Judges
Meet the judges and compere for the 2024 Leeds Pub Piano Competition.
Judge: Clare Teal
Clare Teal is one of the UK’s most celebrated and much loved singers, as well as a prolific recording artist and popular BBC Radio 2 and Jazz FM broadcaster. To date she has recorded and released fourteen albums to public and critical acclaim.
With her stunning voice, encyclopaedic knowledge of jazz, swing and big band music, and her innate warmth and wit, Clare is a sought-after singer and broadcaster throughout the country.
Judge: Christella Litras
Christella Litras is an award winning composer, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and musician. She has provided vocal and song writing tuition for both national and international educational establishments and has directed many professional studio recordings and performance poetry showcases.
In 2023, Christella was commissioned by Leeds 2023 to remix a version of the Kaiser Chiefs hit I Predict a Riot in a Soca style that was used for the opening ceremony at Headingley Stadium.
Judge & Compere: Cleve Freckleton
Based in Leeds, Cleve “Rev Chunky” Freckleton has worked with a range of artists including Leeds-based four-piece jazz fusion and blues/funk band The New Mastersounds, blues-rockers The Bluebirds and with his own band as The Reverend Cleve ‘Funky Butt Chunky’ Freckleton.
Since his early years of gospel music to his present day performances, he’s known as a whole hearted soul brother who leaves his audiences feeling better about the world.