Esperanza Spalding
Esperanza
Heads Up
By George W. Harris

Here’s a new artist on the scene that shows a lot of promise. 23 year old bassist Esperanza Spalding, right out of Berklee College of Music, has toured and recorded with Patti Austin, Joe Lovano and Pat Metheny, and has now put out her auspicious debut on Heads Up. This disc covers a ton of ground, and shows her in many different settings. She keeps her foot in the traditional door of jazz, to be sure, but is young and open minded enough to try to put some extra oomph in the stew. She takes “Body and Soul”, revs it up to a 5eat, and turns it into a swinging salsa-ed “Cuerpo Y Alma” that is spicey and delicious. Taking “Ponta de Areia”, made famous from Wayne Shorter’s “Native Dancer” release, she croons it in Portuguese, and adds an explorative riff at the end that is fun and frivolous, as only the youth can be. Her bass playing is right on the money, as she deftly displays on the intense “Mela.” But most of the songs feature her warmhearted approach to life, from the hopeful “Espera” to the whimsically romantic “Fall In.” Her vocal harmonies, as on “Ponta…” are rich and arresting. Musically and attitudinally, she could be an inspiration for a generation of young women.