Joshua Espinoza Trio
Joshua Espinoza Trio

Jazz musicians improvise songs of pop/rock artists

With its encouraging space for individual expression and improvisation, jazz drew in pianist Joshua Espinosa, but he found that not everyone shared his love of the genre.

“As a jazz musicians, you’re taught this canon of songs from the 1920s to 60s or so, and the majority of the songs were the popular music of their day,” said the Baltimore-based pianist whose Joshua Espinoza Jazz Trio will perform at noon, Jan. 21, at Saint Paul’s Church as part of Tuesday’s Music Live. “I discovered a lot of those songs weren’t resonating the same way that they once did.”

So, he decided to take the music of pop/rock artists and give them a jazz-inspired touch. The works of Billy Joel, The Beatles, Eagles and Leonard Cohen in particular cross genres well, he said.

“I personally love Beatles’ songs,” he said. “They still seem to resonate with people in a way that George Gershwin does not.”

After a concert, he said he often finds an audience member who was skeptical before hearing the musicians but has been converted to enjoy jazz, and that is the greatest compliment of all.

At the concert, not only will the trio play some familiar songs, but the musicians will play some music that Espinoza has written.

Cultures collided in the North Carolina native’s life. Influences of the folkloric music of his Mexican heritage have blended with sounds of the Appalachian foothills to play a major role in the style of his own works.

“They are more closely related than you might think,” he said.

The trio’s debut album “Journey Into Night” was released in 2019 to critical acclaim, according to a news release, and the 2023 album “Songs from Yesterday” was hailed as a “complete triumph” by All About Jazz. Enjoyed by listeners worldwide, their 2021 single “And So It Goes” broke into the Top 40 on Spotify’s Global Jazz Charts. They perform often at revered venues including Blues Alley, Keystone Korner, The Bop Stop, Caffè Vivace, The Jazz Kitchen, Rudy’s Jazz Room and the DC Jazz Festival.

Tuesday’s Music Live began in 1988 and has become one of America’s largest noon day concert series with annual audiences of more than 5,000 people, according to the concert series website. The season features 12 free concerts that begin at noon and conclude at 12:30 p.m.

Other upcoming concerts include The Charlestones on Feb. 4; Ben Rosenblum Jazz on Feb. 18; Vimadeon Duo on March 4; and Arpeggione Duo to round out the season on March 18.

Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.

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