Biography
“Superwoman of Jazz” --Hartford Courant
HOW SHE STARTED
Sue first heard Jazz music as a child growing up in Connecticut, where her father had an extensive record collection and she listened to Jazz station WRVR FM non-stop. Having played accordion since the age of five, she started clarinet at age 9, and saxophone at age 12. A boy in her class said to her, "Girls don't play the saxophone." She thought, "Well I'm a girl, and I play the saxophone--so obviously that's not true!"
WINNING A BET
As a teenager studying with legendary pianist John Mehegan, Sue said she wanted to write a big band arrangement for her high school Jazz Ensemble. Mehegan bet her an ice cream cone that she couldn’t do it. She won.
WHO'S WHO IN JAZZ
Sweet Sue Terry is a Hartt School graduate and was named Alum of the Year in 2001. She has played and recorded with many notable Jazz artists including Dr. Billy Taylor, Clark Terry, Charli Persip, Clifford Jordan, Melba Liston, Hilton Ruiz, Howard Johnson, Walter Bishop, Jr., Tim Price, Jaki Byard, Peggy Stern and Derwyn Holder. She has also performed with other Jazz VIPs like Art Blakey, Carmen McRae, Jon Faddis, Lew Tabackin, Lew Soloff and Ray Barretto. In the pop music world, she's worked with Dr. John, Bo Diddley, Bette Midler and Tony Danza, among many others.
PERFORMING WORLDWIDE
She’s been a Jazz soloist with the National Symphony, the Brooklyn Philharmonic and the New York Pops, and has performed worldwide at venues such as The Montreux Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, Northsea Jazz Festival, the Blue Note in Tokyo, Japan, Quasimodo in Berlin, Germany, Marian's Jazzclub in Bern, Switzerland, and Spice of Life in London, UK. In the States she has been a frequent performer at venues such as The Kennedy Center in Wash. D.C. and Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York..
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Her discography currently contains over forty commercially released CDs. She’s the author of several music instruction books, and has received a number of grants and awards for her songwriting. Catch her regular column in the quarterly Jazz Improv Magazine.
MARTIAL ARTS
Sue’s other passion is for the martial arts---she’s a longtime practitioner of Taiji Quan and has won several medals at tournament competitions.
WEBSITE
Her website is www.sueterry.net, where you will find downloadable tracks, video, a blog, a photo gallery, and more. When you visit, be sure to drop a line in the “Comments” section. We’d love to hear from you!
ENDORSEMENTS
Sue Terry is a Yamaha artist. She uses Jody Jazz mouthpieces, Consoli ligatures, Fibracell reeds, NeoTech straps and SaxRax horn stands. In the world of Jazz Education, she is a Hal Leonard Clinician and the U.S. Jazz Consultant to the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"Sue Terry on alto saxophone: one should almost say that this young lady is born for her instrument. That relaxed, exalted playing! That rhythmic feeling! That improvisational skill! Simply extraordinary!"
--Die Wahrheit Berlin, Germany
"She has a formidable musical intelligence. . . "
--Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD
"She plays like Charlie Parker reincarnated! She smokes!"
--Jazz Central Station
Instrumentation
SWEET SUE TERRY QUARTET/QUINTET
Sweet Sue on sax, clarinet, flute, vocals; with an all-star rhythm section
THE MAGIC TOUCH
featuring dynamic saxophones of Sweet Sue and Nelson Hill, with Jesse Green, Evan Gregor & Bill Goodwin
THEME PROJECTS:
JAZZ GOES TO THE MOVIES
SINATRA SEPTEMBER
NIGHT OF BALLADS AND BLUES
AN EVENING OF GOOD SONGS
Sue Terry is a Yamaha Artist and a Hal Leonard Clinician. She is known internationally as an author and educator as well as a player. Contact her for a list of her clinic and masterclass topics, and design the clinic that's just right for your ensemble!
