's Hall to host even bigger and better shows.

Geoffrey Mogridge