Esperanza

The bassist’s second album is where she started to show off her vocal skills in earnest, singing songs in three languages. Spanning breezy R&B grooves (“I Know You Know”) and harder-swinging sounds (“She Got to You”), Spalding’s original compositions also signaled the presence of a major talent. She was still years away from her first GRAMMY®, but Spalding’s style, as well as her sophisticated interaction with improvisers like pianist Leo Genovese and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, was already world-class.

Bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding's eponymous release on Heads Up International is touted on the Concord Label Group's website as her debut recording.