Spalding, Esperanza & Fred Hersch
Bandcamp, 2020, CD
Instrument: Guitar
Issue: 26.2
Jazz Ruler Type: Bebop
Performance: 4
Sound: 4
Score: 93
O’s Notes: This is a collection of five duets featuring pianist Fred Hersch and vocalist as Esperanza Spalding. Hersch needs no introduction and he is on his A-game. It might be unusual to hear Esperanza performing without her bass but she’s a woman of many talents. Her youthful tone and perfectly accurate pitch along with improvisation and interpretation of classic ballads notably “Girl Talk” make this a most enjoyable experience. Spontaneous interaction with the audience makes this even more memorable especially on “Loro”. It’s a live session recorded at New York’s Village Vanguard in 2018 but just released this year with all proceeds supporting the jazz community impacted by the pandemic. It’s a limited edition only available this month (June 2020), don’t miss it!
Publicist: Braithwaite & Katz
