There’s not much to say about this: Clare Teal, one of Britain’s best loved jazz singers, and also a broadcaster, is famous not only for her voice but for signing the biggest recording contract by a British jazz singer.

She specialises in singing standards and for this new CD is joined by The Hallé Orchestra, which provides a massive backdrop for her voice; nearly 100 musicians back her, recorded at the Hallé’s St Peter’s Church HQ in Manchester.

She covers songs by composers from Cole Porter to Tim Rice, and from Jerome Kern to Gordon Sumner (better known as Sting). It opens with Rogers and Hammerstein’s It Might As Well Be Spring and closes with Paradisi Carousel — Sandbachian Nigel Stonier, who co-wrote Messin’ With Fire with Teal, collaborated with Teal on material for the 2007 album of the same name.

It’s smoother than the proverbial nether regions of a small human, the orchestra giving it a weight that productions of such songs normally lack. For fans of swing, standards and smooth jazz.

She’s always on tour, and on Friday, 16th December, plays The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, in Winter Wonderland – Clare Teal with the Hallé.  On Sunday, 18th December, she plays Birmingham Town Hall with Clare Teal’s Big Band Festive Fiesta.