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 10/2011

    JOEY DEFRANCESCO
    40

  • reviewed 11/2007

    LUCIANA SOUZA
    The New Bossa Nova

  • reviewed 08/2011

    DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS
    BLACK CLOUD

  • reviewed 03/2007

    Soweto Kinch
    A Life in the Day of B19: Tales of the Tower Block.

  • reviewed 04/2004

    Ray Vega
    Squeeze Squeeze

  • reviewed 07/2014

    WYNTON MARSALIS & MARCUS ROBERTS
    TOGETHER AGAIN

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.