Claire Martin

Their debut at the beautiful King’s Place.  Saturday  22nd May in the stunning hall.  More details

to follow:  www.kingsplace.co.uk   0207 520 1490 for box office.

I’d love to be in bed all day watching old movies and eating chocolate,  but instead I’m in Warwick at

the Arts Centre as part of the University.  Come along for a great night of jazz and less calories.  Starts at 7.45 and get tickets by phoning:  024 7652 4524

PRESS RELEASE

Jazz Singers Workshop

Where:                        606 Jazz Club, 90 Lots Road, London SW10 OQD

When:                        Saturday 5 June 2009

Time:                                    10.30am registration for 11am – 5pm

Tutors:

Claire Martin – Multi award winning jazz singer (British Jazz Awards,

BBC Jazz Awards) and Radio 3 presenter.

“the English-born Martin is a singer who should be (must be) heard by  anyone with the slightest interest in jazz vocalizing. At a time when the woods are thick with talented distaff jazz artists, she is a standout, instantly

recognizable as a unique and impressive creative performer”.Los Angeles Times

“worldclass” The Times

Verona Chard – cross over jazz / classical singer. Worked with Humphrey Lyttleton on “Sad Sweet Songs and Crazy Rhythms album”.

“fine singer and renowned tutor” – Time Out                                    “highly talented” – The Evening Standard

“exquisitely performed by a first class singer delightful to see and  hear. A name to watch out for.”

The Stage

“superb…very strongly recommended” – Musical Opinion

Special Guest:         Ian Shaw – accompanying on piano.

Content: Technique, style, presentation, set content, getting the gig.

Cost:                        £90.00 participants / £40.00 observers.

Contact / Application:

Vamp Jazz (Workshop) Ealing House 33 Hanger Lane, London W5 3HJ

020 8997 3355

E-mail:            vampjazz@aol.com

www.clairemartinjazz.com

www.veronachard.com

Lucky Leighton! For one night only, six of Britain’s leading jazz musicians are getting together to perform an exclusive charity gig at Leighton Middle School in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire in aid of OxJam, the live music arm of international charity, Oxfam.

OxJam Jazz Club features:

• Claire Martin –multi-award winning, international jazz vocalist and co-presenter of BBC Radio 3’s, Jazz Line Up
• Bruce Adams – British Jazz Award winning master of the trumpet and flugel horn
• Karen Sharp – former Humphrey Lyttelton’s saxophonist, broadcaster and bandleader
• Gareth Williams – leading virtuoso British jazz pianist
• Arnie Somogyi – top British bassist and one of Ronnie Scott’s All-Stars
• Clark Tracey –multiple British Jazz Award winning drummer

On Tuesday 16^th March, Leighton Middle School’s Hall will be turned into a buzzing

Jazz Club, just for one exciting evening, with its own bar, catering and charity auction.

OxJam Jazz Club is part of the 2010 Oxjam Music Festival in Leighton-Linslade. All the musicians, along with many individuals and businesses in the town, are volunteering their time and effort with no fees to help raise funds for Oxfam. This unique performance is sponsored by local specialists in traditional sweets and luxury chocolates, CocoaBerry (www.cocoaberry.co.uk).

Charity Jazz Raffle on the night - including a ‘Signed Surprise’ from jazz-pop legend, Jamie Cullum; One Year’s Membership to world-famous Ronnie Scott’s Club in Soho, London; personally Signed CDs from some of Britain’s top jazz musicians; two tickets to London’s 606 Club, the most delicious CocoaBerry chocolates you’ve ever tasted; and much, much more! Tickets £5. Prizes worth hundreds!

Great music. Helping Oxfam. A local event that’s just too good to miss!

