CLAIRE MARTIN
The Queen Of Jazz...
The albums were sold like hot cakes. The critics are raving about her. The fans are going crazy. Her reputation reached the four corners of the globe, BUT Claire Martin is not yet well-known in the United States! How to explain this ironic phenomenon? I do not know! Let me retract my statement. Of course, I do know! Sarita Montiel was the Queen of the Spanish cinema. She sold millions of records in 95 countries and was adored by millions and millions and millions of fans around the world. BUT, few folks ever heard of Montiel in America! Oum Kaltoum called "QAWKAB AL CHARK" (STAR OF THE ORIENT) was adored by kings, queens, princes, heads of states, every single big name in the arts and almost by one billion people in the civilized world, BUT she was completely unknown to 98% of the American people. The same could be said about Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoire, Victor Hugo, Alexandr Puchkin, Anton Tchekov, Carlos Gardel, the King of the Tango Argentino, and Marquis de Lafayette who brought 100,000 troops and fought England side by side of George Washington, thus "securing" and bringing on a silver dish total independence to the Yanks! Few, very very few people in the United states knew who Oum Kalthoum, Marquis de Lafayette, Sarita Montiel and Claire Martin were! But history is to be re-written for Claire Martin. For soon or later, this British diva will conquer the United States and world stage. She was destined to become the queen of Jazz. I had the privilege of knowing Claire. So many questions I asked her.
And as usual, Claire obliged
with grace, beauty, delightful mannerism, humility and utmost integrity. I
promised the publisher to get an exclusive interview with Queen Claire Martin
and I kept my promise. You will read it on the following pages. In 1997,
Claire Martin recorded her fifth album "Make This City Ours" in New York,
featuring giants in the music industry, such as Peter Washington and
Gregory Hutchinson. And as expected, Claire's album reached number
1 in the Gavin Charts for two consecutive weeks. An international success.
Thus, becoming the first European recording artist to have ever attained
this status. In 2000, Claire recorded her seventh album with the
legendary John Martyn. In 2004, Claire recorded a new album "Secret Love" for
Linn Records. The CD was dedicated to her friend Joel E. Siegel. Claire made a
heart-felt statement regarding that fact. She wrote: "Joel, my buddy, all the
tender words together live on in my heart." In September 2004, Jo Bloom
wrote: " Secret Love is steeped in soul and originality...she gives Judy
Garland a run for her money on the classic "GET HAPPY",...Claire
electrifies the track." Keith Bruce of The Herald (October 30th, 2004) wrote:
"In these hyperbolic times, the regular hailing of a new queen of Jazz
singing was becoming reminiscent of the household of Henry
VIII...A superb collection."
Continues on the next page.