Jazz Preview: Parky introduces Clare for homecoming show

The Yorkshire-born singer will be on familiar turf when she takes to the stage of the Royal Hall later this month.

Performing alongside special guests Ian Saw and Pee Wee Ellis, the concert will be a celebration of the Great British songbook with an introduction from Michael Parkinson, who famously championed Clare in her early days, helping her secure her first record deal with Sony.

Not so high-profile, perhaps, but no less entertaining, jazz pianists Pete Churchill and Nikki Iles will be sharing their expertise next week at an arts showcase in Leeds.

Churchill, who is also a singer and choir master, will perform with Iles alongside the community choir Voices of the Day, which is based on the city’s Seacroft housing estate.

Recipe for Life, which is the brainchild of community arts organisation Space2, will take place at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Alongside the jazz performances, the two-day event will also provide a showcase for performance poetry and dance.

“Recipe for Life showcases the incredibly high standards which can be achieved by community groups and this is reflected in the calibre of professionals who are happy to work alongside them,” says Space2’s strategic director Dawn Fuller.

Clare Teal, Royal Hall, Harrogate, July 30. 01423 502116, www.harrogate-festival.org.uk.

Recipe for Life, West Yorkshire Playhouse, July 15 & 16. 0113 213 7700, www.wyp.org.uk