Esperanza Spalding - Chamber Music Society - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The debut recording by acoustic upright bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, a native of Portland, OR, is an exercise in joy and freedom. Well rendered for such a very young musician, it's quite notable, considering the certainty of her concept and clarity of her vision. While steeped in contemporary jazz, there are Latin flavors, unabashed free moments, and some implied and direct swing. Further, it is an expression of her well-being, optimism, and future hope for her life in this music. Also in her peer group, pianist Aruan Ortiz and drummer Francisco Mela add a hundredfold to this music and establish themselves as leaders-to-be, and are quite capable partners for Spalding's wonderful sounds. The first piece, a take of the Jimmy Rowles evergreen InchThe Peacocks,Inch let's you know something special is going on. Spalding's bass leads out with the probing piano of Ortiz as wordless vocals and a modal jam all precede the melody, followed by a free section. The imagination quotient of this interpretation is off the charts. InchMompouanaInch is a most impressive circular tune surrounding the sweetness and light of Spalding's voice in a 9/8 time signature, choppy piano motifs, upper to midrange drama, and thoughtful, intricate secondary lines. In their ultimate playful state, InchPerazuánInch and InchPerazelaInch show Spalding's ability to scat, with Ortiz on the former and furiously alongside Mela on the latter track. The other covers are a darker-than-the-original rendition of Chick Corea's neo-bopper InchHumpty DumptyInch and the personable, lighthearted InchLoro,Inch written by Egberto Gismonti. InchTwo Bad,Inch with a feeling reminiscent of the standard InchAlone Together,Inch is a brittle, quirky, and unpredictable tune that is the only instrumental of the lot. Spalding sings no lyric content whatsoever; her style is all natural, sensual, and precious. Whether

Samara Joy is a singing star in the ascendancy the young vocalist attracted attention in 2019 after winning the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Now, the 21-year-old announces her self-titled debut , which puts her spin on jazz standards from the Great American Songbook.Produced by Grammy-nominated veteran Matt Pierson, she's joined by jazz guitar virtuoso Pasquale Grasso and his trio (Ari Roland and Kenny Washington) for a that furthers Joy's reputation as one of America's most promising young jazz vocalists.Joy's interpretations balance the breezy-fresh feel of a relative newcomer with a reverence for a tradition she is now undoubtably part of. InchBut BeautifulInch, InchLet's Dream in the MoonlightInch and InchJimInch pay homage to Billie Holiday's original versions, and she acknowledges the great Nat King Cole with versions of InchIt Only Happens OnceInch and InchThe Trouble with Me is YouInch. InchStardustInch is another nod to Cole, showcasing a talent for storytelling well beyond her years. As she says, InchThere's nothing like hearing someone who understands sing it to you.Inch Moods range from the happy-go-lucky simplicity of InchEverything Happens to MeInch to the longing of InchLover ManInch.Winning the Vaughan award was transformational for Joy. InchI was suddenly on the jazz radar. It's still bizarre to think of how fast things have progressed.Inch Since then, Joy has dug deep to discover her jazz roots, without losing sight of the innate simplicity that makes her sound shine. Her first album announces the arrival of a young artist destined for greatness.1. Stardust2. Everything Happens To Me3. If You Never Fall In Love With Me4. Let's Dream In The Moonlight5. It Only Happens Once6. Jim7. The Trouble With Me Is You8. If You'd Stay The Way I Dream9. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)10. Only A Moment Ago11. Moonglow12. But Beautiful

Ensemble MidtVest - Chamber Music 1 [COMPACT DISCS] date 09/27/2011