Tierney Sutton
Career[edit]
Sutton was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She received a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston.[1]
For over 20 years, Sutton has led the Tierney Sutton Band with pianist Christian Jacob, bassists Trey Henry and Kevin Axt, and drummer Ray Brinker. The band is an incorporated unit and makes all musical and business decisions together.[2][3] They tour throughout the world[4] and have headlined at Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Sutton has been a Bahaʼi since 1981 and explains her band's arranging style as "based on the principle of consultation – the band is very much run on Baha'i principles. There is very much a sense that what we do is essentially a spiritual thing and everyone's voice needs to be heard."[5][6]
Paris Sessions (Varèse Sarabande, 2014), featuring guitarist Serge Merlaud and bassist Kevin Axt, received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2014,[7] while The Sting Variations was nominated in the same category in 2016.[8] Pianist Christian Jacob composed and arranged soundtrack music for the Clint Eastwood production Sully which was performed by Sutton and the band.[9]