Esperanza Spalding: Enter her “Chamber”
August 31, 2010 No Comments
Chamber music: “Acoustic sound in a really intimate setting.”
That’s the definition conjured by jazzy bassist Esperanza Spalding.
Fresh out of the studio, the 25-something performer, fresh off her prime-time cable appearance on the BET Awards’ tribute to Prince, has got a whole ‘nother side to her.
Her new CD, “Chamber Music Society,” showcases that other side, whether it be blues, jazz or even a little pizazz.
Raised by a single parent in the “ghetto” in Portland, Oregon, Spalding credits her mother with instilling in her the music tastes that range from classical to hip-hop.
Introduced to the bass in middle school, Spalding has traces her musical interest back to a performance by reknown cellist Yo Yo Ma, when he performed on an episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
Spalding was all of 4 years old.
But the lesson stuck. Now, she’s hoping “Chamber Music Society” sticks with you.
