CLARE Teal may be known as one of the country’s leading jazz singers but she has a slightly different take on what she does.

“The problem with being labelled a jazz singer is that it is such a small word that covers such a huge sound,” she said.

“People tend to stereotype you but really my kind of jazz was originally pop music. I prefer to think of myself as a pop singer with 120 years-worth of material to choose from.

“If you take most people’s record collections they don’t exclusively have one type of music.

“They are invariably very varied. People are open-minded in their music choices and that’s why labelling someone doesn’t help.”

Clare will come to the Grand in Clitheroe over the May Bank Holiday with her band to headline the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival.

“I’m really looking forward to coming back up North.

“I live in Bath now but grew up around Skipton, so it’s almost like coming home,” she said.

Clare’s most recent album, Hey Ho, was a celebration of the great British songbook, allowing her to put her own interpretation on the likes of Try a Little Tenderness and even Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars.

For her live show, fans can expect a varied selection of songs.

“We don’t really change the set from night to night,” said Clare.

“But we will slot a new song in every now and then to freshen things up.

“However, we all know each other so well now that every gig is slightly different.

“Because we’ve played together for so long we are far more equipped to deal with any eventuality that might come along. That’s the beauty of having players with a jazz background.”

Clare’s interest in classic songs began in childhood when she would listen to her grandma’s old 78 records.

“I was obsessed with the singers of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s even then,” she said.

Although she had always sung for fun, even entering a Billie Holliday soundalike competition when she left university — she came second — Clare did not become a professional singer until she was 27.

Since then she has not looked back, winning being voted British Jazz Singer of the year in both 2005 and 2007, and BBC Jazz Singer of the Year 2006. She is also a well established broadcaster, with shows on Radio 2.

“Before I was a singer I had normal jobs,” she said.

“I worked in telesales, which I enjoyed, but the thought of having to go back to that spurs me on.”

Clare Teal, the Grand Clitheroe, Sunday, May 6. Details from 01200 421599.