Program

Appalachian Wanderer – Joshua Espinoza

Morning Has Broken – Traditional, arr. Espinoza

Streetlight Serenade – Joshua Espinoza

Birdsong – Joshua Espinoza

Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn

About the Artist

Navigating a fine line between two cultures is nothing new for American pianist and composer Joshua Espinoza. As the son of a Mexican immigrant father and rural Appalachian mother, the pull of multiple distinct identities has always been a reality for him. “Growing up Latino in the American South," says Espinoza, “I felt like I had to navigate social situations carefully, even within my own family. Let's just say, I learned how to swerve in and out of various identities quickly, so I wouldn’t feel ostracized.” In this day of heightened divisiveness, Espinoza believes creating art is one important way of bridging the gap.

In his music, one can hear Espinoza swerving quickly between identities. “I feel like my playing inhabits the space between jazz and classical music. I’m enamored with composers like Debussy and Ravel, but crave the freedom of Art Tatum and Bill Evans.” As a pianist, Espinoza is particularly adept at switching seamlessly from shimmering impressionism to virtuosic outbursts akin to Chick Corea or Keith Jarrett, whom he cites as major influences. In sound, as in life, Espinoza has learned to adapt to situations on the fly, making for enthralling music on the bandstand. What’s the place of an artist in this increasingly chaotic social landscape? According to Espinoza, “music is one of the few things that can bring people together, despite our differences. If my songs can quiet a listener’s mind for just a moment, and allow these perceived distinctions to drip away, then I’ve achieved my goal as an artist.” 

Recently, Espinoza has performed alongside such notable artists as Warren Wolf, Sean Jones, Miho Hazama, Damien Sneed, Todd Marcus, Jerome Jennings, Paul Bollenback, Alex Norris, John D’earth, Mike Pope, Kris Funn, and Chuck Redd. A finalist in the 2018 Ellis Marsalis International Jazz Piano Competition and current faculty member of the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, his playing has been heard on stages large and small including the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Blues Alley, The Jazz Kitchen, The Kennedy Center, the Barns at Wolftrap, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the DC Jazz Festival. His debut album‟Journey Into Night" – released in June 2019 – is available on all platforms.To hear more, visit www.joshuaespinoza.com.