Yarbrough, Raya
Telarc, 2008, CD
Instrument: Female Vocals
Issue: 15.1
Jazz Ruler Type: Ballads, Blues
Performance: 4
Sound: 4
Score: 
O’s Notes: Raya sings sultry, country blues. She also plays guitar and piano. She completes the rhythm section with slide guitar from Takeshi Akimoto, John Kirby (keyboards), Kaveh Rastegar (b) and Nate Wood (d). Raya displays her range and versatility soaring on “Listen Emily” and getting into a funky mellow groove for “Hollywood Love”. They take us through twelve tracks highlighted by “You’re So Bad For Me”, a slow funky ballad with a reggae bass line, “Dreamer’s Ball”, “Better Days” and “Mood Indigo” with a very nice duet between Yarbrough and Rastegar for most of the tune. She’s got a unique signature that is pleasantly contagious.
Publicist: Telarc Jazz
