Tierney Sutton 'After Blue' - Step Tempest
On Friday October 4, vocalist Tierney Sutton returns to Connecticut (she attended and graduated from Wesleyan University) with her top-notch ensemble to headline "A Music for Humanity Concert", an event to benefit Interval House, a shelter for women and children in Hartford. Ms. Sutton and band - pianist Christian Jacob, drummer Ray Brinker plus bassists Kevin Axt and Trey Henry - are beginning a tour to celebrate the release of "After Blue" (BFM Music). The CD is dedicated to the music of Joni Mitchell (who celebrates her 70th birthday in November) and actually only features one member of her band, bassist Axt, who plays on only one track. Flutist Hubert Laws and drummer Peter Erskine are featured on 2 tracks as is the Turtle Island String Quartet. Turtle Island founding member, cellist Mark Summer, supports Ms. Sutton on a pair of tracks as well. The biggest contributor to the musical sound is Larry Goldings, who plays piano and Hammond B-3 organ on 5 tracks. Veteran LA session man Ralph Humphries is the sole/soul support on the finger-snapping version of "Big Yellow Taxi." Perhaps the most impressive track is Ms. Sutton's impassioned reading of "Woodstock", joined only by Goldings on piano - her vocal is emotionally rich and quite touching. French guitarist Serge Merlaud appears on the 2 standards, "Don't Go to Strangers" and "Answer Me, My Love."
Richard Kamins