I'm hoping to write more about Esperanza Spalding's excellent new album, Emily's D+Evolution, in a post I have planned for next month. But as soon as I finished watching Spalding and her band's live performance of the project, I knew I had to share it immediately.

Emily's D+Evolution is a concept album, of sorts: a meticulous yet passionate fusion of jazz with pop and the personal with the political, all filtered through the persona of Spalding's more fiery and assertive alter ego, Emily. It's a dazzling and engaging experience on album but even more captivating live. Braided and bespectacled, donning a makeshift crown constructed of everything from feathers to electrical wiring, Spalding as Emily is a commanding physical presence, guiding her band through a performance that is equal parts rock show, musical theater, and performance art. While at times haphazard and awkward, the earnestness of the production easily charms the viewer, and the music (strictly electric, Spalding's familiar upright bass nowhere in sight) is as infectious as Spalding's frequent smile.

      

Nearly every song is a highlight, but if you're pressed for time, there are a few standout moments that shouldn't be missed. "Ebony and Ivy" features some musical innovation, with Spalding using her feet to play an odd synth-bass contraption, not to mention some pretty breathless vocal work. It's followed up with "Elevate or Operate," where an endearingly amateur marionette show takes center stage as Spalding, at the piano, delivers an intensely powerful vocal performance that, along with the instrumentation, grows ever more chaotic. Later, "Funk the Fear" turns into an extended jam session, during which her background singers engage in a playful dance-off, and a 10-minute rendition of "Unconditional Love" closes the show beautifully.

Emily's D+Evolution can be purchased or streamed from all of the usual suspects. The entire hour-long performance of it can be viewed below.