NEW YORK—When Esperanza Spalding plays her upright bass, the bulky instrument extends over her unruly mass of curls by half a foot as she bobs and weaves to complex jazz rhythms. The pairing's a visual mismatch, but there's no doubt she's in comm
“Maybe it looks like I'm working hard, but I'm pretty relaxed," says the lithe, 5-foot-6 (pre-hair) nominee for best new artist at the Feb. 13 Grammy Awards. “I'm conscious of playing with good technique and posture."
Spalding, 26, certainly stands tall among performers with potential to make a lasting impact. She's a musician's musician: classically trained composer, multi-lingual vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, a budding jazz star and buddies with (and recent opening act for) Prince.
And on the strength of her two major-label albums, 2008's Esperanza (instrumental and vocal jazz with elements of Brazilian and hip-hop) and last year's Chamber Music Society (a fusion of contemporary jazz and vocals with chamber music, folk and world music), she has captivated a wide swath of admirers, including collaborators Stevie Wonder and Stanley Clarke, plus President Obama, who invited her to play at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies.
Though her albums inhabit the upper reaches of the contemporary jazz charts, she says, “different kinds of people have been attracted to my music, and I see a broad demographic range in the audiences. People are more open than we think and can still identify heartfelt music when they get a chance to hear it."
Spalding, raised by her mother in a tough Portland., Ore., neighborhood, heard her first heartfelt music at age 4 while watching cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
“Maybe it looks like I'm working hard, but I'm pretty relaxed," says the lithe, 5-foot-6 (pre-hair) nominee for best new artist at the Feb. 13 Grammy Awards. “I'm conscious of playing with good technique and posture."
Spalding, 26, certainly stands tall among performers with potential to make a lasting impact. She's a musician's musician: classically trained composer, multi-lingual vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, a budding jazz star and buddies with (and recent opening act for) Prince.
And on the strength of her two major-label albums, 2008's Esperanza (instrumental and vocal jazz with elements of Brazilian and hip-hop) and last year's Chamber Music Society (a fusion of contemporary jazz and vocals with chamber music, folk and world music), she has captivated a wide swath of admirers, including collaborators Stevie Wonder and Stanley Clarke, plus President Obama, who invited her to play at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies.
Though her albums inhabit the upper reaches of the contemporary jazz charts, she says, “different kinds of people have been attracted to my music, and I see a broad demographic range in the audiences. People are more open than we think and can still identify heartfelt music when they get a chance to hear it."
Spalding, raised by her mother in a tough Portland., Ore., neighborhood, heard her first heartfelt music at age 4 while watching cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Photo Credit
Everett R. Davis
