Jessy J

Jessy J (born Jessica Arellano on December 20, 1982 in Portland, Oregon, United States) is an American musician in the contemporary jazz music genre.

Biography
Jessy J is Mexican-American. Her father is from Mexico and her mother is a native Texan. She was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in Hemet, California. She began playing piano at the age of four. At the age of 15, at the Bela Bartok Festival, she won the Piano State Championship. Not only a championship pianist, Jessy J played saxophone in state honored bands, such as the Grammy Band, and played internationally in festivals like the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Earning a scholarship to University of Southern California, she obtained a degree in jazz studies and was named the "Most Outstanding Jazz Student". After graduating from USC, she worked in the studio with Michael Bublé. She toured with The Temptations, Jessica Simpson, Michael Bolton, and Seal. Jessy J also performed as a member of the Henry Mancini Jazz Orchestra.

Prior to being a studio musician and touring as a jazz artist, Jessy J performed on the cast of the Off-Broadway play Blast! She performed not only as a saxophonist and singer but also as actress and dancer. Touring with Blast! took her across the U.S., to the United Kingdom and Japan.

Jessy J's recording career began after producer/guitarist Paul Brown listened to her demo and gave her a spot on his tour. She soon began making solo appearances. Her first major solo performance was at the Catalina JazzTrax Festival in 2006. Soon afterward, she and Paul Brown were in the studio recording her first album, Tequila Moon.

Since beginning her career, she has toured with other jazz artists, such as Jeff Lorber, Jeff Golub, Euge Groove, Paul Brown, and Gerald Albright. In 2008/2009, she toured as a part of the Guitars & Saxes tour. In 2010 she Toured with Norman Brown and Brenda Russell in the Summer Storm Jazz tour.

Jessy J has built up a Latin following, lending her hand in Hispanic music programs and performing with the Hispanic Musician Association Orchestra. Jessy J had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall with Paquito D'Rivera as part of the Latin Jazz Project. She has also worked in Mexico with artists Gloria Trevi (known as the Madonna of Mexico), Armando Manzanero (whom she calls "the Mancini of Mexico"), Grammy Nominated singer Cristian Castro, Rock of Ages star Diego Boneta, and Sheila E.

Her song "Tequila Moon" hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Jazz chart. Her song "Tropical Rain", from her 2009 release, reached the top of the Groove Jazz Music chart and also took the #1 spot on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown, as well as the R&R and Billboard Jazz charts.

In 2008 she was named Radio and Records "Debut Artist of the Year". She also received the "Contemporary Jazz Song of the Year" award from R&R and Billboard for her song "Tequila Moon".

In 2008 Jessy J was featured on the cover of the May issue of Jazziz Magazine. In 2009, she was on the October cover of Saxophone Journal Magazine and Latina Style Magazine.

In 2011 Jessy's Album Hot Sauce debuted at #1 on Billboard Jazz and was featured in People Espanol and Latina Magazine. The album includes performances by Jazz Legends Joe Sample, Harvey Mason, and Ray Parker Jr.

Trivia
The "J" in Jessy J stands for JAZZ. Wanting to find a name that people could easily remember, and after fiddling with the names Jessy and Jazzy, she and producer, Paul Brown, decided on the name Jessy J.

Awards
2008 #1 Song of the Year, Tequila Moon, Billboard Magazine, Radio and Records

2008 Debut Artist of the Year, Radio and Records, Jazztrax

2009 #1 Song Tropical Rain, Billboard

2010 ASCAPlus writing Award (ASCAP), American Society of Composers and Publishers

2011 ASCAPLUS writing Award (ASCAP), American Society of Composers and Publishers

2011 #1 Album Hot Sauce, Billboard Jazz charts

*ASCAPLUS AWARD is a monetary award given to writers that are early on in their career, recognized as being leaders and innovators in the area of writing, performing and giving back to the community. The process of selection includes an in depth application listing all musical works created, performance schedule, and community involvement. Then a panel of Judges in New York evaluates the material submitted and selects the winners.

Charities
In addition to being an active song writer and performer Jessy also takes time to participate in events that give back the community and was featured as a Rising Star Jazz Clinician at Disney's Jazz Celebration in Florida this year as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the "Young Musicians Project" in Los Angeles. "I feel that it is important to give back to the community as a clinician and mentor. So many people have been gracious to me throughout the years and now I feel like it’s my turn to give back."

Television Performances
2012 American Idol Finale w/ Neil Diamond

2012 American Idol performances with Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez

2012 The Voice "Just the Way You Are", "Dancing in the Street" w/ Cee Lo Green

2011 CNN Espanol

2011 Univision, Acceso Total, Miami

2011 Telemundo, Llevantate

2011 Telemundo, Azul

2010 Fox Morning News

2009 Good Morning UK w/Seal

2009 Royal Albert Hall PBS Special w/ Michael Bolton

2008 Este Noche Tu Night, America TeVe

2008 Telemundo, Nitido

2006 The View w/Jessica Simpson

2006 Good Morning America w/Jessica Simpson

2006 NBC's Rockefeller Christmas Tree Ceremony w/Jessica Simpson

2004 BBC, Blue Peter

Discography

 * Tequila Moon (released March 4, 2008)
 * True Love (released August 4, 2009)
 * Hot Sauce (released September 6, 2011)