Azucar de Amor Nominated for 2008 Latin Jazz Album of the Year

by the Jazz Journalists Association

Kat Parra Voted Best Latin Jazz Vocalist of 2008

Parra’s performance as a vocalist in the Latin Jazz world this past year was a standout appearance. Her album exuded class and style, swung like crazy, and featured a variety of Latin Jazz approaches that showcased Parra’s world-class vocal skills. From inspired pregons in a jazzed-up salsa setting like the song “Azucar De Amor” to classic jazz phrasing on tracks like the bolero version of “Misty,” Parra represented the total package in Latin Jazz vocals this year. Fantastic arrangements from Wayne Wallace and the support of some of the Bay Area’s best Latin Jazz musicians just pushed the album into the outstanding category. Parra blessed the Bay Area with regular performances, but also traveled to Chicago and Seattle this year. In addition, Parra was awarded a Zellerbach Foundation Grant for her Sephardic Jazz Project, allowing her to continue digging deeper into the Sephardic tradition. Parra’s presence has been an outstanding piece of the Bay Area Latin Jazz Scene and a major contributor to the Latin Jazz world in 2008.Azucar De Amor
Latin Jazz Corner

Interview by Chip Boaz from The Latin Jazz Corner
Chip Boaz of the Latin Jazz Corner posted a three part interview about me and my music. I think he’s done a great job and, if you want to know more about me and how I got to this point in my life, you can read all about it here!! Enjoy.

Dos Amantes released January 12, 2010

JazzTimes Review by Christopher Loudon
The title track, addressing the age-old dilemma of split loyalty to two lovers, seems ideally suited to Kat Parra, though her musical passions number far more than two. Throughout previous recordings, Parra proved marvelously adept at intermingling African, South American, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Cuban rhythms, occasionally employing all these influences to forge a unique approach to Spain’s ancient, love-struck Ladino songs.

On this, her third album, with Ladino language (a hearty blend of Castilian, Arabic and Turkish) again playing a central role, Parra continues her globetrotting adventurousness. So, the surging Flamenco fervor of “En La Mar” resides alongside the rapturous Afro-Peruvian landó “Fiestaremos” (lifted to heavenly heights by Oakland’s Temple Sinai Chorus), and the delicate bossa ballad “A La Nana” stands in stark yet captivating juxtaposition to the swirling jubilation of an Afro-Caribbean celebration of Hanukkah. Likewise, it takes a tremendous amount of pluck to underscore the whispered romantic complicity of “Avrix Mi Galanica” with North African funk and then lay it next to the tipsy contentment of an Afro-Cuban “La Vida Do Por El Raki.” Fortunately, Parra remains as fearless a world traveler as she is a bold pioneer.

All Music Guide 4 1/2 stars by Alexander Gelfand
Kat Parra’s maturity and depth as a jazz singer have prepared her for this deeply personal project of singing traditional tunes with various strains of ethnic music. Parra’s beautifully flexible voice expresses strong emotions while dancing and swaying her way in and around these layers musical backdrops that are easily as powerful as her non-English lyrics. This fascinating music is hard to resist from start to finish.

The Borderland – UK
Dos Amantes is a true ‘world music’ album in that it is exploring the music and songs of the Sephardic Jews who used to live in Spain when it was under the control of Muslims pre-1492. Vocalist Kat Parra and her band, Sephardic Music Experience, have dug deep into their musical history to find the songs of this Jewish culture, and sing the lyrics in the dying language Ladino [or Judeo-Espanyol] along with modern Spanish and Portuguese on the ten tracks. Ms Parra has a fantastically rich voice, a contralto – I think – very expressive on these highly evocative songs which mix the multicultural ethnic blend of Spain with musical styles from the Caribbean and South America, plus modern Latin jazz. Dos Amantes doesn’t fail to be both emotionally impressive in its richness, but it also swings and is downright sexy on many of the songs. This is an album of mighty passions. As you would expect the musicianship of the those performing on the album is very impressive and dare one say it, it sounds like everyone was having a ball in the studio. That extends to those behind the glass as this is a fantastic sounding CD. I don’t think there is a poor track on the album but I recommend you try Los Bilbilicos, Hanukia, and Tres Hermanicas for a broad sample of the delights on the disc. No hesitation in making this the first album of the year on my website [and it's only the middle of January!].

