In anticipation of the latest release Chamber Music Society from bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding due out August 17th, you can sign up to receive a free MP3 from the album at Esperanza’s brand new site and clicking the “sign up” button (top right, after clicking through) – or clicking here.
In my opinion the artistry of Esperanza Spalding is important for so many reasons. I have often given thought to the fact that her birth name means hope, because she has certainly given me lots of reasons to be hopeful about the future of music. What Esperanza Spalding does very, very well is create and perform great music. Music that can soothe and at the same time music that has so much depth as to cause me to enter into a state of contemplation. The fact that she is in her mid-twenties somehow makes me feel that she may have passed this way once before, I don’t know it’s just a hunch. Esperanza does not create a re-tread of predictable music, no she is as now as an iPhone app, full of youthful exuberance, yet as classy a 1939 Duesenberg.
I say all this to encourage all of us to support this artist by purchasing her music and going to see her live. By focusing our energy on the great ones, we won’t have anytime to commiserate about the mediocre status quo. In this age we don’t complain, we ignore.
Chamber Music Society, August 17th, 2010.
Pre-Order Link
Listen to the album on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129003770
Esperanza Spalding Official Site:
Join Esperanza on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Esperanza-Spalding/279919320526
Esperanza Spalding on MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/esperanzaspalding
2010 US Tour Dates
09/17/10 Esperanza Spalding in Grinell, IA Herrick Chapel, Grinell College
09/18/10 Esperanza Spalding in Des Moines, IA Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University
09/19/10 Esperanza Spalding in Stoughton, WI Opera House
09/21/10 – 09/22/10 Esperanza Spalding in Minneapolis, MN Dakota Jazz Club
09/23/10 Esperanza Spalding in Notre Dame, IN DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts of Notre Dame
09/24/10 Esperanza Spalding in Charlotte, NC Knight Theater
09/29/10 Esperanza Spalding in Pittsburgh, PA Byham Theater
09/30/10 Esperanza Spalding in New York City, NY Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
10/02/10 Esperanza Spalding in Cambridge, MA Sanders Theater, Harvard Universtity
10/03/10 Esperanza Spalding in Washington, DC Lincoln Theatre
10/07/10 Esperanza Spalding in Santa Monica, CA Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, The Broad Stage
10/08/10 Esperanza Spalding in San Luis Obispo, CA The Alex and Faye Spanos Theater
10/10/10 Esperanza Spalding in San Francisco, CA Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall
10/11/10 Esperanza Spalding in Arcata, CA Kate Buchanan Hall
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
