Music
The best kept secret in music
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Rita Graham was discovered by Ray Charles. She has performed throughout the U.S.A. and Europe for the past 30 years. Graham sings selections from her CD, Live at Sambuca. Her songs run the gamut from Bacharach ("The Look of Love") to Ballads ("My One and Only love)" to down home blues.
- fyi
Rita Graham's career began with Ray Charles, who produced her first recording, an album entitled, RITA GRAHAM VIBRATIONS
After the album was completed, Rita joined the Ray Charles vocal group, the Raylettes, and toured with the Ray Charles Show
She recorded with TV Composer, Mike Post for three years after leaving Ray Charles' Tangerine label, completing 8 Singles for Bell Records, which later became Arista Records.
Rita recorded a single for a division of Motown, Prodigal Records
Rita opened for Oscar Peterson for several weeks in Vancouver, BC
She spent three years with the Harry James Orchestra in Las Vegas, a tour of the United States, England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Rita was featured vocalist with Mercer Ellington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Tour '82
Rita enjoyed a delightful stint singing in Duo with guitarist, Kenny Burrell
She has appeared in several Las Vegas Casinos, Supper Clubs, Festivals, and special appearances around the world, including the 1999 Moscow Jazz Festival, and an appearance at an American Embassy affair
After moving to Atlanta, Rita has been featured every Sunday at the Sambuca Jazz Cafe, Atlanta's foremost restaurant/showroom, where her new CD was recorded Live, with the Jez Graham Trio. She has opened shows at Sambuca for Chuck Mangione, Phoebe Snow (at Pebble's birthday party), and Ray Charles.
With a wide-ranged vocal quality unlike any other, Rita lovingly embraces and electrifies the many forms of Jazz; Classic/Traditional, Contemporary, and Blues
- history
Discography
vibrations
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
RITA GRAHAM is one of the best jazz singers in the world. She has toured the world with Ray Charles for 3 years as a Raylette, She has been featured singer with the Harry James orchestra and Mercer Ellington. She has been in Montreaux jazz fest and Moscow jazz fest. She has opened for many comics and singers in Las Vegas including a stint with Frank Sinatra.
Collaborations with tv music producer Mike Post ,and been the opener for
Chuck Mangione and the Doobie Brothers
and many others
I was able to cut the new CD, titled, "Memories of My Days with Ray"
last weekend. The keyboard player was on Saturday Night Live for 6 years. This time
we're reaching for the major festivals, the Grammy Awards, etc. I chose songs that
Ray Charles loved--the first song he sang with me over a piano in Sydney, one of the
cuts from the album he produced, a song that he played for me over the phone,
and his favorite standard--this is a deeply personal collection, and I am including
a photo of the album he produced, "Rita Graham Vibrations", which was on Ray Charles'
Tangerine label, distributed by ABC Paramount on the outside of the CD, since I
expect a lot of his former Raelettes will have books and tributes coming out soon--
I am proud of the fact that he gave me the best of his loving expertise in the
mellow, sweet album did for me.
I took part in
a DVD/CD recorded live at Sambuca,which was a compilation of
several Sambuca artists--each of us had one hour of performance
and interviews. (Red Zone Entertainment)
That same week, I recorded a DVD with JR's Big Band Express,
which is a Basie Tribute Band--I'm trying to get as much 'juice' out of the
fact that Ray Charles produced an album of old standards for me,
using his arranger, and all the top strings and horns in the LA
recording industry--and although the liner notes don't state it,
he played piano on the project. RG
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