Esperanza Spalding

A virtuoso bassist and a superb vocalist, Esperanza Spalding has been one of the major forces in the contemporary jazz fusion and jazz infused pop scene in the US the past two decades since she broke out in 2005 as a teen prodigy from Portland, Oregon. She draws from a broad base of musical traditions in her work including R&B, classical music, funk, and bossa nova. As a performer, she works with other top-notch musicians, forging a distinctive and naturally flowing form of jazz out of these influences. Her vocal delivery brings to mind the late '80s period of Joni Mitchell when she was working with giants like Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorius. References to the legendary Pastorius are not unwarranted. Spalding tends to be more understated and less flashy in comparison, but then, who isn't? She is also a top-notch songwriter capturing the artistry of jazz and presenting it in ways that potentially jazz-averse audiences can also enjoy.