Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
In Memoriam: James Blood Ulmer, 1940–2026
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
The Tierney Sutton Band includes Kevin Axt (left), Christian Jacob, Sutton, Trey Henry and Ray Brinker.
(Photo: scottmitchellphotography.smugmug.com ©2019)Suburban neighborhood Studio City is on the business end of the Hollywood machine, more likely to be bustling at 7 a.m. than 7 p.m., but there’s the occasional lively corner—if you know where to look. Located up a set of stairs and down a hallway, Feinstein’s at Vitello’s is a venue that frequently features cabaret or comedy. In front of a packed house on June 24, the Tierney Sutton Band celebrated the release of its latest album, ScreenPlay (BFM jazz), an homage to the songs of cinema.
“Often my response to seeing jazz concerts is that I feel a lot of testosterone,” said vocalist Sutton, following a set of film-related standards, new and old. “‘OK, you can play. That’s great. Now what happens?’ With that energy, it’s not a conversation anymore. It’s a loud monologue with no feedback, and I get really weary of that.”
The Tierney Sutton Band has been together for 27 years and moves as a whole, members using a shorthand language formed through thousands of hours spent together.
“They are crazy virtuosos. I do my best to keep up,” Sutton joked. “The way that we arrange is in a way that exposes everybody. We try to have precision. It’s a matter of what you hone over the years. We’re always challenging ourselves to do something that keeps you on the edge.”
In 2015, the band gained a prominent new fan; during a run of Hollywood shows, actor/director Clint Eastwood was in attendance on multiple nights. It’s not uncommon to see Eastwood standing tall in any California jazz room, but two consecutive nights is something to notice. By the end of the week, all involved were colleagues.
Eastwood invited Sutton and pianist Christian Jacob to see a rough cut of his work-in-progress, Sully, the Tom Hanks-led biopic about pilot Chesley Sullenberger. Eastwood wanted the band to record a soundtrack for the film, and with little fanfare Sutton and company were in the studio that weekend, recording for two days with Eastwood present for nearly the entire time.
ScreenPlay features songs used in the film, as well as five tunes penned by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. A crowd-pleasing rendition of “If I Only Had A Brain” (from the Wizard of Oz) features bassists Kevin Axt and Trey Henry swaggering in tandem, a pizzicato bass stabbing over a funky electric riff. The use of two basses is one of TSB’s hallmarks.
“It’s seamless,” Sutton said of the passage. “They are incredibly united. ... It’s hard to explain, but it adds so much.”
The musicians’ commitment to unity was evident at Feinstein’s. Each instrumentalist throughout the night showed flashes of greatness, but never commanded the spotlight.
“Nobody plays better than my band, but they show restraint,” Sutton said. “They are masters of serving the music. The feeling of singing with my band and how they’re listening is such a tangible thing that if I sing in other situations with less sensitive players, I feel teary and upset. ... I’m [the princess in] ‘The Princess and the Pea’ after playing with these guys.” DB
To the world, James Blood Ulmer was a legend, a visionary and a musical force whose sound was distinctive and unique. To his family, he was their teacher, their storyteller and a source of strength.
Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
A drummer’s drummer, Rodney Holmes gigged with everyone from Joe Zawinul and Carlos Santana to Steve Kimock and the Brecker Brothers.
Jul 22, 2026 12:37 PM
Drummer Rodney Holmes, a powerful presence behind the kit who emerged as an in-demand player on the New York scene…
Clockwise from top left, Mary Halvorson, Patricia Brennan, Adam O’Farrill, Keith Jarrett’s At the Deer Head Inn: The Complete Recordings, Sheila Jordan and Jaki Byard.
Jul 16, 2026 1:34 PM
The DownBeat Critics Poll never ceases to amaze! And the 74th Edition offered plenty of accolades for poll veterans and…
Ibrahim was an early jazz acolyte, studying the music via 78s he would buy from soldiers stationed in South Africa — who also gave him the nickname “Dollar.”
Jun 30, 2026 3:19 PM
Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, the NEA Jazz Master from South Africa who helped fuse the folk music of his home country with…
Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet will record live at New York’s Village Vanguard for ECM records on Aug. 26–27.
Jul 22, 2026 12:46 PM
One of Joe Lovano’s buzz terms is “the moment of now” and with seemingly infinite patience — despite a schedule…
