Raya Yarbrough

Raya Yarbrough

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

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Jazz

  • reviewed 01/2008

    MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY ALL-STARS
    Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival

  • reviewed 11/2010

    FO/MO/DEEP
    Eclecticism

  • reviewed 05/2004

    Bill Charlap Trio
    Somewhere: The Music of Leonard Bernstein

  • reviewed 01/2006

    THE BIG THREE TRIO
    We Got Rhythm

  • reviewed 05/2006

    Dr. John Hair & New Connections
    When The Spirit Gets You!

  • reviewed 04/2017

    Bobby Watson
    Made In America

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

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.