Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society (2010)

Ernest Barteldes

Concert/Festival Reviewer since 2005

Ernest Barteldes is a freelance writer and an ESL teacher.

Recent articles (186 total)

Published: August 3, 2010

Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society

On the opening track of her much-lauded, self-titled major label debut, Esperanza (Heads Up, 2008 ), bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding covered Milton Nascimento Milton Nascimento
b.1942
guitar 's timeless gem, "Ponta de Areia." Rather than covering another of the singer/composer's tunes on Chamber Music Society, Spalding recruits Nascimento to perform on her own "Apple Blossoms." It's but one example of a highly intriguing set that blends her classical training with jazz, pop and soul tendencies.

This might seem to be a risky endeavor, but not for Spalding, who not only keeps an open mind, but a radar-like ear that is able to absorb many sonic influences and still make them her own.

Evidence of this is "Winter Sun," another original composition that has elements of soul and jazz without too many complications. Here, she is supported solely by her trio and some multilayered backing vocals, before taking an unexpected bass solo that comes just as the tune might have headed in a pop direction. Her cover of Antonio Carlos Jobim Antonio Carlos Jobim
1927 - 1994
piano /Aloysio de Oliveira's "Inutil Paisagem" (known in English as "If You Never Come To Me") goes far away from the beaches of Rio; instead, there is a classically-inspired duet between Spalding and vocalist Gretchen Parlato Gretchen Parlato

vocal , who perform in both English and Portuguese, backed solely by the bandleader's bass.

The inclusion of strings is a plus here, enhancing the musicality of tracks including "Knowledge of Good and Evil," an up-tempo original with wordless vocals that showcases Spalding's vocal dexterity; the opening "Little Fly"; and "Apple Blossoms," where they flow around Nascimento's improvisations without interference. Also worth a few more spins are "Wild Is The Wind" and the closing "Short and Sweet," both demonstrating that Spalding will certainly be the inspiration for many music students, scholars and fans for years to come.

Track Listing: Little Fly; Knowledge Of Good And Evil; Really Very Small; Chacarera; Wild Is The Wind; Apple Blossom; As A Sprout;What A Friend; Winter Sun; Inútil Paisagem; Short And Sweet.

Personnel: Esperanza Spalding: vocals and bass; Terri Lynne Carrington: drums; Leo Genovese: drums; Milton Nascimento: vocals (6); Gretchen Parlato: vocals (2, 10); Quintino Cinalli: percussion; Ricardo Vogt: guitar; Entcho Todorov: violin; Lois Martin: viola; David Eggar: cello.

Record Label: Heads Up International
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream

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Date	Venue	Tickets
Jun22	Royal Theatre Victoria,	buy
Jun23	Vogue Theatre Vancouver,
Jun25	Francis Winspear Centre for Music Edmonton,
Jun26	Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts Calgary,
Jun28	The Town Hall New York, NY	buy
Jun29	Maisonneuve Theatre de la Palce des Arts Montreal,	buy
Jul04	Muziekgebbouw Frits Philips Eindhoven Eindhoven,	buy
Jul05	Festival International de Comblain-La-Tour Comblain-La-Tour,	buy
Jul07	Love Supreme East Sussex,	buy
Jul09	Gruvillage Festival Grugliasco,	buy
Jul12	THEATRE DE VERDURE Nice,	buy
Jul14	Festival Veranos de la Villa Madrid,	buy
Jul23	Palais Longchamp Marseille, France	buy
Jul24	Arena del mare Genova,	buy
Aug03	Fort Adams Park (Newport Jazz Festival) Newport, RI	buy
Aug04	Tanglewood Seiji Ozawa Hall Lenox, MA	buy
Aug28	Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA
Aug29	Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre Salt Lake City, UT	buy
Aug31	Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival Antillas
Nov14	Palau De La Música Catalana Barcelona, Spain	buy
Mar06	Sanders Theatre Cambridge, MA	buy