(Heads Up International)

After becoming the first artist from the jazz community to receive the Best New Artist Grammy award last year, and achieving yet more notoriety, one might have expected Esperanza Spalding’s much-anticipated new recording to evidence the effect of this deluge of stardom. Instead, Radio Music Society is as deeply reflective as any of the 27-year old bassist, singer and composer’s work to date. In addition to the stories of relationships gone bad and romantic adoration, there’s are deeper tales of cultural misunderstandings and the wrongful conviction of Cornelius Dupree, Jr.. Spalding’s sound interweaves the pop, r&b, rock and other influences that make up her musical DNA, with her jazz sensibilities. She pulled together a diverse musician lineup, which includes saxophonist Joe Lovano,and veteran drummers Jack DeJohnette, Billy Hart and Terri Lyne Carrington, along with guitarists Jef Lee Johnson and Lionel Loueke. Vocalists on the effort include Algebra Blesset, Gretchen Parlato, Leni Stern and Lalah Hathaway in a nice lyrical rendition of Weather Report’s “Endangered Species”. There’s something to be said for an artist who receives the kind of popular praise and remains true to her heart and her art; fusing reverence with inclusivity to make a thoroughly admirable and entertaining production.