In the past decade there has been a steady movement away from presenting jazz at the Grammy Awards primetime telecast, so it came as a shock to many people when bassist/composer Esperanza Spalding was presented the Best New Artist Award at 53rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremonies. Spalding was the choice of a majority of NARAS voters.

The award had been expected by most to go to popular teen vocalist Justin Bieber among 4 other nominees which included, Drake, Florence & The Machine, Mumford & Sons 

Spalding, in shock, thanked the Academy for the “tremendous honor”. Anyone who has met the 26-year old young woman knows what a gracious person she is, and if you’ve talked to her, you know how serious she is about music.

In the past few days since the awards, there have been questions about Esperanza’s win and what it means for jazz. No one knows. What really matters is that more of the world is now getting to know about this amazing young women whose effusive love for music makes her one of the best things that has happened to jazz, in particular, and music in general, in some time. We’re glad that a majority of NARAS voters saw it that way.