Herencia Latina by Eric Gonzalez
He aquí otro fascinante trabajo donde nuestros ritmos afrocaribeños y el jazz se mezclan exitosamente con elementos musicales judíos. La talentosa cantante Kat Parra, en reconocimiento a sus raíces sefarditas, ha creado “Dos Amantes”, una exquisita y apasionada grabación, donde explora varios ritmos musicales. Este es otra grabación que llega y nutre al corazón.
Translation:
Here is another fascinating work where our afro-caribbean rhythms mix very successfully with elements of Jewish music. The very talented Kat Parra, paying homage to her sephardic heritage, has created “Dos Amantes”, an exquisite and passionate recording, where various musical rhythms are explored. This is another recording that has arrived to nourish the heart.

Improvijazzation Nation by Dick Metcalf (aka Rotcod Zzaj)
Kat Parra & The Sephardic Music Experience - DOS AMANTES – I was highly impressed back in issue # 80 when I first listened to & reviewed her stunning jazz vocals… and if you’re into Latin jazz with spirit that’s infectious (along with music of the Sephardic Jews, which makes for a truly interesting mix of styles) you’ll find her just as enchanting as I did on her 3rd CD.  Even if you don’t understand the language she sings in, you’ll grasp every heartfelt emotion she expresses through her vocals.  The percussion behind her is pure adventure, with a cast of 100’s (not quite, but you’ll have to visit this page to get a full listing of players… the only samples I could find are in FLASH (not linkable) at her CD BABY page… but when you listen to tunes like “Avrix Mi Galanica“, you’ll understand right away what high talent you are listening to!  This tune combines all the styles with solid jazz arrangements (courtesy of another regular in these pages, Wayne Wallace) that will have you slip/slidin’ and scattin’ right along with her amazing vocals!  More than just “impressive”, this is classic cross-cultural jazz that makes it ever more clear just how important each and every culture on our globe is.  I give this my MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, along with an “EQ” (energy quotient) of 4.97 – very high & certainly well deserved. 

The Daily News by Paul Freeman
The scintillating San Jose singer/composer ventures into the musical territory of Sephardic Jews with her new album, “Dos Amantes.” It’s a tremendously intriguing corner of world music. She infuses the ancient, Spanish-flavored sound with contemporary jazz shadings. The results are riveting.

Chicago Examiner – Chicago Jazz Music Examiner Neil Tesser
Kat Parra, Dos Amantes (JazzMa Records): Vocalist Kat Parra shares her penchant for fusing jazz vocals, Jewish and Hebrew melodies, and a treasure-chest of Afro-Latin genres. She calls her band The Sephardic Music Experience, in reference to the Iberian Jews who fled Spain and Portugal in the late 15th century. (In fact, “Sephardic” derives from the Hebrew term for Spain, sepharad.) The intrepid Parra would be a surefooted vocalist in any jazz sub-genre, but she has found her true niche by combining Judaism and Latin jazz, her two loves – dos amantes, as the title of this disc proclaims.

Azucar De Amor released March 18, 2008

Billboard Review

by Philip Van Vleck

[Kat Parra] opens the disc with a sweet bit of salsa/mambo, “Sugar (Azucar de Amor),” that sets the tone for what proves to be a moveable feast of Latin styles. Parra knows how to light the fuse on a salsa number, and she shows us how it’s done on the original tune “Quitate la Queta.” In a completely different mood, Parra delivers a stirring interpretation of “Esta Montanya D’Enfrente,” a mystic Sephardic ballad. Her vocal on this number is beautifully shaped; her grasp of this archaic Judeo-Spanish style is remarkable.”

JazzTimes Review

by Chris Loudon

Building on the strength of last year’s debut disc, Birds in Flight, Californian Kat Parra continues her role as an exceptional world-music ambassador with 10 more cross-cultural, multilingual tracks. What began, says Parra, as an exploration of life experience, emerged as an album about hope and, by extension, music’s role as a universally uniting force.

