Ten years ago this month, we started an adventure. We set out on a mission to support musicians and to assist them in getting their craft out to the listeners. Ten years is an eternity in the music industry, and we've witnessed a lot of sweeping changes in how music is perceived, received, retrieved...you get the picture. One factor that's remained a constant here at Esperanza however, we're in it for the love of art. It's been a bumpy and curvy road, but we're anxious to see what lies ahead in the next decade. And to those of you that supported these artists by paying for records, stood in a freezing cold abandoned theater to see a show, slapped a vinyl sticker on your back window, etc., we'd like to send out a resounding, heartfelt THANK YOU from the Esperanza family. Come and join us Wednesday, October 17th at 7PM at Morningbell Records as we celebrate this 10 year milestone. The Weeks, El Obo and T. B. Ledford will be playing, and we'll also be previewing Bear Colony's sophomore album Soft Eyes (available November 13th on LP/CD/MP3) throughout the evening.

-the management

SPRING HAS SPRUNG! TIME FOR A NEW RECORD! We are officially two weeks away from the release of Johnny Bertram and the Golden Bicycles’ new record Neon City, and we couldn’t be any more excited! This sophomore release highlights the great strides that Johnny continues to make as a songwriter, and showcases the strong musical bond he has developed with his now permanent backing band. Recorded in Mississippi during the spring months of 2011 that led up to his departure to the Pacific Northwest, Neon City is chock full of up tempo material that Johnny and co. road-tested on tour throughout the Southeast over the past two years. Anyone who’s been to a Johnny Bertram show in the past year will automatically recognize new burners like “Wave” and “River”. Look for Neon City April 24th, available on CD and LP in the Esperanza e-store (pre-order is up), at Jackson’s Morningbell Records (for you fine Mississippi folks), and at your usual online/digital providers.

Stay tuned for news on Bear Colony, The Weeks and more in the coming days

-the management

October sees the release of THREE new Esperanza Plantation releases, TB Ledford’s debut album Butcher Bird, Wooden Finger’s sophomore album Take and See and Do What You Want, and the Weeks’ new EP Gutter Gaunt Gangster. Additionally, Wooden Finger’s album marks the TWENTIETH Esperanza release, so we’re throwing a GHOULS NIGHT OUT to celebrate!!! That’s right, on October 29th at Hal and Mal’s we’re hosting a trifecta record release show for all three albums!! To help us throw this monster mash, we turned to our friends at Cathead Vodka, who practice what they preach when it comes to their motto to “support live music”. Cathead will be stirring up some signature spook-inspired beverages in their cauldron that are not to be missed! The show kicks off with Wooden Finger (and special guests) taking the stage at 9PM, so step out and howl at the moon with us!! Show is $10 for ages 18+, with door prizes and other ghastly surprises throughout the night!! Come out, come out, wherever you are!!!

-the management

We’re feverishly working towards the fall as we’re loading the bases with THREE new releases in October! That’s right, on October 11th, we’re rolling out a new vinyl 12” EP from the Weeks titled Gutter Gaunt Gangster featuring six new tracks (and cut on 180 gram, for all you fidelity hounds!), as well as Wooden Finger’s sophomore full-length Take and See and Do What You Want. Two weeks later, we’re capping off the month with the highly-anticipated (and long overdue) debut release from singer-songwriter/Horse Trailer collaborator TB Ledford, titled Butcher Bird, on October 25th. With the Wooden Finger release, we are also commemorating our TWENTIETH release! To celebrate this milestone and the release of these three records, we’ve got a little event in store! Details to come soon, but go ahead and mark October 29th on your calendar!

-the management

It’s time! We’re kicking off our 2011 release schedule with a record several years in the making. May 10th will see the debut release of El Obo, the solo side-project of Colour Revolt frontman Jesse Coppenbarger. The ten tracks that comprise Oxford Basement Collection were recorded over a five year span during Jesse’s spare time between Colour Revolt releases and tours, and highlight his quick development into the accomplished songwriter heard on their 2010 release, The Cradle. The El Obo project is a singer-songwriter venture that focuses on Jesse’s talents as a vocalist, so fans of Colour Revolt tracks like “A New Family” and “Moses of the South” will feel right at home. To capture the warm tones of this debut, we are releasing it in a deluxe vinyl edition, that features the album on blue vinyl plus a copy of the record on cd (with 3 bonus tracks) in the LP jacket. Pre-order your copy today in our e-store!

And stay tuned for more news in the coming weeks about more upcoming releases for 2011.

-the management

It’s that time of year again where members of the extended Esperanza family convene at the Pix/Capri Theater in Jackson, MS to celebrate another year of music-making. This year marks our eighth annual installment of the showcase, and our sixth at the Pix/Capri. This year offers a FULL line-up of music, starting with Oxford, MS based Winter Sport (feat. Jacksonian Martin Powell of Boyscout), who is kicking off the festivities at 7PM sharp. The line-up is rounded out by T. B. Ledford, Wooden Finger, The Weeks, Bear Colony and Colour Revolt, followed by a late-night set from Jackson’s funk/dance/house/general party J-TRAN, featuring local artist Josh Hailey who is moving to Los Angeles at the end of the month, so come out and send Josh off with a bang! Doors open at 6:30, with show starting at 7PM sharp on Friday, December 17th. As always, the showcase is an all-ages event, and for those newbies, wear a jacket, the Capri lacks heat. Hope to see you there as we close 2010 in proper fashion.

And what’s on tap for 2011? New albums from TB Ledford, Bear Colony, El Obo (feat. Jesse Coppenbarger of Colour Revolt) and Wooden Finger, that’s what! Stay tuned…

-the management