music dig shorts: Esperanza by Esperanza Spalding
Esperanza~Esperanza Spalding
Experanza’s self-titled release was all I hoped it would be and then some! Excellent melodic hooks, superb grooveage, and pleasantly turning progressions–all elements that characterize the complete trio sound of piano, upright bass, and drums atop Esperanza’s smooth, soulful vocals. The astonishing thing about Esperanza is her unique mastery of both the bass and vocals–yup–simultaneously. Her expertise also covers a broad range of musical styles: straight-ahead jazz, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, etc, etc, etc…
A listen to Esperanza from top to bottom keeps musical interest piqued all the way. The R&B-flavored “Ponta De Areia” kicks it all off, where Spalding sports her multilingual talents with Portuguese singing. (Don’t worry, she covers her Spanish base later with a clever, translated rendition of the classic standard “Cuerpo y Alma (Body & Soul)”.) The crafty, spinning hook of “I Know You Know”–backed by luscious, syncopated piano voicings and enticing rhythmic pulses–keeps the album going strong. As if she didn’t showcase enough talent, 9 of the 12 tracks are Spalding’s own original compositions, including such highlights as “I Adore You”, “Precious”, and “Mela”. Esperanza: An impressive exposition. A substantial musical thesis. A satisfying listen.
Favorite Tracks: Ponta De Areia; I Know You Know; I Adore You; Cuerpo y Alma (Body & Soul)
My Rating: 9/10
* * * * * * * * *
Take a listen to tunes from Esperanza at her Last.fm page!
Leave a Reply