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 03/2014

    FOG
    TRI Sessions Vol. 1

  • reviewed 10/2009

    BONERAMA
    HARD TIMES

  • reviewed 02/2010

    GALACTIC
    YA-KA-MAY

  • reviewed 10/2009

    AZAR LAWRENCE
    Prayer For My Ancestors

  • reviewed 05/2009

    Branford Marsallis
    Metamorphosen

  • reviewed 12/1969

    Melton Mustafa
    The Traveling Man

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.