Esperanza Spalding is turning the jazz world on its ear

Forgive me if I gloat a little.

Back in January, when the phenomenal Portland-raised bassist-vocalist Esperanza Spalding played at Experience Music Project, I said we'd be hearing more from this remarkable young woman.

Boy, are we hearing more. Since the May release of Spalding's major label debut, "Esperanza" (Heads Up), which debuted at No. 3 on the jazz charts and remains there, Spalding has appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live." (You can view her "Late Show" appearance at www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7jZCjNz_kQ.)

To give you an idea of just how rare it is for a jazz player to appear on Letterman, the last time I started writing a story about jazz on TV, I was told the talent booker was not interested in being interviewed because jazz was a "nonissue."

Spalding is clearly breaking barriers, not just for her own career, but for jazz. A perceptive young woman, she understands all too well the retro niche the music has dug for itself. She said in our January interview, "Jazz has been evolving, it's just that most cats are looking in the wrong places for it."

One obvious place you can look for Spalding right now is at Jazz Alley Tuesday and Wednesday. Spalding appears with the rhythm section on her album — Leo Genovese (piano) and Otis Brown (drums) — plus Richard Vogt (guitar). Don't miss this opportunity. She may not be playing clubs long.

Cynics no doubt will argue Spalding is blowing up because she's ridiculously cute and a novelty act to boot, singing and playing the bass at the same time. (She's not the first on that score. Slam Stewart and Major Holley scatted along with their bass solos, but Spalding sings — and writes — lyrics, too.)

But the fact is, Spalding is an accomplished bassist, having already toured Europe with saxophonist Joe Lovano. A lot of her new album has the upbeat feel of a '60s Brazilian samba record, complete with animated choral backgrounds. She sings well in Portuguese, Spanish and English and on the album reinvents her cool, 5/4-time version of "Body and Soul" in Spanish.

Guitarist Pat Metheny, an early mentor for Spalding, described her as having "the X factor." She definitely projects something magical, a combination of innocence and cheeky flirtiness combined with a relaxed musical flow. She comes across as absolutely spontaneous, as if she were just thinking out loud.

Her lyrics convey a refreshing independence of mind, as well.

"I'm not gonna sit around and waste/my precious divine energy/trying to explain and being ashamed/of things you think are wrong with me," she tells her lover, on "Precious."

After she sang on "The Late Show," Letterman, visibly delighted, strode over to her and said, "The coolest person we've ever had on the show," then kissed her hand. (She returned the favor.)

Spalding's name means "hope" in Spanish and, as I said last January, she's a real hope for jazz. She appeals to young people who want to hear a soulful message, not just an academic lesson about virtuosity.

Spalding is not the only singer worth hearing in town. Karrin Allyson, whose excellent new album, "Imagina," also takes her to Brazil, plays the Alley Thursday through Sunday. Kate McGarry, a moody, jazz-ish new singer-songwriter whose album "The Target" (Palmetto) made a huge critical impression last year, performs on the Visiting Songbirds series at 8 p.m. today at Bake's Place, in Issaquah ($59.50 with dinner, 6-7:15 p.m., $27 show only; 425-391-3335 or www.bakesplace.org).

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247 or pdebarros@seattletimes.com