With her debut Peak Records 2008 release "Tequila Moon," she was named “Debut Artist of the Year”, stayed perched at #1 for an incredible eight weeks on the Radio & Records airplay chart and was the overwhelming choice by Billboard and R&R for contemporary jazz song of the year with the CD’s title track. With the release of her highly-anticipated follow-up, again produced by veteran hitmaker and guitarist/labelmate Paul Brown, this sizzling new artist proves she is here to stay. With her now signature sound of hot beats, Latin and samba rhythms, sensous instantly captivating melodies and model looks, saxophonist/
One of the most remarkable aspects of "True Love" is Jessy’s ongoing commitment to her development as an artist and composer on her own terms. Backed on most tracks by Brown, keyboardist Gregg Karukas, bassist Roberto Vally, drummer Sergio Gonzalez and percussionist Richie Gajate Garcia, she puts her unique, multi-cultural stamp on an 11 track mix of vocals and instrumentals that draws from her rich Latin heritage and love for both traditional and contemporary jazz. Jessy’s soul-bearing search for "True Love" blossoms into a full on concept that embarks a colorful journey featuring Afro Cuban influenced Latin pop (“Tropical Rain”), R&B (“Forever”)
Jessy has also been making urban jazz fans across the U.S. “Baila” up a storm these past two years as a featured performer with genre greats Gerald Albright, Peter White, Jeff Lorber, Euge Groove and Jeff Golub on the popular 2008-2009 editions of the all-star Guitars and Saxes tours. She has also headlined with her own band several times at the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival and at such events as the City of Lights Jazz and Rhythm & Blues Festival in Las Vegas and the 98.1 Anniversary Gaslamp Festival in San Diego. This burgeoning slate of shows complements Jessy’s extensive schedule in the pop and Latin music worlds, where she continues to tour as saxophonist and backing vocalist for pop great Michael Bolton and has played extensively with two of Mexico’s most popular artists, Gloria Trevi (aka “The Madonna of Mexico”) and Armando Manzanero (whom Jessy calls “the Mancini of Mexico”).
The Portland, Oregon born, Hemet, California raised performer draws her inspiration naturally from several unique musical wellsprings. Growing up, her Mexican born father and mother, a native of Texas, had parties at their house where festive, live Latin music—including the La Banda music of her dad’s home country--flowed all night long. She was a huge fan of Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane, but also loved pop. So when she turned pro after graduating from USC with a degree in jazz studies—she was named “Most Outstanding Jazz Student” of her class--she jumped quickly into recording sessions with artists like Michael Buble and toured with The Temptations (2005-6) and Jessica Simpson.
A true musical prodigy, Jessy J began playing piano at age four and spent most of her childhood as a competitive artist, performing at major conferences, competitions and festivals. These childhood experiences and the discipline and work ethic she gained from them would prove to be a great testing ground for her future career in the industry. Even while working post-USC with so many exciting pop and Latin artists, she was putting together her own band, performing at such L.A. hotspots as The Jazz Bakery and, through her work with the Henry Mancini Institute and Orchestra, performing at numerous official functions and private parties. In 2004, Jessy joined the cast of the off-Broadway show Blast! and drew on her multitude of skills as an actress, singer, dancer and sax player as she performed throughout the U.S., in London and Tokyo. It was during this time that she started to have a strong desire to write and perform more of her own music. Once she got off the road, her friend, drummer Jamie Tate—a fellow clinician with the Thelonius Monk Jazz Institute—invited her to check out his gig with smooth jazz star Mindi Abair at the Newport Beach Jazz Festival, which further inspired Jessy to go after the dream she is now at last fulfilling with Tequila Moon. The Spanish-speaking saxophonist is also heavily involved in music programs connected with the Hispanic community, performing over the years with the Hispanic Musician Association Orchestra. In 2006, Jessy had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of the Latin Jazz Project put together by one of her true sax heroes, Paquito D’Rivera; the program involved D’Rivera mentoring a group of professional musicians under 30 in a workshop setting that led to the performance.
“After the success of "Tequila Moon," it was inevitable that many fans would ask me, ok, so what’s next? Where do you go from #1?” says Jessy. “But I never really worried about that pressure because I knew my approach would be to simply dig deeper into my essence as a person, songwriter and musician.. As the journey of this new album unfolded, I discovered something amazing, a little secret I will now share: after all this romantic searching, I realize now that my "True Love" is actually my lifelong passion for music!
For further background and tour information, plus downloadable photos please click on
http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/
