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 SaurJESSICA WILLIAMS
With Love
JAKE BERGEVIN
Holding Back the Dawn
DR. JOHN
LOCKED DOWN
Ivo Antognini Jazz Project
Feggari Mou
Lizz Wright
The Orchard
Various Artists
Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars
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