Claire Martin (singer)
Encyclopedia
Claire Martin, OBE
(born 1967) is an English
jazz
singer
, born in Wimbledon
, South London
, England
.
Claire Martin grew up in a house "full of music", and claims to have learned all of Judy Garland
´s songs by the time she was 12. She cites Ella Fitzgerald
´s Song Books
as being the life changing influence which inspired her to attend Stage School and later to study singing in both New York
and London
. Her professional career started with her first engagement, aboard the QE2
, where she sang in the Theater Bar for two years.
In 1991, at the age of 21, Martin formed her own jazz quartet, and was signed by the Scottish
jazz label Linn Records
. Her debut album, The Waiting Game
, was extremely well reviewed and was selected by The Times
as one of their "Albums of the Year". Later that year, she opened for Tony Bennett
at the Glasgow International Jazz Festival.
Martin continued performing and recording, garnering numerous awards and rave reviews, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including awards from the British Jazz Awards and BBC Jazz Awards
for Best Vocalist. She recorded a total of 11 albums (all on the Linn label). Apart from touring Europe, she also works as a co-presenter for Jazz Line Up on BBC Radio 3
.
She has collaborated with the jazz composer and performer Sir Richard Rodney Bennett
.
Martin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
for services to music.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1967) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, born in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Claire Martin grew up in a house "full of music", and claims to have learned all of Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
´s songs by the time she was 12. She cites Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
´s Song Books
The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Songbooks
The Ella Fitzgerald Songbooks were a series of eight studio albums released in irregular intervals between 1956 and 1964, recorded by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, supported by a variety of orchestras, big bands, and jazz quartets....
as being the life changing influence which inspired her to attend Stage School and later to study singing in both New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Her professional career started with her first engagement, aboard the QE2
RMS Queen Elizabeth 2
Queen Elizabeth 2, often referred to simply as the QE2, is an ocean liner that was operated by Cunard from 1969 to 2008. Following her retirement from cruising, she is now owned by Istithmar...
, where she sang in the Theater Bar for two years.
In 1991, at the age of 21, Martin formed her own jazz quartet, and was signed by the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
jazz label Linn Records
Linn Records
Linn Records is a Glasgow-based record label which specialises in classical, jazz and Scottish music. It is part of Linn Products.-History:While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became frustrated with some of the specialist test LPs they were using...
. Her debut album, The Waiting Game
The Waiting Game (album)
The Waiting Game is the final recorded session of hard-bop tenor Tina Brooks, recorded on March 2, 1961 for Blue Note. It was shelved until 2002...
, was extremely well reviewed and was selected by The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
as one of their "Albums of the Year". Later that year, she opened for Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
at the Glasgow International Jazz Festival.
Martin continued performing and recording, garnering numerous awards and rave reviews, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including awards from the British Jazz Awards and BBC Jazz Awards
BBC Jazz Awards
The BBC Jazz Awards were set up in 2001 and had the status of one of the premier jazz awards in the UK. There were awards for Best Musician, Best Vocalist, Rising Star, Best Album, Jazz Innovation, Radio 2 Jazz Artist, Services to Jazz, Best of Jazz amongst others....
for Best Vocalist. She recorded a total of 11 albums (all on the Linn label). Apart from touring Europe, she also works as a co-presenter for Jazz Line Up on BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
.
She has collaborated with the jazz composer and performer Sir Richard Rodney Bennett
Richard Rodney Bennett
Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, CBE is an English composer renowned for his film scores and his jazz performance as much as for his challenging concert works...
.
Martin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
for services to music.
Discography
- 1992 The Waiting Game
- 1993 Devil May Care
- 1994 Old Boyfriends
- 1995 Off Beat
- 1997 Make This City Ours
- 1999 Take My Heart
- 2000 Perfect Alibi
- 2001 The Very Best of Claire Martin: Every Now and Then
- 2002 Too Darn Hot
- 2004 Secret Love
- 2005 When Lights Are Low
- 2007 He Never Mentioned LoveHe Never Mentioned LoveHe Never Mentioned Love is a 2007 studio album by Claire Martin. -Track listing:# "He Never Mentioned Love" – 5:08# "Forget Me" – 3:59# "Everything Must Change" – 5:18...
- 2009 A Modern Art