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Secret Love - CODA jazz magazine

Such has been the avalanche of young female jazz singers emerging on the British jazz scene of late that Claire Martin now seems like a venerable veteran, although she is still only in her mid thirties. But Martin is actually a far superior singer to most of the new wave: she is melodically inventive, she is rhythmically supple, she can improvise convincingly and she can communicate a lyric with the utmost subtlety. In short, Martin is a true jazz performer rather than simply being one of the many who can interpret the Great American Songbook attractively.
Her range is impressive as well, for she can perform with equal aplomb material as diverse as Burt Bacharach/Elvis Costello's 'God Give Me Strength', on which she sounds like a gospelish soul diva ‘Cheek To Cheek', which is performed at such breakneck speed that one's irresistible reaction is to grin delightedly with pure pleasure and Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn's 'My Buddy', which is restrained and dignified and sung with great tenderness.
Martin is accompanied by outstanding British jazz players including saxophonists Bobby Wellins and Nigel Hitchcock, drummer Clark Tracey and pianist Gareth Williams, all of whom make tellingly creative contributions.

CODA jazz magazine
04 October 2004