2006

I’m With The Band

Tierney Sutton Band

Tierney Sutton is a consummate jazz singer, combining emotion and invention with a purity of sound. While some of her previous recordings have reflected on specific influences, Blue in Green devoted itself to material associated with Bill Evans and Dancing in the Dark to Frank Sinatra, I’m with the Band emphasizes that Sutton really is with the band. Here we find Sutton improvising along with pianist Christian Jacob, drummer Ray Brinker and the alternating bassists Trey Henry and Kevin Axt on a spectrum of standards by the Gershwins, Irving Berlin and Rodgers and Hammerstein. While there are moments of sublime beauty on the ballads, like “If I Loved You” and “Blue Skies,” Sutton clearly takes special delight in the up-tempo scatting of “S’Wonderful” and “Surrey with the Fringe on Top.”

“Jazz siren Tierney Sutton has produced her masterpiece. Following five well-received recordings, Sutton has done two things that ensure the superb quality of her new recording: one, she and her band perform live; and two, she fully integrates herself into the band, where all members exist as equals.” Writes critic C. Michael Bailey.