Esperanza Spalding (warning: post may contain jazz)

I know most of you don't care at all about jazz music (I understand that some of you harbor an outright hatred for the entirety of the genre), but I'm going to force this one down your throats because this artist is so freaking talented. I have heard a lot of young/upandcoming/nextbigthing/blech jazz musicians pop up, especially in this generation of formal jazz training in high schools. This woman, however, is a true prodigy. She picked up the bass at age 12, started playing jazz at age 13, graduated from High School at the age of 16, and was given a full scholarship to attend the Berklee Conservatory of Music (The one in Boston, not California). Now, at age 24, she is a Professor at Berklee, has two solo albums to her name, and is on an multinational tour with NYC local jazz legend/grammy winner Joe Lovano. She can play, she can sing. Das ist Gut. 

For your listening (and viewing - did I mention she's cute?) pleasure:

That is an absurd quantity of raw talent for someone our age. Jazz is not the kind of music that most can just pick up and do. I first saw her play with Joe Lovano live in ann arbor this past fall and was blown away at her energy, talent, and groove. Today I purchased (yes - purchased, because it's that good) her latest album and can't stop listening to it. It's mostly new material with two fantastic covers. While the album is clearly Jazz (with a capital J), she and her bandmates do a great job of incorporating a hefty amount of afro-cuban and brazilian influence. She is fluent in 3(!) languages and comfortably writes and sings in all three on the album. I encourage all to check it out - amazon. myspace. 

happy listening!