Press contact – 07973 510458 – paul@tatenet.co.uk

**For a full listing of all Oxjam music events in Leighton see: www.Iloveleightonbuzzard.com

By Alyn Shipton The Times December 2009

For several years the jazz singers Claire Martin and Ian Shaw have offered an evening of seasonal escapism at the Purcell Room in the run-up to Christmas. This year’s edition of their Early Christmas Stocking was a well-honed mixture of the artfully rehearsed and the brilliantly spontaneous. There was no backing band and no paraphernalia, just the two singers and Shaw’s characteristic, if occasionally eccentric, accompaniment at the piano.

Like all the best jazz concerts, the risk-taking jostled with the firm-footed, so that a pause for an invisible (and inaudible) guitar solo brought a laugh and then appreciative applause as the two re-entered bang on the beat, in pitch and in perfect harmony. Their a capella singing together was a delight, with Martin holding the vocal line as Shaw’s voice dextrously wove above and below her, changing the rhythm, texture and feel, notably on a spirited version of I’ll Never Fall in Love Again. A mixture of jazz standards and love songs gave way to a brief segment of yuletide fare, complete with Christmas hats, before the pair reverted to highlights from their long collaboration. Shaw’s witty additions to the lyrics of Making Whoopee were as downbeat and throwaway as his urbane announcements, which suggested that he could prosper as a stand-up comedian. Meanwhile Martin showed that she remains a supreme and sensitive interpreter of ballads, not least on an excellently measured But Not for Me.

Overall, what the audience had turned up to hear was a good-time selection of jazz songs, with plenty of opportunities to join in. Timid silence greeted Shaw’s first invitation for everyone to sing the chorus of Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, but soon each invitation to take part was enthusiastically taken up. However, Shaw’s party piece, a singalong Latin version of Old MacDonald Had a Farm, taken at breakneck speed, proved too much for even his most devoted fans, dissolving into giggles and riotous applause.

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Claire Martin has won Best Vocalist at the British Jazz Awards 2009! The awards have always celebrated the best in British jazz and this year is no exception. The calibre of the musicians shortlisted indicates the excellence present in jazz in Britain today. Claire’s victory in the Vocal category is a true triumph – also nominated were the outstanding vocalists Val Wiseman, Norma Winstone, Liane Carroll and Clare Teal.

The awards were ultimately decided by public vote – magazine readers, gig goers, radio listeners and musicians all contributed. Claire said “I am thrilled to receive this award and honoured to be listed in the same group as Norma Winstone and Liane Carroll who are my favourite singers! Having your hard work acknowledged is always a bonus.  Thank you to all who voted for me, I’m very grateful.”

Britain’s leading female jazz singer, Claire Martin, released her new album, ‘A Modern Art’, earlier this year to glowing reviews. The Scotsman said “she is still a cut about the competition” whilst Time Out called it “her finest album to date”. Praise indeed for, as the Sunday Times called her, “the most gifted jazz singer this country has produced in 20 years”.

Jazz singer Claire Martin talks to Stuart Nicholson in the September issue of Jazzwise about her new album A Modern Art, which includes songs by Rodgers & Hart, Cy Coleman, Donald Fagen, Michael Franks and the late Esbjörn Svensson.

Claire talks about the concept behind the new album which is explained in the title track A Modern Art penned by Claire and Lawrence Cottle. Jazzwise comments that “With A Modern Art, she goes beyond the Great American Songbook to define herself as a jazz singer in the 21st century”. Claire states her belief that “they do write songs like they used to” and that many contemporary writers deserve wider recognition. Throughout her career Claire has performed songs by John Martyn and Nick Drake and duetted with Noel Gallagher, as well as performing more ‘traditional’ songs by Shirley Horn, Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hammerstein.

In the interview you can read Claire’s thoughts on the tracks and why she chose them, as well as reading about her career from her first album back in 1991 to now, when she has emerged “as a world class artist” (Stuart Nicholson, Jazzwise).

Claire has recently completed a year of degree teaching at Brighton Institute of Modern Music. Although she has a demanding schedule with work and family, this has re-kindled a love of teaching jazz vocals. If you are interested in one to one classes or detail of vocal workshops that Claire is taking then email on: clairemartinjazz@btopenworld.com