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Palm Springs International Jazz Festival

esperanza spalding

esperanza spalding

spalding released her debut album, Junjo, in 2006 and continues to revolutionize modern jazz, blending blues, hip-hop, and Brazilian music with her buoyant voice.

A 5-time GRAMMY winner and 11-time nominee, spalding has previously released 8 full length albums.

Jazz has always been a melting pot of influences and I plan to incorporate them all. I always say that the problem with jazz accessibility is not the content of the music, it's people's ability to access it.
— esperanza spalding

In addition to working with her heroes, including Milton Nascimento, she has collaborated with Q-Tip, Janelle Monae, Robert Glasper, Terri Lyne Carrington and many others. As a composer her credits include writing the libretto for the opera Iphigenia with Wayne Shorter, which premiered in 2021. She is also a philanthropist and advocate, and is currently working to create a BIPOC artist sanctuary in her hometown of Portland, OR.

  • Sunday, February 22, 2026
  • 8:00 pm
  • Plaza Theatre

TICKETS: Single Show $66-228+

TICKETS: VIP ALL ACCESS - All 6 Shows + Party $1,000

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esperanza spalding: Radio Song

  • Junjo

    Junjo is the debut studio album released on April 18, 2006 by Spanish label, Ayva Music. esperanza was 22 years old.

    The trio features pianist Aruán Ortiz, Francisco Mela on drums and spalding on upright bass, and providing vocals. The album draws on jazz as well as on a number of Brazillian and Latin music styles.

  • Milton Nascimento

    Milton + esperanza is spalding’s first new album release since 2021's songwrights apothecary lab, which along with 2019’s 12 Little Spells, both won GRAMMY Awards (Best Jazz Vocal Album). This collaboration with jazz singer Milton Nascimento is dedicated to saxophonist Wayne Shorter who died in 2023. Recorded in Brazil.