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Jessy J: Second Chances
by Jeff Winbush
It's a paradox that what distinguishes Jessy J was the very thing she did not put enough emphasis upon; being a female Latin jazz artist. Through three albums of solid, if standard, smooth jazz grooves enlivened somewhat by more distinctive outbursts of originality the lady known as Jessica Spinella stumbled with the blandly generic Hot Sauce (Heads Up, 2011).In every musician's career a time comes when they must choose to follow a path to success chartered by others ...
read moreJessy J: Hot Sauce
by Jeff Winbush
The third major album by saxophonist Jessica Spinella (a.k.a. Jessy J) reflects both a reliance on a proven formula and the stirrings of venturing into unexplored territory. Jessy's got a problem. She can attribute much of her success to veteran producer Paul Brown, whose other clients include Euge Groove, Rick Braun and Boney James. Brown is a master of the catchy hook, which makes him more commercial than cutting edge. That's not a bad thing, but it doesn't ...
read moreJessy J: True Love
by Jeff Winbush
If half of life is just showing up and the other half is timing, then Jessica Spinella's timing is right on time. Smooth jazz is filled to the brim with saxophonists and while most of them are technically proficient, the sheer volume makes it difficult for a newcomer to stand out. Spinella, aka Jessy J brings more than just another pretty face to the party; her infusion of jazz with Latin rhythms gives her a foundation upon which to build.
read moreJessy J: Balancing Serious Skills and Sexy Image
by Jeff Winbush
How you react to Jessy J depends a great deal upon whether you see her or hear her first.Born Jessica Spinella in Portland, Oregon, the multi-instrumentalist has carved out a sturdy reputation as a musician in the studio and onstage in bands supporting Michael Bolton, Jessica Simpson and Gloria Trevi. In 2007, she released a eponymous debut album that didn't make much of a splash. Her sophomore effort, Tequila Moon (Peak Records, 2008) has been a fixture on ...
read moreJessy J: Tequila Moon
by Woodrow Wilkins
It's hard to imagine Jessy J as one who wanted to play straight-ahead jazz. Yet that was the type of demo she submitted to producer/guitarist Paul Brown, whose style and influence in recorded music is about as far from straight-ahead jazz as one can get. To no surprise, the relationship that developed between Brown and the saxophonist/vocalist has Jessy J fitting comfortably within the smooth jazz format, although her debut, Tequila Moon, has a Latin theme. Born ...
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