Hi
a new review for last Kat's CD on air on Radiovinilemania in Italy

http://www.vinilemania.net/vKATPARRA.htm

Ciao ciao P

courtesy: http://www.allaboutjazz.com

Birds in Flight
Kat Parra | JazzMa Records (2006)
By Dan McClenaghan comments print email license

Birds in Flight, San Francisco Bay Area vocalist Kat Parra's debut
release, could be tagged as Latin jazz, but it proves itself a lot
more than that. She stretches the boundaries right off the bat by
singing "Mais Que Nada," a much-recorded Brazilian song, with an
Afro-Cuban/samba rhythm. The delivery at first is traditional, until
Pat Parra, Kat's son, raps in on a samba hip-hop groove, fronting a
slapping percussion backdrop that fades back into a swirling
arrangement that's lush with flute and strings.

This wonderfully produced set brims over with exquisite
arrangements, mostly by trombonist/producer Wayne Wallace and
pianist Murray Low, who mix the colors of strings, multiple
percussion, and brass and reeds into a polished and joyous
amalgam. "Dame La Llave," a charango tune, bubbles to life on an
infectious groove that leads into a lilting take on the American
Songbook classic "Softy As in a Morning Sunrise," danzón and cha-cha
style. The sparely and beautfully arranged "Alfonsina Y El Mar" is a
jazzy flamenco piece.


The set's title tune, penned by Kat Parra, took fifth place in the
1999 Latin Jazz Category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
This hard-driving salsa tune was inpired by the breakup of her
marriage. Ellington's "Caravan" gets an exotic treament with the
inclusion of tablas (Ravi Guatala) and dumbek (Katja Cooper). Parra
sings "Kuano El Rey Nimrod," a traditional Sepharic tune, in Ladino—
a dying language of the Spanish Jews—in front of exotic rhythm and
assertive strings, and she closes the disc with "Quizas Porque,"
which has a gorgeously sweet melody.


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.

Visit Kat Parra on the web.
Kat Parra at All About Jazz.


Track listing: Mais Que Nada; Dame La Llave; Softly As in a Morning
Sunrise; Alfonsina Y El Mar, Birds in Flight; Caravan; Oleo de Una
Mujer Con Sombrero; These Old Feelings; Kuando El Rey Nimrod; Quizas
Porque.

Personnel: Kat Parra: voice; Murray Lowe: piano; Rick Vandivier:
guitar; Masuru Koga: flutes and saxophone; John Worley: trumpet and
flugelhorn; Anthony Blea: violin; Lila Sklar: violin; Peter Barshay:
bass; Renata Braft: cello; Paul Wageningen: drum set; Michael Spiro:
percussion; Michaelle Goerlitz: percussion; Ravi Gutala: Tablas;
Katja Cooper: Dumbek and rik; Rick Rangelcoro; Orlando Torriente:
corro;; Pat Parra: rap and coro.

Style: Latin/World