The success of Tierney Sutton is based on her ability to spread her vocal talent across a wide spectrum of material, from traditional to contemporary and beyond. The veteran singer provided an impressive sampling of her art Sunday night in an intimate concert at Jonathan’s in Ogunquit.

Taking the stage with guitarist Serge Merlaud and cellist Mark Summer, the 53-year-old singer established her command of a repertoire which, for her current tour, takes off from her interpretation of the work of Joni Mitchell.

Seeming to, counterintuitively, not save the best for last, Sutton launched into the evocative blend of the classic “April in Paris” with “Free Man In Paris,” a combination that closes her Mitchell tribute album, “After Blue.” Merlaud’s finger-picked acoustic guitar provided a delicate outline for the singer’s sophisticated way of exploring both the musical structure of the tunes and the emotional content of the lyrics.

Her investigation of the harmonies of “Court and Spark” was another early highlight. The singer, from atop a stool, revealed similarities in intonation and phrasing to Mitchell, a kindred spirit in many ways, it would seem.

Summer offered a touch of Bach in an introduction to Sutton’s take on “Both Sides Now” and also added a percussive edge to “Woodstock,” as Sutton sang with urgency about trying to “get back to the garden.” The vocalist’s technical mastery, including a judicious use of vibrato, also served her well on “Blue.”

Sutton highlighted Mitchell’s affection for traditional jazz standards with a take on “Comes Love,” displaying verbal dexterity in the song’s demanding lyrical scheme. “Don’t Go To Strangers” established a bittersweet ambiance, including a nuanced electric guitar solo from Merlaud.

The threesome comfortably delved into a couple of Brazilian tunes. A swinging blues was also easily within the group’s reach.

The Nebraska-born singer announced that she would soon have an album out based on the music of Sting and followed with a chamber pop arrangement of the Englishman’s “August Winds,” bringing focus to the song’s poetic lyrics.

Sutton joked about having had seven Grammy nominations but never a win, and noted that her spirits were lifted recently by a phone call from Clint Eastwood. The actor/director asked her to help score his soon-to-be-released film “Sully.” The trio then gave what she called a “premiere” performance of “Flying Home,” a thoughtful song that will accompany the closing credits of the film.

Awards may yet be won.

Steve Feeney is a freelance writer who lives in Portland.

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