Born Betty Waddell in Columbus, Ohio, singer Betty St. Claire (1927-1972) was hailed as a “find” when, aged 14, she made her professional debut at the Detroit Club Congo. It led to theatre and club work throughout the Mid-West and the East and, eventually, a place with Dizzy Gillespie’s 1949 big band, as well as jobs with other leading jazz groups like Erroll Garner’s trio and Howard McGhee’s quintet. Musically speaking she was quickly dining at the top table.
She brought to it some striking assets - great time, a warm, illuminating and inviting way with lyrics, and an innately musical approach. They were all wrapped in an attractively husky, even lusty, voice that placed her, as a stylist, in a spot somewhere between Anita O’Day and June Christy that she made her own.
Moving to New York she worked the nightclub circuit and 1955 debuted on record with a program of varied, sophisticated standards on two 10” albums. Made for Jubilee, they confirmed her quality in the company of some of the Big Apple’s most capable jazzmen, among them Phil Sunkel, Billy Byers, Hal McKusick, Jimmy Raney, Barry Galbraith and Addison Farmer. In 1959, now at Seeco, she was backed by a quartet that included jazz notables Mundell Lowe, George Duvivier and Ed Shaughnessy for a relaxed demonstration of her affinity with the Great American Songbook and jazz musicians. freshsound
Tracklist :
Hal McKusick Plays-Betty St. Claire Sings” (1955) 10* JLP15
1 Out Of Nowhere 2:15
Written-By – Heyman, Green
2 What Is There To Say? 3:35
Written-By – Harburg, Duke
3 Almost Like Being In Love 2:46
Written-By – Loewe-Lerner
4 Here Comes Trouble Again 3:22
Tracks #1-4: Phil Sunkel, trumpet; Billy Byers, trombone & arrangements; Hal McKusick, clarinet & alto sax; Gene DiNovi, piano; Jimmy Raney, guitar; Clyde Lombardi, bass; Jimmy Campbell, drums.
Recorded in New York City, January 1955
Cool and Clearer (1955) 10* JLP 1011
5 That Old Black Magic 2:28
Written-By – Arlen-Mercer
6 East Of The Sun 2:29
Written-By – Bowman
7 I Hadn't Anyone Till You 2:18
Written-By – Noble
8 Prelude To A Kiss 3:58
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills
9 Why Try To Change Me Now 3:18
Written-By – Cy Coleman, Joseph McCarthy
10 My One And Only Love 4:14
Written-By – G. & I. Gershwin
11 Skylark 3:16
Written-By – Carmichael, Mercer
12 Give Me The Simple Life 1:58
Written-By – Harry Ruby, Rube Bloom
Tracks #5-12: Eddie Swanson, piano; Barry Galbraith, guitar; Addison Farmer, bass; Herbie Lovelle, drums.
Recorded in New York City, March 1955
"At Basin Street East” (1959)
13 You Took Advantage Of Me 2:47
Written-By – Rodgers-Hart
14 Moonlight In Vermont 3:33
Written-By – Blackburn, Suessdorf
15 Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life 2:59
Written-By – Rida Johnson Young, Victor Herbert 
16 'Tis Autumn 3:45
Written-By – Nemo
17 June's A Word 2:25
Written-By – Velona
18 Lonelyville 3:18
Written-By – Hal Hackady, Walter Marks
19 You Turned The Tables On Me 2:04
Written-By – Louis Alter, Sidney Mitchell
20 You're Laughing At Me 3:45
Written-By – Berlin
21 Crazy Rhythm Caesar 3:18
Written-By – Caesar, Meyer, Cahn
22 Easy To Say 4:20
23 I Get A Kick Out Of You 2:12
Written-By – Porter
24 Like Someone In Love 3:10
Written-By – Van Heusen - Burke
Tracks #13-24: Stan Free, piano; Mundell Lowe, guitar; George Duvivier, bass; Ed Shaughnessy, drums.
Recorded in New York City, December 1959
1 Dot 3:38
