Jessy J imbues Blues Alley with sensual Latin sounds

By: Marie Gullard
Jazz artist Jessy J is looking forward to her Monday evening debut appearance at Blues Alley with all the fervor a relatively new, but rising, singer and songwriter musters on such an occasion.

"I think the thing that's really different about my music is the Latin flavor mixed with traditional jazz and pop elements," she said enthusiastically.

The fact that she flawlessly imparts that Latin twist to her seamless saxophone playing doesn't hurt either.

"Oh yes, people say they like the music from the perspective of a female playing the saxophone," she noted, by way of a humble afterthought.

Jessy J's original compositions were born out of her California upbringing where her Mexican-born father and her mother, a Texas native, gave frequent parties where festive, La Banda music of her dad's country flowed along with the good time. After graduating with a degree in jazz studies, she jumped into recording sessions with the likes of Michael Buble and toured with the Temptations and Jessica Simpson. Her debut album, "Tequila Moon" was released in March 2008 followed by "True Love" in 2009. The album's hit song; "Tropical Rain" reached the No. 1 spot on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown as well as the R&B and Billboard jazz charts.

"Hot Sauce" is Jesse J's newest release and wonderfully emblematic of her ongoing commitment to be an artist and composer of the highest caliber.

"On this CD, I wrote two songs with Joe Sample; he is one of my favorite keyboard players of all time," she continued. "I've really enjoyed the collaboration because it brings out different elements in the music."

She also notes that collaboration brings artists' past experiences to a song, calling the process similar to "having a child together -- you don't know how it's going to look until it's born."

Jessy J and her small backup band will perform material from her previous recordings such as "Tropical Rain" and Morning of the Carnival." She also plans a few covers of Carlos Santana and Eddie Palmieri.

"Rio Grande" is a personal favorite to perform. It is a song she wrote about immigrant suffering in today's society.

"The music is real, but it's also supposed to be fun and lighthearted," she said. "Some songs are going to be deep and very personal and others are about having a good time, getting up and dancing. It's going to be a party."

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/music/2011/11/jessy-j-imbues-blues-alley-sensual-latin-sounds#ixzz1ehPeH6kK