While catching up on some old videos on YouTube I stumbled across an interview of Esperanza Spalding.  I have heard her name mentioned before but, never really look into what she was all about.  The first thing that attracted me to her was that gorgeous fro she was wearing and how comfortable she looked rocking it.  But the more videos I clicked on I got to know more and more about her background and her many accomplishments.  She has a sweet and bubbly personality.  And her musical talent is off the hook.

Here are a few lines from her biography on her website www.esperanzaspalding.com ...

If "esperanza" is the Spanish word for hope, than bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth.  Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on hypnotic, the 23 year old prodigy-turned-pro might as well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music.

And for those of you who want to know, Spalding is of African-American, Welsh and Spanish descent.  Her mother is Welsh, Hispanic, and Native American, and her father is African-American.