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| zeitgeist | Oct 28 2008, 11:15 AM |
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Parry Ray - My Life In Pieces Despite being in thrall to the likes of Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand from an early age, Parry Ray headed off into the world of journalism, spending two decades as a science editor and business journalist, until the devastating loss of her father in 2004, brought the realisation that life was too short to give up on her dreams. So she returned to music, and since then has perform at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, the Glasgow International Jazz Festival and the Cannizaro Park Festival, amongst many others, leading to this, her debut album. And a good album it is too, as Ms Ray heads off into the world laid back jazz and swing. The album is split between a few original songs and interpretations of jazz standards, with only an interesting interpretation of The Police song ‘Every Breath You Take’ not falling into either category. Interestingly enough, it's the original material that holds the attention best, something that bodes well for her future as a creative artist. The reason for that is twofold. First, she imbues the original material with a depth and belief that draws you into her world, and where the arrangements set off her airy, light and seductive voice. Secondly, the standards have had definitive arrangements, and the presentation here doesn't really add anything new. But the quality of the new songs is so high, it doesn't really matter. There is a sparseness to the arrangements and material that allows the songs and the singing to take centre stage, something often lost in the world of jazz. '30 Seconds' and 'Don't Tell Me' are just absolutely delightful. Of the standards, 'The Nearness Of You' and the Cole Porter gem 'Do I Love You?' are by far the best of the bunch. Ms Ray is definitely a talent to keep an eye on, and hopefully, she can bring some more of her own songs next time out. http://www.myspace.com/parryray 
Edited by zeitgeist, Oct 29 2008, 11:06 AM.
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| Parry Ray - My Life In Pieces · Reviews | |
11:27 PM Nov 26
