Esperanza Spalding is a true original. No other jazz artist sounds quite like her, either on bass or as a vocalist. Her distinctive, afro-topped look stands out on CD and magazine covers. Even her career arc is proving unique: after breezing through her own education in record time, Spalding joined the Berklee College of Music faculty at age 20, and at 24 she has the performing mastery—and star power—of a veteran. Perhaps that’s why she drew such a large crowd to this Tuesday night late show, packing in hundreds and holding them through eight songs (plus an encore) despite a delayed start.

It took a while for the band to find its groove, with the first three tunes coming in a breathless rush that defied emotional attachment. Indeed, Spalding took a moment to explain that the large swig of water she’d taken just before starting had turned out to be “some other substance” that was affecting her performance. But as the tempos were gradually relaxed, the music grew deeper, richer and more fulfilling.

On stage, Spalding presents a compelling mix of virtuosity and girlish charm. She pours her whole spirit into each song, fingers flying across the strings. Her percolating basslines are lively and unpredictable, coming in rivulets that creep and scurry, combining a folksy funkiness with a poetic soul. Spalding’s vocal turns are daring and acrobatic, as she twists and stretches the phrasing and dynamics of lyrics to the breaking point before bursting into ecstatic, wordless glissandos and scats or—as in “Body and Soul,” dramatically collapsing from a triumphant high note to an intimate whisper.

Spalding’s bandmates also seemed to find themselves as the set progressed: Ricardo Vogt’s dry, clipped guitar tone created a fine counterpoint to Spalding’s lead, especially on two tunes where she switched to electric bass. Leo Genovese’s roaming piano slipped into intriguing, rolling rhythms, occasionally framed by tango-inspired breaks on melodica. And drummer Otis Brown provided perpetual motion, his rhythms busy but consistently in-the-pocket.

For the past year or so, Spalding has been universally pegged by critics as “one to watch.” But as the enthusiastic crowd at Yoshi’s made clear, she’s already arrived.

Esperanza Spalding’s engagement at Yoshi’s San Francisco concludes tonight.