Jessy J

Biography

Jessy J was born Jessica Arellano on December 20, 1982 in Portland, Oregon and raised in Hemet, California. Of Mexican-American descent, her father is from Mexico and her mother is a native Texan. She began playing piano at the age of four. At the age of 15, at the Béla Bartók Festival, she won the Piano State Championship. She also 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 performed on their twice GRAMMY® nominated album Elevation as a member of the Henry Mancini Jazz Orchestra. Jessy has performed on the hit television competition shows “American Idol” “The Voice” and “Dancing With the Stars.” The year Steven Tyler was a judge on “Idol,” he was so impressed with her performances that he invited her to play on Aerosmith’s 2012 album Music From Another Dimension.

Prior to being a studio musician and touring as a jazz artist, Jessy J performed in the casts of Mason Entertainment Group's Off-Broadway shows Shockwave, Cyberjam, and M.I.X. She performed not only as a saxophonist and singer but also as an actress and dancer. Touring with Mason Entertainment led her across the US, 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. In 2006 Jessy J was hand selected by Paquito D’Rivera to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of the Latin Jazz Project featuring the “Rising Stars of Tomorrow". 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 chart for Jazz. 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 & 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 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.

In 2014, Jessy was invited by producer Gerry Gallagher to record with Latin rock legends El Chicano as well as Alphonse Mouzon, Brian Auger, Alex Ligertwood, Ray Parker Jr., Vikki Carr, David Paich, Siedah Garrett, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Lenny Castro, Salvador Santana, Marcos J. Reyes, Pete Escovedo and Peter Michael Escovedo and is featured on saxophone on a cover of a Selena song "Thinking Of You" that is part of Gallagher's most recent studio album due out in 2017.

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

^{*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."

Jessy Continues to tour and follow her passion of sharing her music with the world and empowering young women through music education.

Television performances

Discography