REVIEW: Clare Teal and her Hollywood Orchestra, The Concorde, Eastleigh.

SHE has never forgotten how The Concorde helped to put her on the flight path to jazz stardom.

And Clare Teal returned to Eastleigh to give a glitzy big band swing to the club’s 60 th anniversary celebrations.

She described the Concorde’s milestone as an amazing achievement, praised the audience for supporting live music, and led the applause for the club’s founder Cole Mathieson.

Musical maestro Guy Barker, known to Concorde regulars for his appearances with sixties rhythm and blues star Georgie Fame, swapped trumpet for baton.

He directed Clare and her multi- talented 17 piece orchestra as they took the audience on a jazz journey sprinkled with iconic names from the world of big band music.

Also known to millions of listeners for her BBC radio big band show, she was about eight years-old when in her native Yorkshire she dived into a trunk full of 78s belonging to her grandmother.

From that day she was hooked on big band music. So much so that she listened and imitated everything that was in that box.

American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, dubbed the First Lady of Song, became her “absolute hero.”

And it was not surprising that Clare paid homage to the jazz legend who this year would have celebrated her 100 th birthday.

Simon Little effortlessly slipped from double bass to vocals to link up with Clare for the Ella/Louis Jordan collaboration, I’ll Never Be Free. Later she dipped into Ella’s ground breaking Stockholm ’66 live album, which had been partly accompanied by the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Clare, who has a wonderful rapport with her audience, also saluted other jazz divas including Peggy Lee, Hollywood movie star and singer Doris Day and Lena Horne.

This year the late Lena Horne would also have been part of the exclusive musical band of centenarians. And Guy Barker spoke of his fond memories of working with the American jazz and pop singer.

Stormy Weather from Lena’s 1957 album and first sung at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club in 1933 was part of the star studded Concorde playlist.

There was also a golden opportunity for audience participation as Clare rolled out a rousing version of Doris Day’s Hernando’s Hideaway Clare took a back seat as the orchestra’s brass and percussion section delivered a wonderful version of Bye Bye Birdie from the 1963 American musical stage and film comedy.

Pianist Jason Rebello, who has toured and recorded with Sting, weaved magic on the ivories.

Clare, who was given a standing ovation, wished the Concorde a happy birthday as she rounded off this razor sharp performance with the Bobby Darin chart topper Mack The Knife.

Duncan Eaton