Esperanza Spalding Shines at Camden’s Sunset Jazz Series

Summer is right around the corner, and Camden County is wasting no time providing free and family-friendly events for us all. One of the more popular events is the “Sunset Jazz Series at Wiggins Park,” which held its first show last night. This event is held on Monday nights at Camden’s Waterfront. As the title says, it’s sunset, so they usually start at 8 pm and create one of the best-looking backdrops you can ask for on a cool, breezy night.

Last night, the featured guest was the amazing Esperanza Spalding, and let me tell you, she was absolutely incredible. Esperanza is a super talented jazz artist who has done some really cool things in her career. She’s known for her unique vocal styles, musicality, dance, and aura, making her quite a sight, both visually and sonically.

Did you know that Esperanza started playing the violin when she was just five years old? That’s right! She was part of the Chamber Music Society of Oregon, which is like a big group of musicians who play classical music together. As she got older, she switched to playing the bass, which is a big string instrument. By her teenage years, she knew she wanted to be a jazz musician, and she worked really hard to make her dream come true.

Another awesome fact about Esperanza is that she made history at the Grammy Awards in 2011. She won the award for Best New Artist, which was a huge deal because she was the first jazz musician to ever win that category! She can also sing in different languages like English, Spanish, and Portuguese, which makes her music even more special. Plus, she’s not just a performer – she also teaches music and helps young people get excited about learning and playing music. Isn’t that inspiring?

Whether she’s playing her bass, singing in different languages, or teaching the next generation of musicians, Esperanza shows us that with passion and hard work, we can achieve great things. I hope you enjoyed learning about her and that you get a chance to attend the Sunset Jazz Series at Wiggins Park this summer. It’s the perfect way to enjoy music and make the most of those beautiful summer evenings!

The current 2024 concert schedule is as follows:

Sunset Jazz Series at Wiggins Park located at the Camden City waterfront. Start time – 8 p.m.

June 3 – Esperanza Spalding

• GRAMMY Award-winning artist interweaving various combinations of instrumental and vocal music, poetry, dance, and storytelling.
• Special Night Celebrating 40th Anniversary of Camden Community Partnership

June 10 – Black Violin

• Classical music duo blending hip hop, rock, R&B, and bluegrass into their modern classical sound.
• Wear Orange Night honoring survivors and building community to end gun violence

June 17 – Marshall Charloff & the Purple xPeRIeNCE

• Celebrated as the top Prince tribute act, the Purple xPeRIeNCE pays faithful homage.
• Juneteenth: Freedom Day. Educate. Advocate. Celebrate.

June 24 – Tower of Power

• TOP and their legendary, powerful horn section have been bringing their own unique style to the R&B and funk music scene since 1968.

July 1 – Lao Tizer Band ft. Elliot Yamin, Eric Marienthal, Karen Briggs and Chiele Minucci

• This captivating all-star ensemble thrills audiences with their blend of jazz, funk, rock, and world rhythms.

July 15 – A Celebration of Toots & the Maytals with Leba Hibbert

• Daughter of legendary reggae icon Toots Hibbert keeps his rich musical legacy alive with this special celebration.

July 29 – Matt Cappy & Friends

• South Jersey’s own accomplished instrumentalist, composer, and arranger brings along friends to accompany his soulful trumpet melodies.

August 19 – Brubeck Brothers Quartet

• Life-long collaborating brothers Dan and Chis Brubeck bring nearly a half century of experience to their soulful jazz performances.

August 26 – Jeffrey Osborne

• Multi-platinum singer-songwriter best known for his soulful voice and hits like “On the Wings of Love” and “Stay with Me Tonight.”

September 6 – Symphony in C and That Which Connects

• First collaboration between Symphony In C and That Which Connects and will feature classical music paired with original choreography.

September 16 – Edgardo Cintron & the Mambo Magic Band

• Percussionist Edgardo Cintron is a second-generation Puerto Rican and a second-generation musician. Known as much for his affable personality and generous spirit as for his tasty musicianship.

 Hispanic Heritage Month Recognizing Prominent Hispanic Citizens