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Kat Parra

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.

“ 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.

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2
Album Review

Kat Parra: Las Aventuras de Pasion!

Read "Las Aventuras de Pasion!" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Kat Parra's voice may be the ultimate manifestation of the entire Latin music diaspora. While countless singers dabble in bossa nova or wander far and wide atop Afro-Cuban grooves, few people tackle the scope of music that Parra takes on. Engaging the totality of the entire Latin spectrum is no easy feat, but she seems willing and able to make it a reality. Salsa sounds, Middle Eastern music, Sephardic traditions, Afro-Peruvian passion, Puerto Rican grooves, chamber ideals, ...

2
Album Review

Kat Parra: Las Aventuras de Pasion!

Read "Las Aventuras de Pasion!" reviewed by Jeff Dayton-Johnson


A collaboration between vocalist Kat Parra and trombonist/arranger Wayne Wallace would be reason enough to celebrate ¡Las Aventuras de Pasión!, the duo favoring a slightly more languorous than usual Afro-Cuban jazz, richly played and brightly sung. Wallace has mined this vein on a string of remarkably good records over the last decade or so. Highlights of this Afro-Cuban warmth include Parra's bilingual cha-cha-cha “Oye Papi," and Murray Low's elegant and altogether apposite piano playing.But there is more to ...

232
Album Review

Kat Parra: Dos Amantes

Read "Dos Amantes" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


It was called Al-Andalus from about 711 AD until it succumbed to the rule of the Portuguese in 1492 AD. But in between that period the Iberian Peninsula that includes Andalusia, Granada, and Castile--modern Spain--was ruled by several Moslem Dynasties of Moorish (North African) origin. They created a legendary culture of inclusion allowing several faiths to live in harmony. This bred a near-fabled culture in which the Sephardic Jewish culture also flourished. Gathering artistic riches over thousands of years this ...

237
Album Review

Kat Parra & Sephardic Music Experience: Dos Amantes

Read "Dos Amantes" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins


Some music defies categorization. In the case of Dos Amantes, by Kat Parra & The Seraphic Experience, it's the blending of several styles that make genre assignment a challenge; to place it in one area would be to omit others. Parra played piano as a child and later studied flute. After marrying at 18, becoming a mother and later a divorcee, she continued her music studies, this time focusing on the voice. Under the tutelage of Patti Cathcart, ...

232
Album Review

Kat Parra: Azucar de Amor

Read "Azucar de Amor" reviewed by Jeff Dayton-Johnson


The first striking thing about Azucar de Amor, Kat Parra's sophomore effort, is that she has assembled a hell of a band: the credits are littered with Latin music stalwarts such as pianist Jovino Santos Neto, percussionist John Santos, and trumpeter Ray Vega.Those whose names may not be so familiar also sound great. This is the case with trombonist Wayne Wallace, whose languid solo enriches his arrangement of Erroll Garner's “Misty." And then there's the versatility of pianist ...

210
Album Review

Kat Parra: Azucar De Amor

Read "Azucar De Amor" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Kat Parra is a very talented vocalist who has received a lot of buzz from her two albums to date. Although she hails from San Jose, California, Parra spent her youth in Chile, then moving to the United States and attending UCLA to study classical flute and voice. She boasts a real talent, not only for Afro-Cuban music but the musical forms from North Africa, Middle Eastern and Arabic cultures in addition to the music of Brazil. All of this ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Kat Parra

Read "Take Five With Kat Parra" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet Kat: Kat Parra easily crosses over from classic jazz to steamy Latin jazz without missing a beat. The essence of Kat's musical journey is her ability to combine a mixture of different international styles to create a unique sound that is all her own.Kat's focus, along with classic jazz standards, is the creation of new sounds around Spanish Sephardic music, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Peruvian, South American folklore, and a little bit of Brazil tossed in for extra flavor!

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152

Recording

Vocalist and Composer Kat Parra Returns with Her New Ensemble, the Sephardic Music Experience in Dos Amantes

Vocalist and Composer Kat Parra Returns with Her New Ensemble, the Sephardic Music Experience in Dos Amantes

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

* Featuring special guests Jason McGuire, guitar; Ravi Gutala, tablas; and members of the Temple Sinai Choir of Oakland * “… a moveable feast of Latin styles... [Her vocals are] beautifully shaped; her grasp of [the] archaic Judeo-Spanish style is remarkable.” — Philip Van Vleck, Billboard Review “… an exceptional world-music ambassador… an album [Azucar de Amor] about hope and, by extension, music's role as a universally uniting force.” — Chris Loudon, JazzTimes “Parra isn't content with tried and true ...

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Recording

Album of the Week - Azucar de Amor, Kat Parra

Album of the Week - Azucar de Amor, Kat Parra

Source: All About Jazz


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Music Industry

Live Latin Jazz: Jerry Gonzalez in NYC and Kat Parra in Chicago

Live Latin Jazz: Jerry Gonzalez in NYC and Kat Parra in Chicago

Source: All About Jazz


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Recording

Vocalist & Award-Winning Songwriter Kat Parra Signs Two-CD Contract with Patios Records

Vocalist & Award-Winning Songwriter Kat Parra Signs Two-CD Contract with Patios Records

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

“Birds in Flight is a remarkable debut from a singer with a pure, straightforward delivery and deft songwriting skills, immersed in a cool wash of intricate arrangements." - Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz ***** (5 Stars) “Kat Parra is the answer to the question: “Who is the next great Latin female singer?" Blessed with a gorgeous voice, whether speaking or singing, her articulation is clear, distinct and conveys her soulful feelings directly to the listener. Couple that with her orchestra, ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Las Aventuras de...

JazzMa Records
2012

buy

Dos Amantes

Self Produced
2010

buy

Azucar De Amor

Patois Records
2008

buy

Birds in Flight

JazzMa Records
2006

buy

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