Cleo Laine

Cleo Laine is a British jazz singer and actress born in London in 1927 who began her professional career in the 1940s performing in clubs, on radio and in theatre, specialising in jazz and popular song. Her wide vocal range and command of scat and vocal improvisation allowed her to work across jazz, pop, classical crossover and musical theatre, and she played a role in increasing the visibility of Black performers in post-war British music.