Wisely aligning herself again with trombonist Wayne Wallace, who produced Azucar de Amor and wrote or co-wrote eight of the ten arrangements, Parra opens with a lively mambo/salsa reinterpretation of Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar,” adding her own Spanish lyrics. Self-penned Spanish lyrics also figure into a salsa-infused “A Night in Tunisia” that shifts midway from gorgeously dusky to boldly vivacious. The international tour continues with three tunes written by Parra and Wallace: the wild, whirling “Quitate La Queta”; the sexily ebullient samba “Feed My Desire”; and the urgently passionate Afro-Peruvian lando “Un Grito.”

Finally, and most majestically, Parra furthers her fervor for Ladino Sephardic music, for which she recently received a Zellerbach grant, with the roiling, mysterious “Por La Tu Puerta” and the mellifluously ethereal “Esta Montanya d’Enfrente.”

Bruce Crowther’s Reviews

A striking singer who brings honesty and integrity to her repertoire, Kat Parra deserves a far wider audience than that she presently enjoys in South and North America. Rich and flowing, her voice demands attention and she delivers wholly satisfying interpretations of a an interesting selection of songs. Although everything is suffused with Latin sounds, …read more

Interview on jazzreview.com

by Susan Frances

JazzWeekly.com

by George W. Harris

Here’s a disc that puts your faith back into the future of jazz singing. Who’d have predicted that a lady who left her computer job in Silicon Valley would put out a disc that vibrantly mixes latin sambas with Sephardic jazz? Vocalist Kat Parra is really on to something with this disc, putting a salsa groove on tunes ranging from Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” to Errol Garner’s “Misty”, and making the whole thing work. Her voice, rich confident and inviting, enthusiastically floats over these toe tapping salsas. The Sephardic twinge is perfectly suited for Gillespie’s “Night in Tunisia” giving it the Saharan lilt that it has always apparently needed. Traditional tunes like “Por La Tu Puerta” have an invigorating mix of Mediterranean charm and Lambert Hendricks and Ross linguistic gymnastics. This one’s got my vote for one of the top albums of the year. Search far and wide for it, and thank God for computer geeks turned singers.

Quotes from NPR’s California Report

CD Review by Andrew Gilbert

“Parra isn’t content with tried and true formulas. Since the release of her impressive 2006 debut, Birds in Flight, she’s been creating an ambitious, often unexpected, repertoire.”

“Parra possesses a voice with personality and soul. Full and throaty in her lower register, clear and crisp in her mezzo range.”

“Azucar de Amor, an album that takes latin jazz into some ancient and strikingly beautiful places.”

CDHotlist

Here’s a complex and delightful album from Bay Area jazz singer Kat Parra, who is equally comfortable singing Spanish and English lyrics in stylistic settings as varied as salsa, mambo, samba, and charanga, and can draw on Sephardic and Afro-Peruvian melodic sources without dropping a beat (or sounding self-conscious or didactic). It’s hard to know whether her supple and sparkling voice or her band’s equally flexible and joyous playing deserve the most credit for this album’s success, but ultimately it doesn’t matter — whether you want to sit back and listen or get up and dance, Azucar de Amor will give you just what you need.

All Music Guide – 4 1/2 stars

by Scott Yanow

Her voice is strong, beautiful, and flexible, and she sounds equally at home in jazz and salsa. …sounds like one of the top salsa singers on the scene. …no one is more stirring on this set than Kat Parra, who has quickly emerged to be a force to be reckoned with.

Metro Magazine

by Philip van Vleck

California-based jazz singer Kat Parra has unleashed her passion for Latin jazz on Azucar de Amor. She knocks down a spicy salsa number on “Quitate La Queta” and handles the salsa/mambo tune “Sugar (Azucar de Amor)” with equal verve. She also wrote “Un Grito” with Wayne Wallace — a song in the Afro-Peruvian lando style, which is a pretty rare talent for a pair of gringos. And on the subject of rarities, cue up Parra’s rendition of “Esta Montonya D’Enfrente,” a mystic Sephardic ballad. She sings this arcane Judeo-Spanish music beautifully and with a comprehension that’s remarkable, considering that this musical tradition is, to put it mildly, obscure. Parra is a jazz singer with a musical sensibility that’s as distinctive as it is eclectic.

