2008-04-14
Sultry, seductive, bluesy, jazzy & beautiful are just a few of the adjectives to describe the voice of Raya Yarbrough. Raya started singing jazz at the age of seven and it’s easy to see how the classic artists like Nina Simone, Clifford Brown & others have shaped her musical style. It is also easy to see that Raya doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into being just another Jazz singer as she opens with the bluesy “Lord Knows I Would” & then shifts gears into the Reggae flavored “You’re So Bad For Me”. Several tracks have a certain Pop feel to them & the ending up-tempo “Better Days” Raya has a vocal scat that makes this listener believe she has many better days ahead. - Gregg SaurRaya Yarbrough
Raya Yarbrough
BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA
SONGS FROM LONELY AVENUE
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Next Stop...Soweto, Vol. 3: Giants, Ministers and Makers -- Jazz in South Aftrica 1963-1984
Jeff Richman
Sizzle
DAN BARASZU
Nightfall
BRIA SKONBERG
So Is the Day
The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.