Junjo

From the very first track on her 2006 debut, *Junjo*, Esperanza Spalding can be heard playing bass *and* singing, making a coherent case for the essential role of both in her art. With the Cuban-born musicians Aruán Ortiz (piano) and Francisco Mela (drums), she proves herself not only a jazz player of top rank, but a highly individual singer whose voice serves more than one function in the band. She could scat the most intricate lines one moment and put across an intimate lyric the next—her self-accompanied Spanish on “Cantora de Yala” by Argentine composer Gustavo “Cuchi” Leguizamón is a highlight here, as is the clean, lightning-quick melody of “Loro” by Brazilian master Egberto Gismonti. And yet *Junjo* offers only a hint of what was to come for Spalding: a 2011 Grammy Award for Best New Artist; a command performance at the White House for the Obamas; a string of innovative concept albums with a more electric, funk-oriented sound (2016’s *Emily’s D+Evolution*, 2017’s *Exposure*, 2018’s *12 Little Spells*); and an opera collaboration with Wayne Shorter called *Iphigenia*. But *Junjo* also planted the seed for all that with its vibrant mix of originals and classic repertoire. Spalding and cohorts lead off with a hip remake of the Jimmy Rowles ballad “The Peacocks,” followed by “Loro” and Chick Corea’s “Humpty Dumpty.” The rest of the program, apart from “Cantora de Yala,” is original: “Junjo” and “Two Bad” are varied Spalding compositions, while “Perazuán” is an improvised piano-vocal duet and “Mompouana” is an appetizing Ortiz creation for the trio, likely an homage to Catalan composer Federico Mompou. “Perazela” closes it out with a drum-vocal impromptu, a brief coda to an album that might have been mistaken for a straightforward acoustic jazz date at the time, but turned out to be so much more.

“Ace of Bass!” Boston Globe “She communicates her upbeat personality in everything she plays. She is definitely headed for a great career, and it will be soon.” Gary Burton, multiple Grammy winning vibraphonist It has been five years since Esperanza Spalding first entered the music world in Portland, Oregon, as part of a blues band created by veteran musicians. She had just turned 15 and had only been playing the bass for two months. Those who heard her all agreed that Esperanza showed surprisingly impressive talent. It was one of her first music teachers who realized that Esperanza, who had initially studied violin, should dedicate herself to the bass. Two years later, with the support of her family and friends, she was accepted at the Berklee College of Music. Currently, her artistic career is perfectly on track. She frequently performs at the most prestigious venues on the east coast (Blue Note, Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Club, Tanglewood Jazz Festival), and at the age of 20 graduated from Berklee and was made a part of the faculty, teaching bass classes. She has already started touring internationally, involved in projects such as saxophonist Joe Lovano’s quartet and singer Patti Austin’s band. Simultaneously singer and bassist, Esperanza Spalding is an exception in the music world. Although its true that there are various examples of singers/electric bass players, it is not very often you come across vocalists that play the acoustic bass. This is even more unusual for a woman. Along with her notable musical talent, this unique combination is what is most often emphasized in reviews of Esperanza music. Following the performance of her jazz trio with Aruan Ortiz and Francisco Mela at Berklee, The Boston Globe named her “ a rarity“ within the panorama of today’s music scene. At only 21 years of age, Esperanza is most similar to what is known as “a total musician.” In addition to singing and playing the bass, she is a composer and does all of her own arrangements. She also arranges her own versions of works of important contemporary composers. In JUNJO, the first musical production under the direction of this American artist, Esperanza gives her touch to pieces that range from the modern jazz trio with Chick Corea’s “Humpty Dumpty”, to contemporary Brazilian music with Egberto Gismonti’s “Loro”, to Argentine folk music with “Cantora de Yala.” Cantora de Yala is one such song that demonstrates Esperanza’s gift for reviving forgotten or little known musical works using only her voice, accompanied by the bass. For Esperanza, this project is a dream come true. It is, at the same time, her first CD as well as the first production under her direction: a jazz trio in which she is indisputably the leader. The trio is completed with the artistry of two excellent musicians, pianist Aruan Ortiz and drummer Francisco Mela. JUNJO has Esperanza’s personal seal: the superb sense of time that she possesses and always succeeds in communicating to her audiences, and her great devotion to the instrument she plays. Synonymous with perfect musical fusion, the rhythmic and melodic sensitivity that Esperanza expresses on the bass is independent of that which she evokes as a vocalist. This extraordinary quality of hers never fails to surprise and amaze her fans and friends, as well as the musicians who have shared the stage with her.

The debut recording by acoustic upright bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, a native of Portland, OR, residing in Boston, MA, is an exercise in joy and freedom.