Radio Music Society

AlbumJan 01 / 201214 songs, 2h 8m 7s
Vocal Jazz
Noteable

Last year, the immensely talented multi-instrumentalist was the first jazz musician to win a GRAMMY® Award for Best New Artist—just another feat in a slew of amazing accomplishments, including teaching herself how to play violin by age 5, dropping out of high school from sheer ennui, then earning a B.M. from Berklee College of Music by 20. Despite the high expectations that come with such achievement, *Radio Music Society* delivers, displaying the versatility of her musicianship and vision, such as the soliloquy to spice “Cinnamon Tree” with its Joe Satriani-esque guitar flourishes and the artfully arranged cover of MJ’s “I Can’t Help It,” on which she collaborates with jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano. Every song on the deluxe version of *Radio Music Society* has a corresponding video.

Check out our album review of Artist's Radio Music Society on Rolling Stone.com.

Esperanza Spalding's fourth album, Radio Music Society (a companion piece to Chamber Music Society in name only) is one of enormous ambition -- polished production, sophisticated, busy charts, and classy songwriting -- that consciously juxtaposes neo-soul and adult-oriented jazz-tinged pop.

<strong>Dave Gelly </strong>admires an artful collage of pop, funk, soul and jazz by a multi-talented young musician

Radio Music Society makes it clear that Spalding’s a fine, intuitive singer and a natural bandleader.

This ambitious new album is predominantly poppy, but it took a musician with a very broad view to make it, writes <strong>John Fordham</strong>

Helen Brown reviews Esperanza Spalding's new CD Radio Music Society.

Killer hooks, head-nodding grooves and unexpected byways make this her best yet. CD review by Peter Quinn