Esperanza rising
Esperanza Spalding, a 24-year-old Portland, Oregon born bassist/vocalist/composer pauses in the midst of a busy schedule to answer a few questions about music, her success and Newport. While her accomplishments snowball, Spalding remains grounded and gracious.
Spalding’s 2008 album “Esperanza” blends jazz, R&B and is kissed with an airy Brazilian touch. It is complex enough to sit down with, headphones in place, but also highly listenable and accessible. “Esperanza” was intended to be “an introduction of sorts to me and my music,” she explains. “Like, when you first meet someone, you give various details, a mixed bag of information that you feel will give them a general feel for your personality and history.”
Though Spalding currently plays first and foremost her own jazz hybrid, her musical backstory includes teaching herself the violin at age six, attending Berklee College of Music and garnering indie cred, singing and playing with Portland band Noise for Pretend and recording with M. Ward. As such, her influences are varied as stars.
“Despite ten years of playing primarily classical repertoire on the violin, and the past ten years playing jazz, I still hear radio music in my head,” she says. “So, all of the influences of what I have ‘studied’ is constantly being infiltrated with the music of my
subconscious. The list of influences is SO long. But, I guess the top few I can think of right now are Milton Nascimento, Dee Lite and Wayne Shorter. Of course I draw a lot of specific things from main singers, bassists, composers, horn players, etc.”
Spalding breaks boundaries and stays grateful. In 2005 she became one of the youngest professors at Berklee and the greats flock to her performances. She must have some appreciable road moments.
“One of my favorite memories is of a gig in Minneapolis,” Spalding remembers. “When we landed I ran into Edgar Meyer in the airport. Then Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Larry Graham showed up. It was a little nerve racking, but a thrill that they would come and listen and share an evening with me. They were both incredibly gracious.”
Spalding’s star has risen far and fast and I ask her what it’s like to have fantastic critical acclaim, do photo shoots for Banana Republic and the like.
“It's so hard to answer that question,” she says. “It's not ‘like’ anything. It just is my life. I only remember being me before the star rising. I hoped for great things in my music and from myself, and from my life. Now, as all of these amazing opportunities are coming, I basically hope and strive for the same things. I just hope and work towards growth and improvement in my music and in myself.”
They say success if the best revenge. I wonder if that rings true when Spalding is thinking about, say, whomever she wrote the song "She Got To You" about?
“In a sense I think about that I suppose,” she says. “But, I think of it mainly when I am not happy with a performance. Or my level of playing. Perhaps I played poorly at an auspicious concert, where some important figures attended. Afterwards I feel bummed, because I wanted to perform well for everyone. I just think, ‘if people thought I sucked
today, I know in a few years when they see me again, I'll be 10 times better.’ So, it is fuel, and helps me not get TOO attached to any one moment in my music.”
Spalding has been called “an irresistible performer” (Seattle Times), and when I tell her about Dave Brubeck sitting back, smiling, watching her play in Newport last summer, she is tickled.
“I didn't see that!” she says. “Awesome. I just wonder what they hear. That is a person I would like to de-brief with after a show, just to get his advice and input.”
Maybe this year Spalding will get that chance, as she and Brubeck will both be playing the JVC Jazz Festival Newport again. Spalding is practically old-school Newport alum by now, I tell her.
“Ha!,” she says. “Yes, well, I love the city, and I adore the festival. Other than the thrill of getting to hear SO much phenomenal music in one place, I love the harbor! I get mesmerized by the sea, sometimes when I should probably be paying attention to other things.”
August 2009
Esperanza Spalding, a 24-year-old Portland, Oregon born bassist/vocalist/composer pauses in the midst of a busy schedule to answer a few questions about music, her success and Newport. While her accomplishments snowball, Spalding remains grounded and gracious.
Spalding’s 2008 album “Esperanza” blends jazz, R&B and is kissed with an airy Brazilian touch. It is complex enough to sit down with, headphones in place, but also highly listenable and accessible. “Esperanza” was intended to be “an introduction of sorts to me and my music,” she explains. “Like, when you first meet someone, you give various details, a mixed bag of information that you feel will give them a general feel for your personality and history.”
Though Spalding currently plays first and foremost her own jazz hybrid, her musical backstory includes teaching herself the violin at age six, attending Berklee College of Music and garnering indie cred, singing and playing with Portland band Noise for Pretend and recording with M. Ward. As such, her influences are varied as stars.
“Despite ten years of playing primarily classical repertoire on the violin, and the past ten years playing jazz, I still hear radio music in my head,” she says. “So, all of the influences of what I have ‘studied’ is constantly being infiltrated with the music of my
subconscious. The list of influences is SO long. But, I guess the top few I can think of right now are Milton Nascimento, Dee Lite and Wayne Shorter. Of course I draw a lot of specific things from main singers, bassists, composers, horn players, etc.”
Spalding breaks boundaries and stays grateful. In 2005 she became one of the youngest professors at Berklee and the greats flock to her performances. She must have some appreciable road moments.
“One of my favorite memories is of a gig in Minneapolis,” Spalding remembers. “When we landed I ran into Edgar Meyer in the airport. Then Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Larry Graham showed up. It was a little nerve racking, but a thrill that they would come and listen and share an evening with me. They were both incredibly gracious.”
Spalding’s star has risen far and fast and I ask her what it’s like to have fantastic critical acclaim, do photo shoots for Banana Republic and the like.
“It's so hard to answer that question,” she says. “It's not ‘like’ anything. It just is my life. I only remember being me before the star rising. I hoped for great things in my music and from myself, and from my life. Now, as all of these amazing opportunities are coming, I basically hope and strive for the same things. I just hope and work towards growth and improvement in my music and in myself.”
They say success if the best revenge. I wonder if that rings true when Spalding is thinking about, say, whomever she wrote the song "She Got To You" about?
“In a sense I think about that I suppose,” she says. “But, I think of it mainly when I am not happy with a performance. Or my level of playing. Perhaps I played poorly at an auspicious concert, where some important figures attended. Afterwards I feel bummed, because I wanted to perform well for everyone. I just think, ‘if people thought I sucked
today, I know in a few years when they see me again, I'll be 10 times better.’ So, it is fuel, and helps me not get TOO attached to any one moment in my music.”
Spalding has been called “an irresistible performer” (Seattle Times), and when I tell her about Dave Brubeck sitting back, smiling, watching her play in Newport last summer, she is tickled.
“I didn't see that!” she says. “Awesome. I just wonder what they hear. That is a person I would like to de-brief with after a show, just to get his advice and input.”
Maybe this year Spalding will get that chance, as she and Brubeck will both be playing the JVC Jazz Festival Newport again. Spalding is practically old-school Newport alum by now, I tell her.
“Ha!,” she says. “Yes, well, I love the city, and I adore the festival. Other than the thrill of getting to hear SO much phenomenal music in one place, I love the harbor! I get mesmerized by the sea, sometimes when I should probably be paying attention to other things.”
August 2009