Deeply rooted in Latin jazz and R&B, Jessica Arellano (December 20, 1982), who goes by the stage name of Jessy J, made a name for herself as a sought-after studio musician before embarking on a successful solo career. A precocious talent, Arellano began playing the piano at age four and earned the title of Piano State Champion at the Béla Bartók Festival before picking up the saxophone during her teenage years. After graduating with honors at the University of Southern California, she got her start as a session musician for Michael Bublé and toured with Jessica Simpson, Michael Bolton, and Seal. Following her participation in the off-Broadway musical Blast!, she delivered her studio debut Tequila Moon in 2008. The album propelled the saxophonist to new heights as its title track topped Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Songs chart and she was named Debut Artist of the Year by the publication Radio & Records. With her star on the rise, Arellano scored another Number 1 with “Tropical Rain,” a single from her 2009 sophomore effort True Love, which was followed by Hot Sauce in 2011. Featuring guest spots by Saunders Sermons, Paul Brown, and Ray Parker Jr., the LP went straight to the top of the Billboard Jazz chart and paved the way for subsequent releases Second Chances (2013) and My One and Only One (2015). A Christmas album entitled California Christmas dropped in 2016 and the live album Live at Yoshi's: 10 Year Anniversary Special saw the light two years later, commemorating the release of Tequila Moon with a special performance at the famed California venue.
