Biography
Kat Parra has leapt beyond the boundaries of the typical latin jazz singer. With her thirst for the exploration of world rhythms and tonalities, she has developed a style of music that encompasses sounds that both transcend and bend the stereotypical definition of latin jazz. She has incorporated not only afro-cuban music, but also added afro-peruvian, middle eastern, south american folklore as well as nueva trova. Most interestingly, she has also been developing, along with her musical director Murray Low, new arrangements of Sephardic music–the music of the Spanish Jews sung in the dying language of Ladino. Kat sings fluently in English, Spanish and Portuguese as well. With this multi-lingual and multi-musical experience, Kat Parra is able to transport her audiences to an exciting and vibrant journey of world and latin music.
Parra has achieved a great amount of critical acclaim and success since leaving her corporate hi-tech job to pursue a full-time musical career. Not only has she been signed to a two CD contract with Wayne Wallace's independent record label, Patois Records, but she has been invited to perform in Brazil, Chicago and Seattle as well as top-tier venues around the San Francisco Bay Area (ie San Jose Jazz Festival, Sonoma Jazz Festival, San Francisco Summer JazzFest, Pearls, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, etc).
Instrumentation
Kat Parra -- vocals
Murray Low -- piano/musical director
Peter Barshay -- bass
Masaru Koga -- flute/sax
Paul van Wageningen -- drums
Discography
Dos Amantes - to be released Jan. 12, 2010, JazzMa Records
Azucar de Amor--Patois Records--2008
Birds In Flight -- Patois Records -- 2006
Global Rhythm Magazine Compilation CD (Dame La Llave) -- Feb., 2007 issue
The Reckless Search for Beauty -- Wayne Wallace, background vocals on 4 tracks -- Patois Records -- 2007
Links
| http://www.katparra.com |