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
THE GODFATHERS OF GROOVE FEATURING REUBEN WILSON, BERNARD “PRETTY” PURDIE, AND GRANT GREEN JR.
The Godfathers of Groove
SIMONE
Simone on Simone
SULTANS OF SWING
Move
LAVAY SMITH & HER RED HOT SKILLET LICKERS
MISS SMITH TO YOU
Caribbean Jazz Project
Afro Bop Alliance
DAN SIEGEL
Departure
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