JazzChicago.net CD Review

by Brad Walseth

Parra’s vocals which range from audacious to sublime, are delivered by the singer with fire, fervor and a wellspring of life energy. Parra sings naturally in several languages and her voice is a treat, sweet and sassy. “Azucar De Amor” is the perfect summer music – an alluring outing by a talented vocalist, in which the compositions reflect a well-arranged blend of world styles, and where you find the vocals addictive and rhythms irresistible.

JazzReview

by Susan Frances

The rhythms crackle and shine giving the listener an authentic picture of the music of Latin cultures ethnicity. Parra’s vocals are astonishingly beautiful, able to turn people’s heads in her direction instantly.

The Star.com (Toronto Star)

by Ashante Infantry

[Parra] is imbued with an exquisite, versatile voice that’s emotionally accessible whether delivering an English jazz standard (“Misty”) or retooling ancient Sephardic tunes (“Esta Montanya D’Enfrente”).

Palo Alto Daily News

by Paul Freeman

Love is a many-splendored thing. And so is the voice of Bay Area singer/composer Kat Parra. Her sophomore album proves to be cause for celebration, displaying many impressive facets of her talent. Multicultural flavors spice up the music. Produced by Wayne Wallace, the tracks brim with rich, lively sounds.

KZSU Review

DECCA

Stylish, sexy Latin jazz from a local vocalist. [Parra] has got a warm, delicious voice, an effortless style, and an engaging way of phrasing things.

Birds In Flight released July 16, 2006, Re-released April 10, 2007 on Patois Records

CD Review by Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes, March Issue, 2007

[The song] Birds in Flight… is the centerpiece of the golden-voiced Californian’s inaugural disc. The track’s tender self-confidence speaks volumes about Parra. She effortlessly shifts from the gently rapturous romanticism of the self-penned “These Old Feelings” and dew-kissed warmth of “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise” (reinvented with an unexpected but intriguing robustness) to the purple-dusk, Middle Eastern majesty of Ellington’s “Caravan” and swirling intensity of the 16th-century Sephardic anthem “Kuando el Rey Nimrod.” It all adds up to a most propitious debut.

Latin Beat Magazine

by Jesse “Chuy” Varela, Dec 1, 2006

KAT PARRA Birds in Flight

On her debut album, Kat Parra shows that she is a musical chameleon who transforms her voice with multi-colored global hues. …an excellent profile of a gifted singer from the San Jose South Bay, who is rooted in jazz but influenced by a myriad of diverse influences. Kat takes us around the world in a voice blessed with impeccable intonation, phrasing and expression. Kat’s voice is eerie and provocative, with an intense passion and absorbing delivery. If you want to discover a singer with gift and promise, Kat Parra is someone that is well-worth searching out.

All Music Guide – 4 stars

by Alex Henderson

Rarely have there been jazz vocalists who considered Latin rhythms a main ingredient instead of a side dish, but an exciting exception to that rule is Kat Parra, who shows considerable promise on her first solo album, Birds in Flight. It is not only memorable because it is a stylistic rollercoaster; it is also memorable because Parra brings an abundance of warmth and emotion to her performances. Birds in Flight is a consistently rewarding debut from the risk-taking Parra.

In Bay Area Music, Innovation Rules

by j. poet, The Examiner, Aug 15, 2007

Kat Parra has been singing almost as long as she’s been walking and possesses a rich, expressive soprano that can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, to plagiarize a phrase.

CD Review by Dick Bogle, The Skanner, Portland, or ***** (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, complete with strings, brass and percussion, and her program which encompasses Afro-Cuban, Salsa, Cha Cha, Samba, some with a Middle Eastern flavoring – it is a winner.

All about Jazz CD Review

by Dan McClenaghan, Nov. 26, 2006

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. 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. 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.

