“ Even though I did not understand the language she was singing, I could sense through the soul and conviction of what she was saying through the music. Keep your ears open, this sultry vocalist is coming up.” — Jeff Sloan, Grammy award winning Produ [+]“ Even though I did not understand the language she was singing, I could sense through the soul and conviction of what she was saying through the music. Keep your ears open, this sultry vocalist is coming up.” — Jeff Sloan, Grammy award winning Producer/Engineer
“She is a dynamic singer and will knock a few people’s lights out when her CD is released. “ — John Worley, trumpet / flugelhorn player, composer and jazz educator
Vocalist Kat Parra’s debut CD Birds in Flight on JazzMa Records is an incredibly diverse collection of songs that showcases her versatile vocal stylings as well as glittering arrangements by award-winning trombonist/arranger Wayne “The Doctor” Wallace and pianist Murray Low. It is an aural feast; seventeen musicians appear here, playing a wide range of instruments to create a spectacular symphony of sounds, colors, and textures which is adroitly led by Parra, who’s opened for Celia Cruz, Charlie Hunter and Cubanismo. Her heartfelt honesty and purity of expression is present in every track, captivating the listener in songs that alternately make you want to get up and dance or sigh with longing.
It would be easy to simply call this “Latin” jazz, but this CD transcends that classification. Here we find jazz staples such as Softly as in a Morning Sunrise and Caravan alongside a Sephardic song, three Parra originals, and songs by well-known Latin composers.
The disc opens with the infectious samba groove of the popular Brazilian song Mais Que Nada, featuring hip-hop vocals from Parra’s son Pat Parra and an Afro-Cuban groove. Dame la Llave is another grooving number that features a masterful arrangement by John Calloway that highlights the string section and flute-playing of Masaru Koga, as well as a high-flying solo from violinist Anthony Blea. The well-known standard, Softly as in a Morning Sunrise, is transformed here into a Danzón/Cha-cha in an intriguing arrangement by Wallace. The deeply moving Alfonsina y El Mar uses a more intimate group of musicians, featuring the poignant guitar-playing of Rick Vandivier as well as hauntingly beautiful vocals by Parra.
The title track, Birds in Flight, is a hard-grooving Salsa that was inspired by Parra’s breakup with her husband at 23, and the eventual triumph of raising two sons on
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