I haven’t heard Espinoza’s first album but I’m anxious to hear his next. I’m curious what jazz direction this very talented piano player will take.
self release
Joshua Espinoza (piano); Kris Monson (double bass); Jaron Lamar Davis (drums)
“Latino-American jazz pianist Joshua Espinoza blends and bends genres into songs that are immediately relatable yet hard to define.” That’s taken from Espinoza’s press release for SONGS FROM YESTERDAY, his second album.
I partially agree with that. I found an earlier, more telling quote from Joshua; “When some people hear the word ‘jazz, ’they immediately turn off, I want to change that.”
SONGS FROM YESTERDAY is a great album to give to that friend who says they don’t really like jazz, but, you hope with a little encouragement they might change their mind.
Espinoza lists Chick Corea and composer Maurice Ravel as influences. He obviously loved pop music. He covers two Beatles songs on the album.
I’m not that interested in hearing a jazzy rendition of a Lennon/McCartney song but i’m guessing for a lot of people that’s what they’ll initially like about SONGS FROM YESTERDAY.
There are five original compositions and four covers. I prefer the originals. Bassist Kris Monson wrote ‘Happy Song, ’and he couldn’t have picked a better title.
If you’re listening to this while driving, the car next to you will notice your head nodding up and down. It feels like a rock song you want to sing along with.
‘Appalachian Wanderer ’reminds me of the old folk song ‘Greensleeves.’ Espinoza wrote this and it may be my favorite song on the album. It starts as solo piano but then bass and drummer Jaron Lamar Davis lay down a tight rhythmic foundation for the piano to take off and explore the higher notes on the keyboard
Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ is another cover. Espinoza plays it even slower than the original. There’s this old adage that you should change a song you cover so you can make it your own.
He doesn’t do that. He adds a few piano trills at the end; maybe his way of saying, “I don’t know how to improve on a perfect song.” Kris Monson adds the most gorgeous bass solo on the album.
Espinoza’s ‘Michoacan ’reminds me of a Chick Corea record I’ve always loved; NOW HE SINGS, NOW HE SOBS. It’s got that Latin groove with the same outstanding support from bass and drums.
I haven’t heard Espinoza’s first album but I’m anxious to hear his next. I’m curious what jazz direction this very talented piano player will take.
The Baltimore-based Joshua Espinoza Trio has been performing since they got together in 2017.
