Tierney Sutton

On her latest project, On the Other Side (Telarc), Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton has put together a selection of standards based on the theme of the Founding Fathers’ “pursuit of happiness.” She has emerged with a collection of tunes that examine topics from both a more positive and more jaded point of view. On the standard “Get Happy,” for instance, Sutton informs us she simply won’t walk around with a smile on her face if she doesn’t feel like it. In fact that point is further illustrated with “Glad to Be Unhappy,” a song played in a minor key, with careful phrasing borrowed from Frank Sinatra’s original version.

Although Sutton is known in jazz circles for playing with her own permanent band rather than pick-up musicians, for this South Florida appearance she will not be accompanied by her regular musicians. Instead, Sutton will be joining the University of Miami’s Jazz Vocal I Ensemble under the direction of arranger, composer, and pianist Larry Lapin, who is also program director for the school’s music department.