Chuck Graham, Tucson Citizen

Published: 11.23.2006

Grade: A

“Birds in Flight” (JazzMa Records)

[Birds in Flight] is an impressive debut album both for its musical polish and for the naturalness of Parra’s appealing voice, in all languages and settings. The tracks also pulse with the spontaneous enthusiasm of jazz, a sunny and sensual sound that sets this album above the usual Latin jazz release. Parra’s intuition is unerring, and her presence here is commanding, even when she is singing softly. Blessed with a deeper, more sensual voice, she gives a full-bodied feminine quality to every track. Choosing material from so many sources… brings a richness that exploits Parra’s versatility, turning this album into a musical gem with many sparkling facets.

JazzReview.com

by Lee Prosser, jazzreview.com

[Parra] is sensitive and spirited in this collection of songs. For a first time out attempt, this CD succeeds with a sweet brilliance and emotional intensity which sets it apart from the crowd.This woman sings with conviction, devotion, and intense feeling. Her voice is full of sweetness, passion, intimacy, and joy. Each song is a testament to Kat Parra’s unusual voice and distinctive vocal stylings. There is a direct, open soulfulness which comes across easily in her singing, and it is an enjoyable sound. As a debut CD, this one works. There is a certain style about Kat Parra that adds to the oftentimes poignant vocals, and she has a voice that is fresh and imaginative. If you are new to her sound, please give her new debut CD a try –listen to her voice and be entertained by a fresh, captivating talent.

Los Angeles Jazz Scene

by Scott Yanow, jazz critic, November 2006 issue

“Kat Parra has a beautiful and flexible voice… Kat Parra puts a great deal of feeling into her interpretations and even when singing in languages different than one understands, the sincerity and message come through. Kat Parra is well worth discovering.

Swing2Bop Review

by Bruce Crowther’s

“A striking singer who brings honesty and integrity to her repertoire. Rich and flowing, her voice demands attention and she delivers wholly satisfying interpretations of a an interesting selection of songs. Accompanied here by instrumentalists such as pianist Murray Low, flautist Masaru Koga, percussionists Michael Spiro, Ravi Gutala and Paul van Wageningen, and guitarist Rick Vandivier, Kat delivers a succession of inventive and exhilarating musical moments. (Buy this now …)”

Calgary Herald

by Joe Blake, Times Colonist, December 10, 2006

“Cuban music, flamenco, salsa, samba, trova, Sephardic, even hip-hop, San Francisco Bay-area vocalist Kat Parra covers a wide range on Birds In Flight. A large crew of the Bay area’s best musicians cook-up a spicy groove for Parra’s expressive vocals. It’s a rich big band sound with the bite and sway of Latin jazz at its best.”

ejazznews.com

“This little kitten will ‘purr’ you into submission. Jazz singer Kat Parra sings the American Songbook with panache. Her take on the old chestnut ‘Softly As In A Morning Sunrise’ is a study in a gainful & viable vocal perspective that captivates continually. Only a unique kind of persona as Kat could be this spontaneous. Her vocalese is completely honest. In short she offers her listeners a quality of emotion that is inherent. Capable of making her individual vocal statement in the way she delivers her songs.”

by George W. Carroll/The Musicians’ Ombudsman

“This recording serves as my first encounter with the talents of Kat Parra. This is truly an amazing introduction! Kat takes you on a musical journey that celebrates the rich sounds of Jazz, Afro-Latin, Brazilian, Andalucian, and Middle Eastern sounds. Her beautiful voice along with her mature concept of phrasing helps tie this package together into a very satisfying cohesive presentation. Kudos also to Parra for exercising great wisdom in utilizing the talents of The Creme de le Creme of the San Francisco Bay Area. The producer, arrangers, and musicians all put their very best on the table for this session. I cannot wait for the next one. Super Chevere!!!! (that’s nuyorican for darn good!)”

by Ray Vega, trumpet player, band leader, jazz educator

“Excellent!!

