Esperanza

Esperanza Spalding

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 2008)
• Original Release Date: May 20, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Heads Up
• ASIN: B0014HC56K
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,223 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #13 in	Music > Jazz > Latin Jazz
  #16 in	Music > Jazz > Modern Postbebop

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Never mind that in 2005--at the age of 20--Esperanza Spalding became the youngest instructor in the history of Berklee College of Music. It's what's on wax that counts--or CD, or MP3, if preferred. On Esperanza, her debut set for Heads Up International, Spalding presents a prowess on the acoustic bass that many bassists with far more experience could be inspired by. Need proof? Check out "Mela," on which Spalding’s chops on the upright are matched (if not exceeded) by her tangerine-and-honey vocals. There is a lilt in her voice that, to be sure, puts the blind optimism of her youth front and center. But who needs another jaded jazz singer? This multi-lingual set starts off with the mellow, mid-tempo "Ponta De Areia." From there Spalding winds her way through an appropriate group of mostly self-penned songs that are simultaneously sweet, commanding, calming, and intense. Of particular note are the hopeful "Espera," and her take on "Cuerpo y Alma" (the jazz standard "Body & Soul" in Spanish). And yes, purists, she can scat. Her name, Esparanza, is the Spanish word for "hope." Here's hope for a bright future and satisfying career following this wonderfully refreshing album. --Eric C.P. Martin

Product Description

"Esperanza," bassist/vocalist/composer Esperanza Spalding's debut on Heads Up International, is set for worldwide release on May 20, 2008. Armed with uncanny instrumental chops, a siren voice that spans three languages, and composing and arranging skills that weave together the best elements of the old-school with the progressive, this 23-year-old has crafted a debut album that takes a completely fresh and refreshing approach to jazz by borrowing from the rich traditions of soul, pop, world music and so much more.

Esperanza is joined in the studio by a crew of A-list session players, including flamenco guitar virtuoso Niño Josele, percussionist Jamey Haddad, drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernández, saxophonist Donald Harrison and several other seasoned talents - all of whom collectively serve as further evidence of the kind of creative energy and magnetism that she radiates.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Huge New Talent turns Jazz World on Head!, August 2, 2008

By	Brian Whistler (Forestville, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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She's young, gorgeous and immensely talented. Esperanza Spalding's second offering is a musical potpourri that is sure to please most jazz afficionados. A superb bass player, an already highly nuanced vocalist and a promising composer, Esperanza is a triple threat who may very well be one of the key figures in defining the direction jazz will be heading in the 21st century.

There's a ton of variety here, everything from the stunning opening arrangement of Milton Nascimento's folk tinged Ponta De Areia to the sassy smart brazilian funk of She Got to You, the unsentimental poppy sweetness of Precious, not to mention the balls out straight ahead hipness of If that's True, and the tour de force jazz samba, I Adore You. Her scat with bass solo on this tune simply has to heard to be believed. Did I mention that she's not half bad as a lyricist? Is there nothing that this young woman can't do? Apparently not. And the fact that she sings and plays simultaneously and this effortlessly puts her in a class by herself.

Check her out on youtube, especially her performance of Body and Soul at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, not to mention her exuberant performance on Letterman, which prompted the usually cool David to comment, " You were right Paul: She IS the coolest guest we've ever had on this show". And he may very well have been right.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars interesting debut album from a promising new artist, July 22, 2008

By	Christine (NH) - See all my reviews

If you found out about Esperanza from her performance on David Letterman, don't be fooled into thinking this is mainly a pop album with jazz leanings. It's more of a jazz album with occasional pop leanings, and that song, "Precious," is really the only song with a somewhat traditional pop sound and structure on the album. Otherwise, it's basically Latin-influenced jazz, with lots of improv and jazz noodling.

Her bass playing is excellent, and she has surrounded herself with excellent musicians. Her voice, while usually pretty, gets a kind of pinched and grating sound sometimes, but only when she's singing in Portuguese. For the most part, her voice is pleasant, and these songs for the most part have a pleasant sound. There's nothing really new about her style of music here, but there is something new about a young woman who stands up and plays an upright bass while singing songs that she wrote. It's easy to be dazzled by her as she is right now, and her performance on Letterman was charismatic and fascinating since it was so different from the things we usually see on late night TV. She's obviously very ambitious, so it will be interesting to see how she develops as a musician.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!!!, August 24, 2008

By	Derek Johnson (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Spread the word, there's a new lady in town: Esperanza Spalding, and she's bringing her 'A' game to the area of music called Jazz. And what a refreshing brew it is. Using her skills as a bassist, accompanied by her brilliant voice, which can be heard in three languagues (English, Portuguse & Spanish), this her sophomore presentation, is a mature offering for one so young (she's 23)
What I love about this CD is the variety on offer. You have straight on jazz, a samba selection, and a soulful selection, all wrapped into one CD.
The bonus that Ms Spalding has is that along with her skills as a bassist, she has a great voice, that I would imagine, along with her looks, would make her a marketing dream. But she still has to deliver the goods, and she does: form the soulful' I Know that you know', the quiet stormish ' Fall In', the sambaish' I Adore You', and the haunting 'Samba Em Preludio, which I couldn't get out of my head the to name just a few of the highlights of this CD. This is a solid set that should make this young lady a star, if there's any justice in the music world. My CD of the year thus far