Esperanza Spalding - Bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding has quickly emerged as one of the brightest lights in the musical world. With a unique and style-spanning presence, Spalding became the first jazz musician to receive the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2011. Spalding tours in support of her newest album, "Radio Music Society."
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is proud to announce that Ms. Spalding will be performing on June 21 at the Power Center at the University of Michigan. The nearby Lamp Post Inn will offer special overnight hotel rates using promo code SUMMERFEST.
Wikipedia has this to say about Ms. Spalding's artistry:
Influences and attitude toward music and jazz
Spalding cites jazz bassists Ron Carter and Dave Holland as important influences on her music; Carter for the "orchestration" of his playing and Holland for the way his compositional method complements his personal style.[52] She has described the saxophone player Wayne Shorter,[13] and singer-songwriter Milton Nascimento, as heroes.[53] She has also noted her preference for the music of Brazil.[13]
Spalding says she loves fusion music and was influenced by a "wonderful arc that started 40 years ago where people kept incorporating modern sounds into their music."[29] She has expressed concerns that jazz has wandered from its roots, suggesting that jazz has lost its street value and its relevance to "the Black experience to the Black Diaspora and beyond" now that has been co-opted by the "seasoned 'art' community".[7] She notes that in its early days, jazz was "popular dance music" and "the music of young people who considered themselves awfully hip", and believes "hip-hop, or neo-soul [...] is our 'jazz' now as far as the role these genres play in the music genre lineage".[7] Spalding, who has expressed a desire to be judged for her musicianship rather than her sex appeal, believes that female musicians must take responsibility to avoid oversexualizing themselves.[29][13] and that in order to write original music, one must read and stay informed about the world.[13] She has said she models her career on those of Madonna and Ornette Coleman.[12]
Ms. Spalding is just one of the numerous artists performing this summer at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Be sure to check out their website at Ann Arbor Summer Festival.
