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Some say our "calling" is with us from birth, the trick is to discover it. Tierney Sutton is a singer. For her that was no great mystery. Her mother says she sang before she could talk and her childhood in Milwaukee was filled with performances in operas, musicals and top-notch childrens choirs. The talent was there always, but it wasn't until her introduction to jazz that her desire to be a professional singer was born. As a Major in Russian at Wesleyan University she found herself surrounded by some of the best Jazz musicians in the world. Music department Chair Bill Barron (saxophonist and brother of pianist Kenny Barron), attracted such legends as Betty Carter, The Heath brothers, Billy Taylor and artist-in-residence Ed Blackwell. Completely unexposed to Jazz until she was 20, in less than a year Tierney was performing weekly at the best Jazz club in town. A scholarship soon took her to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Within a few years she'd performed throughout New England (opening for Max Roach and the Billy Taylor trio at the Bright Moments Jazz Fest) in other prestigious national Jazz Festivals (Spoleto Festivals of the Arts) as well as in Europe. When a Boston newspaper compared her to Ella Fitzgerald,Tierney had been singing Jazz for less than five years.True to form, Tierney is now taking L.A. by storm. In a few years she's worked at L.A.'s best Jazz spots (The Jazz Bakery, the Leows Hotel) with the cream of L.A.'s Jazz community (Joe LaBabera, Roy McCurdy, Tootie Heath, Jack Sheldon, Shelly Berg) She's the featured vocalist with the quintet and big band led by trumpet great Buddy Childers and sings on Buddy's new album "A Great Day In Hancock Park". She recently performed with Buddy's band to standing ovations at the International Stan Kenton Convention. She's been featured on the last two albums by guitarist Thom Rotella. This coming January she will be performing at the International Association of Jazz Educators covention in New York City.
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