Congratulations, Kat, for a lovely CD. It’s a beautiful Bay Area production and all the musicians sound wonderful. Nice selection and sequence of tunes. Great arrangements, and I especially like the way you treated the ballad-type pieces vocally. Hats off as always to engineers Gary Mankin and Ken Lee, too!”

by John Santos, Percussionist, composer, writer and educator

“Parra weaves myriad elements together seamlessly as she unearths realms of classic style new to even the avid Latin Jazz aficionado, and she does it with an honesty refreshing to behold these days. This CD offers fresh and timeless tunes in a beautifully organic exposé of rare and precious music. Thanks Kat! May we have some more?”

by Hershel Yatovitz (lead guitarist with Chris Isaak, producer, songwriter)

“I received Kat’s “Birds In Flight” CD, which I love. Not only does Kat have a beautiful voice, but I thoroughly enjoyed her compositions, which deeply touched my heart. In her lyrics and in the way she performs each song, you can sense everything that she is feeling, whether it be love, deception, happiness or melancholy. It was good that she followed the advise of Patti Cathcart (whom I’ve always loved how she sings)-when she told Kat to “sing her truth”. Hey, you can’t go wrong with that!”

byViviám Lopez, WDNA, Latin Music Director & Host of “Fusion Latina”

“I listened to the entire album, and it’s terrific! Kat is a fabulous singer and the songs and arrangements are excellent.”

by Randy Morse, Producer/Host “The Best of Brazil”, KZUM 89.3 FM, Lincoln, Nebraska USA

I just want to let you know that we are still playing “Birds in Flight” regularly at WICB Ithaca. You are a huge hit among the Jazz DJs especially, and most of them are music majors. They know good jazz when they hear it. I want to thank your album. We all hope to hear more from you in the near future.

by Katherine Dippolito, WICB Radio, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York

“Kat Parra’a voice is lovely, & carries tunes on which I would otherwise pass. … a different & appealing slant on a Caravan sung south-of-the-border; #7 the lament/anthem (Oleo de una Mujer con Sombrero)–soulful & gorgeous; and, a wonderfully lyrical “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”. I am extremely impressed w/ Kat’s instrument and how the Band contributes. Thanx for sendin’ “Birds In Flight” KRFC’s way; otherwise I’d never have listened & heard.”

by Peter Poses, KRFC, Fort Collins, Colorado

“If you are looking for some refreshing music that will put you in a festive mood, then look no further than Kat Parra’s latest release, “Birds in Flight”. Her music moves the listener on a magical international journey. Parra’s vocal range is brilliantly showcased in her music and leaves the listener desiring more. If you are looking for a new addition to your music collection, this one is it.”

by Georgia Moncrief, GoGirlsMusic.com

“What a tender – loving – nurturing ‘Spirit’… and like nature… so genuine… so moving.

The arrangements [on Kat Parra's "Birds in Flight"] are incredible… the musicians so ‘one”

by Kate Smith of Kate Smith Promotions

“Even though I did not understand the language she was singing, I could sense through the soul and conviction what she was saying through the music. Keep your ears open, this sultry vocalist is coming up.”

by Jeff Sloan (Grammy award winning Producer/Engineer)

“It is an honor to have helped Kat Parra with “Birds in Flight”. The process was a joy to be involved with. Kat’s vocals are inspired.”

by Wayne Wallace, three-time grammy nominee, trombonist, composer, arranger

“I don’t always know in the middle of a project whether it’s just ok, or pretty good, or excellent. I knew [Birds in Flight] was good throughout the process, but it was a PLEASURE to sit back and listen to it with a little distance from the process. You have a right to be really proud of it… it is EXCELLENT!”

by Gary Mankin, Award-winning sound engineer

“She [Kat Parra] is a dynamic singer and will knock a few people’s lights out when her CD is released. Wayne “The Dr” Wallace is producing her CD and you know it’s gonna be bad ass if Wayne is in the house. Look out for her soon, folks… ”

by John Worley, trumpet / flugelhorn player, composer and jazz educator

“The opening act [for Celia Cruz], Charanga Nueve with vocalists Kat Parra and Rafael Castro, was also sensational…”

by Brad Kava, San Jose Mercury News, August, 2001