It’s hard to determine which part of Tierney Sutton’s career is the most admirable: her celebrated recordings, her multiple Grammy nominations, her clever and unique arrangements for which she and her band are highly respected, or her overall ability to entertain any and all crowds she encounters.

For more than 20 years, the American jazz vocalist and her band — pianist Christian Jacob, drummer Ray Brinker and bassists Trey Henry and Kevin Axt — have made more than 14 recordings, earning Grammy nominations for nine of them. In 2016, they scored the soundtrack to the Clint Eastwood film Sully, starring Tom Hanks. The band has toured the world, including headlining performances at Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Sutton joined us for a conversation about her band’s approach to arrangements, and how their collaborative approach and experience made it possible to score a major motion picture.