Personnel: Tierney Sutton, vocals; Christian Jacob, piano; Trey Henry, bass; Kevin Axt, bass; Ray Brinker, drums
Recorded live at Birdland in New York City in March 2005, the Tierney Sutton Band's latest CD entitled "I'm With The Band" is a very enjoyable listen. The band's imaginative arrangements of show tunes and standards by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin are simply superb. Sutton's voice is distinctive, strong, sure and agile, and this is especially evident in her rendition of "If I Loved You" and on her playful and warp-speed duet with drummer Ray Brinker on "Surrey With The Fringe On Top." However, she seems so intent on perfection and on using her incredible voice as an instrumentalist rather than as a storyteller that the essence of the lyrics is often lost in a dazzling display of technique. Despite this, the overall musicianship, flair and creativity of this band are undeniable and this is a CD that will appeal to many.
By Linda Goshay