Album: Esperanza Spalding, Chamber Music Society (Heads Up)

She's still emulating Norah Jones more than Charles Mingus but with this third album the double bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding announces her arrival as a major star.

It helps that the music is based around something she knows well – strings – and that her co-producer and arranger Gil Goldstein has proved so sympathetic a partner, but Spalding's joyful musicality animates every track. Nine of the 11 tunes are her own; Milton Nascimento sings a duet on "Apple Blossom", and Gretchen Parlato guests on Jobim's "Inutil Paisagem".