As a singer-songwriter, Sue McCreeth is highly unusual in two ways. First, she takes as her starting point not a few words or snatch of melody, but a harmonic idea. This comes, perhaps, from having studied with Gary Burton and Joe Mulholland at Berklee, the “jazz university” in Boston. Second, she alters her singing voice quite radically to suit the character of individual songs. As a result, the sheer contrast from one song to another, while very effective, can be a little bewildering until you get used to it. This anthology, drawn from her previous five albums, with a few new pieces added, provides an impressive introduction.
