A night to remember! Clare Teal and Jason Rebello are true talents of jazz.

Thank you Penarth Pier Pavilion for inviting me to come and see a one night performance of Clare Teal, alongside pianist Jason Rebello.

Born in Yorkshire, Clare Teal is one of the UK’s most well known jazz singers, having performed across the UK and internationally with her pianist Jason and has sung alongside other incredible artists, such as Sir Van Morrison, Jamie Cullum, Katie Melua and Liza Minnelli. This multi-award winning singer has joined Jazz FM for a new two-hour swing and big band show. The incredible talent of pianist Jason Rebello perfectly complimented Clare’s performance. Born in Surrey, Jason has been classically training since he was 19 at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He quickly grabbed people’s attention, recording three solo albums in his early 20s and has acquired quite the professional repertoire since.

There is no doubt that Clare is a talented artist, but watching her perform live felt very special. Watching her feel each and every note so deeply brought the audience to a new level of appreciation for jazz. Clare’s her warm and witty deminer on stage gave the show a personal touch, and her and Jason’s dynamic is wonderful to watch and has the audience laughing as they seamlessly bounced off one another. Something that always makes a performance special and stand out is knowing that the artists are enjoying themselves just as much as the audience. And that really shone through there.

The performance was rich with timeless jazz classics and some more modern hits. Some included, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Hart, Sting, Van Morrison, Ed Cobb, Anita O’Day, Nancy Wilson, Frances Faye, Peggy Lee and, of course, one of Clare Teal’s personal favourites, Ella Fitzgerald. Having such a wide range can sometimes make a show feel a little chaotic but Clare did a great job of tying them together so perfectly, telling a story of this beloved genre. The talent to perform such a range of songs (and some very complex ones too) left the audience in awe.

Aside from a few art shows (and for coffee on a sunny day), I’d yet to have seen a show at the Penarth Pier Pavilion and was unsure of what to expect from a seemingly small space. But this iconic venue was transformed by the wonderful Pavilion team into such an impressively grand space. The way it was staged gave the show a more intimate, more personal feel to it which made it a more powerful experience. I’m looking forward to seeing what else the Penarth Pier Pavilion will do. (If you want to see more of the events at the Pavilion, check out our What’s on Guide). And for more information about this incredible venue and all the exciting things they have coming up, head over to their Facebook page.

There was no doubt that the rest of the audience enjoyed it just as much. All completely enveloped by Clare and Jason’s performance and at the end were given a well-deserved standing ovation.

If you want to see more about what Clare Teal is up to, check out her website and Facebook. And check out Jason Rebello’s website and Facebook to find out more about all the exciting things he has coming up.