Discography
A S L E A D E R / C O M P O S E R :
SWEET SUE TERRY "GILLY’S CAPER" Qi Note Records QN 8736
SWEET SUE TERRY "PINK SLIMY WORM" Qi Note Records QN8726
SWEET SUE TERRY "BANDLEADER 101" Qi Note Records QN 8767 (digital release only)
A S C O - L E A D E R / C O M P O S E R :
TIM PRICE & SWEET SUE TERRY "THE BLUE.SEUM PROJECT" Qi Note Records QN 8746
TERRA MARS "THE TROUBADOURS" Consolidated Artists CAP917
(also digital release Qi Note Records QN 8777)
A S G U E S T S O L O I S T :
SCOT ALBERTSON "FATE REVEALED BY DESIGN" 2007
PAUL AMMENDOLA "LET THE WIND DANCE" Sebastian Records 327001
JAKI BYARD "PHANTASIES I" Soul Note 121 175-1
CUBANO "L’ESSENCE CUBANO" Mini Records 1153
DEBBIE DE COUDREAUX "HAVE A LITTLE PARIS ON ME" DLL Productions
DIVA "SOMETHING’S COMING" Perfect Sound 1216
EXODUS "VICTOIRE" Sunshine Records 8034
EXODUS "LE ZOUK" Disques Esperance 17901
YA YA FORNIER w/ DAVID MURRAY "BEARCAT" Random Chance RCD-9
RICARDO FRANCK (TI PLUME) "MELI MELO" DiskHaiti CDDH 30003
FRED HO "NIGHT VISION" Autonomedia (Book/CD)
DERWYN HOLDER ENSEMBLE "TIME BEING" Neen Records N103
CLIFFORD JORDAN "DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS" Milestone 9197-2
TULLY McGREGOR "MOURNING DOVE" Erixna Records ER4779
JOE McMAHON, JR. "SECONDHAND HEART FOR SALE" Sharla Records SHACD-1916
JOE McMAHON, JR. "YOU’RE SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR" Sharla Records SHACD-1917
MINI ALL STARS "CHANGE LE BEAT" Mini Records 1166
MINI ALL STARS "CHANGE ENCORE LE BEAT" Mini Records S119
MINI ALL STARS "PIROULI" Mini Records 1169
CHARLI PERSIP & SUPERBAND "NO DUMMIES ALLOWED" Soul Note 121 179-2
JEFF RAHEB "TOPAZ UNDER MOON" TPZ 1001
MICHAEL JEFRY STEVENS "SONGBOOK" MJS Productions
TI MANNO "BAMBOCHE CREOLE" Chancy Records 8029
JACK WOODBRIDGE "PICTURE THIS" Woodsman Music
A S C O M P O S E R :
JOHN MASTROIANNI / SHERRIE MARICLE
"THE TIME BEING" Jazz Alliance 10019
BOBBY SANABRIA AFRO CUBAN JAZZ DREAM BIG BAND
"LIVE AND IN CLAVE" Arabesque AJ0149 *Grammy nominated*
C O M P I L A T I O N S :
VARIOUS ARTISTS "SAX IN THE CITY" Apria Records 072524
VARIOUS ARTISTS "JAZZ IN THE WILDE" Uh Oh 0005
MINI ALL STARS "GREATEST HITS" MSRD 1001
MINI ALL STARS "GREATEST HITS Vol. II" MSRD 1007
MINI All STARS "S.O.S." MSRD 1228
I N S T R U C T I O N A L C D S :
SUE TERRY "PRACTICE LIKE THE PROS" Music Sales Corp.
SUE TERRY "STEP ONE: PLAY ALTO SAXOPHONE" Music Sales Corp.
SUE TERRY "STEP ONE: PLAY TENOR SAXOPHONE" Music Sales Corp.
SUE TERRY "STEP ONE: PLAY CLARINET" Music Sales Corp.
HAL ARCHER "STEP ONE: PLAY FLUTE" Music Sales Corp.
Links
| http://www.sueterry.net |