Tierney Sutton is a genuine jazz singer, a clear-voiced soprano with sure pitch and diction who concentrates on musical substance. Her approach can suggest Sheila Jordan or Norma Winstone, and she's equally effective at qu... more »ick bop, medium-swing tempos, and moody ballads. The "unsung heroes" she invokes are the great instrumentalists who have inspired her and whose compositions are seldom sung, like Joe Henderson ("Remember Me" is his "Recordame"), Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, and Wayne Shorter. Her phrasing is often trumpet-like on the improvised solos, and she gets terrific support from a trio led by pianist Christian Jacob and guest soloists who include Stan Kenton veteran Buddy Childers on flügelhorn. There's an almost unearthly purity of vocals in her subtle version of "Spring Is Here," but the absolute highlight is the Jimmy Rowles tune "A Timeless Place (The Peacocks)," with lyrics by Winstone. It's a demanding line with difficult harmony that Sutton weaves perfectly with Jacob and Gary Foster on alto flute. --Stuart Broomer« less
Tierney Sutton is a genuine jazz singer, a clear-voiced soprano with sure pitch and diction who concentrates on musical substance. Her approach can suggest Sheila Jordan or Norma Winstone, and she's equally effective at quick bop, medium-swing tempos, and moody ballads. The "unsung heroes" she invokes are the great instrumentalists who have inspired her and whose compositions are seldom sung, like Joe Henderson ("Remember Me" is his "Recordame"), Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, and Wayne Shorter. Her phrasing is often trumpet-like on the improvised solos, and she gets terrific support from a trio led by pianist Christian Jacob and guest soloists who include Stan Kenton veteran Buddy Childers on flügelhorn. There's an almost unearthly purity of vocals in her subtle version of "Spring Is Here," but the absolute highlight is the Jimmy Rowles tune "A Timeless Place (The Peacocks)," with lyrics by Winstone. It's a demanding line with difficult harmony that Sutton weaves perfectly with Jacob and Gary Foster on alto flute. --Stuart Broomer
Brad Wood | Canoga Park, CA United States | 05/02/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I stumbled on Tierney Sutton by "accident" a few years ago when I discovered that a pianist I'd played with was appearing with her at a Tarzana supper club. I was deeply impressed and immediately won over. An excellent first CD that captured her exquisite sound, impeccable intonation and excellent taste has now been followed by a long-awaited second album. It features unusual and challenging material that rewards both the head and the heart. And it swings like crazy. The up tunes are in the technical tour-de-force category---"kids, don't try this at home" stuff. They serve to frame the ballads, of which none are less than stunning. The eerie, passing-tone-laden line of "Timeless Place (Peacocks)" is utterly compelling, and Sutton's delivery and accuracy of pitch could hardly be bettered---a vocal levitation act, gravity-defying.The band supports Tierney throughout with great energy and sensitivity, all of the solos being fine examples of inspiration and serious chops. Sutton showed her merciful side (I recently learned) by doing Indiana/Donna Lee in concert E flat, a half-step higher than her preference, so altoist Gary Foster could play in a more convivial key. Tierney Sutton teaches jazz vocals at USC. Her fortunate students know that "some who teach, also do". And do very well, one could add.If you have even a passing interest in female jazz vocals, and especially if you are perhaps a bit fatigued by the pitch problems of many of our current artists, you must hear this collection!"
Awesome Instrument
David Clark | Lafayette, CO | 03/31/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The voice as instrument takes on new meaning with Sutton. The mastery this woman has over her voice is obvious--hearing her on this album makes you think you've been listening to everyone else in monaural low-fidelity; you just won't believe how clear and accurate she sounds. And no, it's not because of superior recording, although this is a Telarc Jazz production. Unlike many albums of songs that cover "classic" instrumental tunes (a couple of Mingus collections come to mind), these classic instrumental tunes seem right--in fact, re-born--with words and vocalizing in Sutton's treatments. If you like female jazz vocalists, you'll love Sutton."
Challenging vocals, well done.
Powell E. Barber | Tallahassee, FL USA | 09/29/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"A most enjoyable offering. I very much appreciate the effort that Sutton invests. Consider the challenges presented in the speed of Bernie's Tune or the unusual intervals of A Timeless Place. I found the band quite capable of framing Sutton's vocals without getting in her way or the listener's face."
Once in a Generation
Gordon F. Woods | Yakutat, Alaska United States | 05/31/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can see from the reviews of this and her other three albums that there are some people out there who realize what is going on here. Bill Evans comes to mind. It does not matter whether you listen to him on an intellectual level or an emotional level, from the opening notes you can't ignore him. The same can be said of Tierney Sutton. The bar has been raised, and, right now, there's Tierney, and then there's everbody else. Jimmy Rowles, The Peacocks, cannot be a comfortable song to sing, musically it has to be an uncomfortable situation, and yet she pulls it off, with a great deal of help from Christian Jacob et al. Spring is Here is a classic example of the voice as an intregal instument in a group setting. I happen to know that my CD cabinet holds 1,000 CD's, it is full, and a few more have slopped over onto the table. Unsung Heroes is in the top 10 in that collection, and it says a lot that her other three CD's are also on that short list."
What a find!
Benjamin Thomas | ukiah, ca United States | 10/13/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"in recent years my taste has broadened to include more contemporary vocalists (before I stuck with Ella, Billie and Joe Turner). I was really pleased to find Jane Monheit, for example. Tierney Sutton is on an entirely different level, at least two rungs higher, in my opinion. Her imagination and technique are remarkable, and she is in sync with her band to an amazing degree. The accompaniment is consistently as interesting as her vocal work. Ms. Sutton's recording band is the same as her road band, which makes a huge difference to her recorded work, and I hope to her live performances (I am going to hear her next month).
This is fascinating and often challenging music -- the cymbal beat on "Spring Is Here", for example. The rewards are even greater than the challenges."