Play 90 second soundbite of 'Small Day Tomorrow' @ 'CD quality'
Quality, quality and then more quality - Parry Ray leaves nothing to chance and takes no risks here, preferring rather to exercise constraint and let her natural 'given' talents do the talking - the result, an exquisite and deeply captivating album!
Ray's silky voice is delivered with precision and ease. Generally the songs are stripped bare to voice and the barest essentials of instrumentation - the result is an album that you'll want to play when you're cuddled up on the sofa with a glass of wine and someone you care for. 'My Life In Pieces' is part original and part 'covers'; Parry has chosen to tell it like it is from her point of view - she shows great songwriting capabilities and her re-workings of 'standards' is remarkable for its honesty and allowing you, the listener, to make comparisons with the original workings. Parry writes as she sings - from the heart with finesse and complete control. Parry Ray doesn't sound at all like a debutante here; her confidence and dedication are near tangible as she squeezes out every last drop of emotion with true professionalism and control - 'My Life In Pieces' is classy, sexy, stimulating and very very cool.
I love the way that Ray has chosen to expose herself in this laid-bare way; she could've chosen to go for a multi-layered, multi-instrument backing and made the album big and bold but through her decision to go simple she showcases her true and very rich vocal abilities extremely beautifully. The lady's bold, the lady's sassy and the lady's superbly talented. For anyone that appreciates this style of chilled jazz, 'My Life in Pieces' by Parry Ray is a monster work - it just gets the job done in short shrift and with amazing attention to detail. Parry Ray has given a wonderfully honest but totally professional account of herself and her musical talents here; her evocative delivery and totally transparent love of the artform is credit to her - Parry Ray maybe looking into a bit of a niche market but there'll be plenty of takers amongst the discerning jazz enthusiasts for her sincere and intoxicating voice and silky smooth delivery. A great debut album from Parry Ray - the future looks bright and rewarding for the delicious talent that is Parry Ray.
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