About
Susana Raya is a Spanish singer, guitarist, improviser, and composer based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The woman who American music critic and historian Ted Gioia coined “the Andalusian Eva Cassidy” made her way into international music scene along with her inseparable guitar.
After getting her classical guitar proper at a conservatory in her native Cordoba (Spain), spending a good chunk of the aughts racking up titles in European jazz vocals competitions and graduating in jazz guitar in Amsterdam, Susana found her personal voice: a melting pot of different influences from folk to jazz spiced with her Spanish roots.
Unafraid to push the boundaries, Susana can be found flirting with various genres, whether she’s captivated by a Bach melody, embracing the spontaneity of jazz, or diving into heavy riffs in the Dutch progrock scene.
“ONE OF MY FAVORITE SINGERS”
Ted Gioia, American Jazz critic and historian
A pure, honest, unaffected voice that will captivate you. The woman who American music critic and historian Ted Gioia coined “the Andalusian Eva Cassidy” made her way into the international music scene along with her inseparable guitar. “Her songs are rich and emotionally performed with great creativity and spontaneity”, AAAmusic, UK.
She has toured extensively in Europe and abroad: Saitenprünge (Germany), Holland Festival (Netherlands) Silk Road Festival (Syria), Music Festival Amman (Jordania), Südtirol Jazz Festival (Italy), Pori Jazz (Finland), Kaunas Jazz Festival (Lithuania) and many others. Tours in USA (Little Rock, St. Louis, Nashville, Kansas city, New York city, Upstate NY,...)
She was mentioned in the book of the prestigious historian Ted Gioia, “Jazz Standard: a guide to the repertoire” that recommends her “My one and only love” version among others (John Coltrane, Kurt Elling...)
Soloist with the legendary WDR Symphony Orchestra in Cologne for a series of concerts tributed to Cole Porter and Chick Corea.
Susana was invited by the Dutch guitar hero Jan Akkerman (Focus) at Royal Theater Carré in Amsterdam.
Her Spanish roots come to the surface in the songs on her album Wind Rose, which was recorded with a five-stars team: Steve Swallow, Clifford Carter (James Taylor), Ira Coleman (Sting, Dee dee Bridgewater), Leo Amuedo (Ivan Lins, Chris Botti), Cyro Baptista (Paul Simon, Yo-yo Ma, Herbie Hancock). The producer, Gary Burke (Bob Dylan), says: “Susana Raya is the most accomplished debut artist I have ever come across in all the years I have been doing this. She can sing, she can play and she can write. A triple threat as we say here in the States.”
She is guitar player and vocalist of of the acclaimed Dutch progressive rock band INHALO.
AWARDS
– International Young Jazz Singers Contest Nomme Jazz, Tallinn, Estonia,2006
– International Jazz Singers Contest Lady Summertime, Finland, 2006
– International Jazz Soloist Competition”, Monaco, 2007.
– International Jazz Competition for Singing Musician, Zory, Poland. 2011
– Best Spanish Group II International Jazz Granada Festival Contest. 2003
QUOTE / PRESS
“If you figure out a way to make it through concert of Susana Raya without falling head over heels in love, let me know”
Arkansas Times
“A unique and exquisite creative brew with a voice that will captivate you”
JAZZENZO NL
“Rich and emotional songs performed with great creativity and spontaneity”
AAAmusic.co.uk
“Extremely euphonic”
Jazzport.cz
“Improviser full of fantasy and a sensitive interpreter”
Luca Sabbatini, Tribune de Genéve
“A gem that suddenly shines in the light”
JAZZISM, NL
“Raya is a rich a varied guitarist with a stunning voice that fit perfectly with her playing…The subtle rhythms and harmonic inflections wove around her voice, both arresting and understated.”
The Focal Point, St. Louis
“When Susana performs, a quiet comes over the room. The audience instantly realizes that what they’re hearing is special. I know this to be true because I witnessed it. This type of response is quite rare and indeed, MAGICAL. It speaks to the power of music when the artist is one with the instrument, one with the music, one with the audience.”
Bill Piburn, Fingerstyle Guitar Journal
