La Bella Strings to Host Performance by Guitarist Susana Raya in Brooklyn

La Bella Strings is hosting a performance by songwriter and classically trained guitar player Susana Raya on March 13. The show kicks off 7 p.m. at The Guitar Shop NYC in Brooklyn. RSVP to the event on Facebook by clicking here.

Combining her singer-songwriter spirit with a jazz touch and Spanish roots, Raya grew up playing classical guitar at the Conservatory of her hometown of Córdoba, Spain. She started writing songs as a way of expression at 13. Soon after, she felt attracted to jazz and improvised music and started to attend workshops and masterclasses led by Judy Niemack, Pat Metheny, Deborah Brown, Jamey Aebersold, Maria João, Deborah Carter and more.

Inspired by a guitar duo album by Maarten van der Grinten and Jesse van Ruller, she moved to Amsterdam to finish her studies in jazz guitar at the Conservatory where the guitarists teach.

Her collaboration with the legendary jazz bass player Steve Swallow in upstate New York in 2013 opened the door to record her latest album, Wind Rose. The album includes contributions from pianist Clifford Carter (James Taylor, Art Garfunkel), double bassist Ira Coleman (Sting, Dee dee Bridgewater), guitarist Leo Amuedo (Ivan Lins, Chris Botti) and percussionist Cyro Baptista (Paul Simon, Yo-yo Ma, Herbie Hancock). The album was recorded at the Clubhouse Studios in Rhinebeck, New York.

Watch Raya perform in the clip below, and for more information, visit susanarayamusic.com and labella.com.