NEWSLETTER (Feb 2006)
Sue McCreeth and The John Horler Trio
www.suemccreeth.com
Gifted and original artists seem destined to fight for their life, where their music is concerned. Yet Sue McCreeth is celebrating her third Jazz Services Tour following the release of two critically acclaimed albums, 500 miles high the air is blue (2001) and Just for Luxury (2005). Some promoters are booking her for packed houses three years running. Sue McCreeth is a tremendous live performer with a voice which is flexible and emotional. She mixes the set for a great night out: audience-delighting swinging greats offset a ‘hip’ blues by John Horler, her own ‘captivating’ songs and ‘boldy-punctuated’ contemporary classics. Sue McCreeth unerringly finds the core of a song and delivers something fresh and interesting.
Press comments
‘Young singer McCreeth with an A-list UK bop band, featuring a consistently startling John Horler on piano…structurally freer yet more melodically enigmatic than formerly, McCreeth applies her plush mid-range and rhythmic flexibility … boldly-punctuated and inventive … sultry … hip’
John Fordham, Jazz
‘With simple grace she pulls off the most daunting musical feats … it is significant that her pianist and co-composer in one instance, should be John Horler, that most suble and allusive of accompanists …. a charming and exquisitely performed set’
Dave Gelly, The Observer (Spring 2005)
’emotional and intense, nothing is superficial or wasted… her technique and control do all and she lives each song as if she were telling a story for the first time... ‘changes that only the most technically astute would even attempt … far from the usual standards vocalist’
Derek Gorman live at Pizza on the Park, Jazz Review (January 2005)
‘A gently unconventional performer… an excellent trio… they guaranteed a quietly compelling momentum in a variety of originals and standards… a rich mid-register, falsettos and deep purrs, payoffs on barely audible murmurs… calmly inventive… boldly ambitious… she has imagination and heart’
John Fordham, The Guardian
‘Terrific! A singer with an innate feel for jazz, very good with the audience and a wee bit out of the ordinary’
Jazz Review
‘One of the best… following a sell-out performance at the Brighton Festival… and receiving rave reviews, her astonishing vocal range has impressed audiences’
Worthing Herald
’Smooth as silk... singer and musician Sue McCreeth is blazing a trail as one of the leading lights in the world of jazz… her sultry and haunting style impressed fellow musicians and audiences … one of the best voices in the business’
Glen Ferris, Brighton Argus
’A jazz singer who takes no prisoners in her set… this is a young lady with a similar uncompromising honesty in her compositions and vocal presentation to that shown by pianist (Stan) Tracey… from the outset she kept to a programme which held the audience… we were privileged… a penchant for Gershwin provided an appreciated contrast’
Keith Brain, Swindon Evening Post
Promoters and audience comments
The review in the Swindon Evening Post was written by us, and we wrote it because we believe it
David Knight, Swindon Jazz Society
Sue McCreeth delivered a captivating performance and a very mixed set... we were delighted
Guildford Jazz Club
My audience need a real mix and she gave them this… for sheer exuberance this was one of the most enjoyable nights ever
Farringdon Jazz Festival, Oxford
She stepped in for Claire Martin and she won over our audience… people were saying how much they had enjoyed the music
Oundle International Festival
If at the mention of the word ‘jazz’ you fail to turn out for Sue McCreeth you’ll be missing one of the most exceptional singers around. The jazz cognoscenti have been giving Ms. McCreeth universal acclaim for the beauty, ambition and originality of her work… her sparkling trio are the cream of the British Jazz Scene… and our audience exceeded our conservative estimate for a J-word evening… on her own material Sue’s distinctive voice swoops, glides and coos… she also paid fine tribute to Nine Simone… and won over the greater proportion of our audience, no mean feat
Cambria Arts
Sue McCreeth is a warm, passionate person who approaches music and singing truly from her heart. She has an individual style and writes all her own arrangements… she can do the straight ahead jazz but is different too… she packed it out and went down very well indeed… worth every penny
Brian Gumbley, Feast of Jazz, Preston
It wasn’t long before I found myself deeply captivated by refreshing style and delivery… her voice soared from low warm depths to dizzy heights… her self-written songs were compelling and so different from the normal range of vocals one hears repeatedly… standards received an original delivery and could have been completely new
Vi Hill, Jazz in the Villages, Lincs
Sue McCreeth is hypnotic, seductive and confident… she carves a really clear groove and that’s satisfying to listen to… she is slightly witchlike, magical, invocational especially when caught in improvisational stream… and is persuasive and passionate delivering a standard. Oh, yes, she looks beautiful too which don’t hurt: flowing rich textures, sparkling jewels and auburn splendour
Faye Patton, pianist/vocalist, Pizza on the Park
www.suemccreeth.com
For booking enquiries contact:
tel: 020 8519 1257
e-mail: petra@suemccreeth.com
Programme Notes:
Sue McCreeth with the John Horler Trio
After receiving widespread critical acclaim for her CDs ‘500 miles high the air is blue’ and ‘Just for Luxury’ Sue McCreeth continues to captivate audiences with her flexible and emotional vocal range, mixing boldly punctuated contemporary compositions and hip, sultry mainstream classics with her own lyrical and evocative songs.
Photographs:
Professional studio and live photographs are available free, and downloadable (at 300 dpi) for media from the website: www.suemccreeth.com (press ‘photo downloads’)
Interviews/Radio publicity:
Cds are available for radio and Sue McCreeth is available for interviews. Please contact Petra Cousins on 01474 320 810 or contact by e-mail at suemccreeth.com
For press and booking enquiries contact: Petra Cousins, tel 01474 320 810, e-mail petra@suemccreeth.com