“You lift up everyone who works with you.”
Joe Mulholland, Professor of Harmony, Berklee College of Music, USA
Sue McCreeth has released five critically acclaimed jazz recordings, with press reviews including the Observer, ‘With clear modesty and simple grace, she carries off the most daunting musical feats.’
Sue’s songwriting has garnered phenomenal praise internationally. Her songs Sat Nam and She Want Him were semi-finalists in the Jazz Category of the International Songwriting Competition (2003 and 2011), the panel of judges headed up by Pat Metheny. Her songwriting has been used as exemplar material within Berklee College of Music, USA. The Guardian newspaper said in a four-star review about her CD Look Back and Love (2017), ‘Sue McCreeth is highly unusual … highly original songwriting in wildly contrasting styles.’ Her collaboration with the band Infinite Sunday was described as, ‘Beatific,’ and, ‘A fine collection,’ in Jazzwise.
Sue has been particularly admired in the national and jazz press for her rich and virtuosic voice, and her interpretations of beloved jazz repertoire. The renowned critic for the Observer newspaper, Dave Gelly, wrote for her album notes, ‘She sings with warmth and intimacy and commands a wonderful flexibility in her vocal tone, which allows her to match it exactly to the message or atmosphere of any particular piece.’
From 2000, Sue recorded and performed live with the UK’s top jazz musicians. She won three national touring awards from Jazz Services (2002, 2005 and 2007), a financial award from Creative Scotland (2017), and is listed in the National Jazz Archive. She has performed at many London jazz clubs, including selling out for the London Jazz Festival, and has appeared at jazz festivals throughout the UK, including the Glasgow International Jazz Festival. Her music has been played on BBC radio stations, Jazz FM and Jazz London Radio, as well as radio in the USA and internationally.
Lifetime Learning
A devotee of lifetime learning, Sue studied improvisation and composition at Berklee College of Music, USA (2014-2016). Her improvisation tutor, the great Gary Burton, awarded her the highest grades, saying, “Your work is logical and effective, this seems to come naturally to you.” Her composition teacher, Joe Mulholland, also awarded the highest grades, and later collaborated in writing and recording with Sue.
Sue has also cherished her voice study for many years with the former Head of Voice of the Royal Academy of Music, London, Joy Mammen (2005-2019).
Sue is a Post Graduate qualified music teacher (Institute of Education, London 1992) and an honours graduate in music (University of Sussex 1991). She is a classically trained musican, completing all ABRSM grades in theory and voice, and grade V piano and guitar (1987).
Her teaching experience includes a wide variety of music and mathematics students in schools, adult jazz singers for Chichester College, and master classes in jazz singing for Chichester University and the British Council.
For four years up to 2000, she was resident pianist/vocalist in five-star hotels in London, including the Churchill Intercontinental, the Rubens at the Palace, St. James’ Court and the Jumeria Beach Hotel. Following this, she recorded her first jazz CD and concentrated on her jazz recording and touring.
Early Years
Sue’s early years were characterised singing semi-professionally in a variety of nationally recognised dance bands (including The Brass Roots and the Royal Air Force Dance Band), with whom she fulfilled many high-level bookings, including a ball graced by Princess Anne. From just age 16, she was singing in a successful showband, with people her own age.