A timeless mix of heart tuggingly intimate strings and beautiful vocals by Esperanza Spalding – a set that feels deep down close to the heart, and in turns, quite soaring – all the while wonderful! The aspects we loved so dearly on Esperanza's previous albums are also done here – touching on soulful Brazilian, soul jazz and chamber pop & soul influences, lovely wordless vocals as well as sweeter singing, and beautiful performances by the players. Ms Spalding is on bass and vocals with Leo Genovese on piano, Rhodes & melodica, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums and Quintino Cinalli on percussion. The great Milton Nasciemento guests on "Apple Blossom", and other titles include "Little Fly", "Knowledge Of Good And Evil", "Really Very Small", "Chacarera", "Wild Is The Wind", "Apple Blossom" and "Short And Sweet". (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

Sublime work from a truly amazing artist – one who both sings and plays acoustic bass – all in a captivating blend of jazz, soul, and Brazilian styles! Esperanza Spalding has a fresh, unique feel that's all her own – the warmth of a jazz singer like Carmen Lundy, the sharper sensitivities of a bossa vocalist, and the depth of a younger soul artist – all wrapped up in grooves that are undeniably jazzy, with a strong sense of rhythm from Spalding's great work on bass! The set is a great one, and provides a perfect platform for Esperanza's wonderful talents – even more so than her previous import release, and at a much nicer price. Instrumentation is mostly small combo – with lots of piano, a bit of Fender Rhodes, and some trumpet and sax from time to time – and titles include "She Got To You", "Precious", "Ponta De Areia", "I Know You Know", "Fall In", "I Adore You", "Love In Time", and "Mela". (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

Maybe the greatest record so far from the lovely Esperanza Spalding – a set that has her moving farther from jazz, into a wonderfully warm style of soul music overall! The mix of modes is exquisite – a blend of Spalding's jazz-trained vocals with some beautiful arrangements that sparkle and glisten with this righteous vibe we'd put right up there with the best 70s recordings by Minnie Riperton or Linda Lewis – a really rare breed that goes way beyond the wonderful promise Esperanza's always had right from the start! The album is an instant treasure – the sort that's sure to please everyone who's already followed Spalding on her journey, yet also win her a huge new audience as well. Q-Tip helped a bit on production, but most of the work is by Spalding herself – and titles include "Radio Song", "Cinnamon Tree", "Crowned & Kissed", "Land Of The Free", "Black Gold", "Let Her", "Endangered Species", "Smile Like That", and "I Can't Help It". Comes with bonus download cart for 11 short films! (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

Maybe the greatest record so far from the lovely Esperanza Spalding – a set that has her moving farther from jazz, into a wonderfully warm style of soul music overall! The mix of modes is exquisite – a blend of Spalding's jazz-trained vocals with some beautiful arrangements that sparkle and glisten with this righteous vibe we'd put right up there with the best 70s recordings by Minnie Riperton or Linda Lewis – a really rare breed that goes way beyond the wonderful promise Esperanza's always had right from the start! The album is an instant treasure – the sort that's sure to please everyone who's already followed Spalding on her journey, yet also win her a huge new audience as well. Q-Tip helped a bit on production, but most of the work is by Spalding herself – and titles include "Radio Song", "Cinnamon Tree", "Crowned & Kissed", "Land Of The Free", "Black Gold", "Let Her", "Endangered Species", "Smile Like That", and "I Can't Help It". Deluxe edition comes with bonus DVD that includes 11 short films and lots of bonus footage! (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

One of the hippest records we've ever heard from Esperanza Spalding – a set that almost feels as if she's stepping back into some of the more experimental, individual qualities that made her so different at the start! There's definitely some appealing, catchy songs here – but the record is one to definitely be taken as a whole – this really lovely tapestry of voice and music that shimmers and glistens throughout – tunes that work together as a single suite that really keeps the album sounding fantastic all the way through, in this blend of jazz and soul that comes not just from Esperanza's vocals and work on bass, but also from the piano of Leo Genovese, who co-wrote most of the material on the album. Wayne Shorter plays on one track, the record features guest vocals from Corey King and Ganavya, and the set features 13 tracks, all numerically titled "Formwela". (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

Esperanza Spaulding looks more striking than ever on this album cover, but not as striking as the music inside – co-produced by Spaulding with Tony Visconti – the longtime David Bowie collaborator who really brings a sharp sort of focus to the set! Although Esperanza began as a jazz bassist who also happened to sing, by the point of this album she's a fully-formed soul star in her own right – bold, powerful, and progressive – with a vision that's even more moving, almost with a future soul or cosmic crackle at points, instead of some of the warmer, gentler modes from previous recordings. The album's a stunner, and shows that Esperanza Spaulding will be surprising us plenty in years to come – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Earth To Heaven", "Rest In Pleasure", "Elevate Or Operate", "Unconditional Love", "Funk The Fear", "I Want It Now", and "Ebony & Ivy". Deluxe edition features the bonus track "Change Us", plus an extended version of "Unconditional Love", an expanded booklet, and poster too! (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

A wonderful little record that's like few other we can think of – the debut of bassist Esperanza Spaulding, a player who also sings along wordlessly with her strings! The style is quite unique, and completely great – and Esperanza's really opened up a whole new territory here with her compelling approach. The lineup here includes piano and drums next to the bass and vocals – brought together with a warmth that recalls some of the best freedoms of mainstream 70s jazz piano sides, touched with modes from Brazilian jazz – but again, the work is done in a fresh approach here that's uniquely its own! Titles include great versions of Jimmy Rowles "The Peacocks", Egberto Gismonti's "Loro", and Chick Corea's "Humpty Dumpty" – plus the originals "Two Bad", "Perazela", "Mompouana", and "Perazuan". (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD