After spending much of her adult life performing in function bands, jazz bands and duos in a wide range of venues, both private and public, singing material from pop through jazz standards to contemporary jazz, Claire McAllister decided to follow her heart and up sticks to start a new life in the Valencia region of Spain. The effect this would have on her cannot be overestimated…
Over the course of a year she found her true voice and composed the 10 songs that make up her stunning debut album of original material ‘Caminos’.
Born to a family of professional musicians, her mother Elizabeth Bowes a classical flautist and father Kenneth McAllister a jazz and classical clarinettist and saxophonist, Claire grew up between her mother’s house, always filled with classical music, and that of her grandparents. After learning the flute and violin as a small child she went on to study vocal training and later Jazz Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
For 10 years she ran an extremely successful function band, The Claire Phoenix Band, during which time she recorded three live albums and was winner of the vocalist section of the PureSolo competition in association with Jazz FM in 2010.
Claire’s influences are clear to hear, with classical and jazz, as well as more contemporary jazz/folk such as Lauren Kinsella; singer-songwriters such as David Sylvian, Kate Bush and Laura Mvula and spoken word poets performing sometimes to music such as Kate Tempest and Selena Godden.
“The themes of this album are ‘Belonging/Not Belonging’, ‘Finding your Voice’ and ‘Not having a Voice’. These are universal themes, particularly for those experiencing displacement and of course, in our personal search for purpose and meaning in life. Sometimes you have something to say and you’re not allowed to say it, sometimes you have a forum and find you have no voice. Belonging and not belonging are powerful human states which can affect us deeply and I guess we are all looking for home on different levels. Perhaps home is ultimately related to how we feel inside.”
- Claire McAllister
As a single mother of three, Claire has found that as the children have grown and become more independent, she has found the time to devote to writing and cultivating her love of poetry. The album was recorded in Valencia, Spain at Elefante Studios, and she was joined by some of the finest musicians in the region.
Pere Munuera Casado
Drums
Julio Fuster
Bass
Giuliano Parisi
Piano
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