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 Saur
JOE CARO
Home Alone
The RH Factor
Distractions
THE JAMES MOODY & HANK JONES QUARTET
OUR DELIGHT
Alex Garcia’s AFROMANTRA
Uplifting Spirit
BILLY BANG QUINTET FEATURING FRANK LOWE
Above & Beyond: Live in Grand Rapids
EMP PROJECT
Wherever We Go
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