Esperanza Spalding : NPR

Esperanza Spalding Is The 21st Century's Jazz Genius

Esperanza Spalding performs at the 2011 Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland. Photo Illustration: A163/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images and Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

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Photo Illustration: A163/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images and Angela Hsieh/NPR

Turning The Tables

Esperanza Spalding Is The 21st Century's Jazz Genius

August 28, 2018 • The ways in which Spalding's music is the most radical are perhaps the most easily overlooked: how, through her singing and playing, she challenges gender norms across styles.

The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+ (60-41)

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C Brandon/Redferns via Getty Images

Turning The Tables

The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+ (60-41)

July 30, 2018 • This list tackles history in the making, celebrating women and non-binary musicians whose songs are redefining genres and attitudes and changing our sense of what popular music can be in this century.

Esperanza Spalding's 'Exposure': A Creative Marathon, Live In The Studio

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Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Review

Jazz Night In America

Esperanza Spalding's 'Exposure': A Creative Marathon, Live In The Studio

WBGO

September 11, 2017 • Bassist, singer and composer Esperanza Spalding will be in the recording studio for 77 hours, conjuring her next album out of thin air. We'll be watching closely — and so can you.

For Thanksgiving, A Chain Of Musical Gratitude

Clockwise from left: Corey King, Esperanza Spalding, Laura Mvula, Michaela Anne. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

Music Interviews

For Thanksgiving, A Chain Of Musical Gratitude

November 24, 2016 • Host Ari Shapiro invites four different musicians — Laura Mvula, Esperanza Spalding, Corey King and Michaela Anne — to discuss a fellow artist they're each grateful for.

For Thanksgiving, A Chain Of Musical Gratitude

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All Songs +1: Our Most Memorable Tiny Desk Jazz Sets

Clockwise from upper left: Esperanza Spalding, Vijay Iyer, The No BS Brass Band, Robert Glasper NPR hide caption

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NPR

All Songs Considered

All Songs +1: Our Most Memorable Tiny Desk Jazz Sets

November 3, 2016 • Patrick Jarenwattananon, former writer for NPR Music's A Blog Supreme, joins us to talk about the most memorable jazz artists to appear at the Tiny Desk.

All Songs +1: Our Most Memorable Tiny Desk Jazz Sets

27:34

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Johann Sauty/Courtesy of the artist

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

Esperanza Spalding On Piano Jazz

October 21, 2016 • The bassist and singer performs "Prelude To A Kiss" with Marian McPartland in a 2008 session.

Esperanza Spalding On Piano Jazz

57:46

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Esperanza Spalding Brings A Real Inner Child Into The Studio

Esperanza Spalding's genre-bending new album, Emily's D+Evolution, is out now. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Music Interviews

Esperanza Spalding Brings A Real Inner Child Into The Studio

March 5, 2016 • "My job is working for her," Spalding says of the namesake character on her new album, Emily's D+Evolution. The jazz bassist and singer wrote her latest music with her childhood self in mind.

Esperanza Spalding Brings A Real Inner Child Into The Studio

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First Listen Live: Esperanza Spalding, 'Emily's D+Evolution'

Esperanza Spalding leads a performance of Emily's D Evolution. Ebru Yildiz for NPR hide caption

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Ebru Yildiz for NPR

Live in Concert

First Listen Live: Esperanza Spalding, 'Emily's D+Evolution'

WFUV On-Air: Music Discovery Starts Here

February 26, 2016 • Fulfilling a proggy, funky and theatrical direction for a power trio, the bassist and vocalist presents the music of her new album live in concert.

Esperanza Spalding, 'Good Lava' (Premiere)

Esperanza Spalding's new album Emily's D+Evolution will be released March 4. Holly Andres/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Holly Andres/Courtesy of the artist

Songs We Love

Esperanza Spalding, 'Good Lava' (Premiere)

January 8, 2016 • The bassist/singer says a curious child-like spirit guides her new album, explains her "flashlight into the future" and her love of the band Cream, and premieres a new song.

01Good Lava

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Bowie And Beyond: Looking Ahead To The Music Of 2016

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Music

Bowie And Beyond: Looking Ahead To The Music Of 2016

January 2, 2016 • NPR Music's Stephen Thompson shares songs from forthcoming albums by Esperanza Spalding, Damien Jurado, Lucinda Williams and David Bowie.

Bowie And Beyond: Looking Ahead To The Music Of 2016

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Esperanza Spalding: Guantanamo Doesn't Represent 'Our America'

Grammy Award-winner Esperanza Spalding in her video 'We Are America." ESPLLC hide caption

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ESPLLC

Music Interviews

Esperanza Spalding: Guantanamo Doesn't Represent 'Our America'

November 22, 2013 • The Grammy-winning musician's new recording, "We Are America," protests the controversial detention center. But she tells NPR she doesn't like to call it a protest song. It's more of a "let's get together and do something pro-active, creative and productive" song.

Esperanza Spalding: Guantanamo Doesn't Represent 'Our America'

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Chick Corea (keyboard) joined the SFJAZZ Collective for the closing performance, an arrangement of his piece "Spain." Scott Chernis/Courtesy of SFJAZZ Center hide caption

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Scott Chernis/Courtesy of SFJAZZ Center

JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater

SFJAZZ Center Opening Night On JazzSet

WBGO

May 2, 2013 • On opening night at San Francisco's newly constructed building designed for and dedicated to jazz, fans filled the stunning Robert N. Miner Auditorium for a maiden voyage and festive concert.

SFJAZZ Center Opening Night On JazzSet

57:57

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Tom Harrell's 'Colors Of A Dream': Live At The Village Vanguard

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John Rogers for NPR

Live At The Village Vanguard

Tom Harrell's 'Colors Of A Dream': Live At The Village Vanguard

WBGO

March 27, 2013 • At 66, the jazz trumpeter is as busy as ever: His current band has released five excellent albums since 2007 alone. His new, project provides further testament to his prolific composing.

Tom Harrell's 'Colors Of A Dream': Live At The Village Vanguard

1:00:12

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Esperanza Spalding: Song For A 'City Of Roses'

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opbmusic

Favorite Sessions

Esperanza Spalding: Song For A 'City Of Roses'

opbmusic.org

February 23, 2013 • One of the most celebrated voices in jazz returns to her old stomping grounds in Portland, Ore., to honor her longtime mentor, Thara Memory. Watch Esperanza Spalding perform "City of Roses."

Concerts

Esperanza Spalding, Kate McGarry In Concert

WGBH Radio

August 14, 2008 • Since it opened in 1989 overlooking the Boston skyline and the Charles River, Sculler's Jazz Club has been home to top-rated and up-and-coming artists. JazzSet reprises sets from two remarkable women who are bright sparks for the future of jazz: Kate McGarry and Esperanza Spalding.

Esperanza Spalding in Concert on JazzSet 9/12/06

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Newport Jazz 2008: George Wein's Newport All-Stars

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Newport Jazz Festival

Newport Jazz 2008: George Wein's Newport All-Stars

WBGO

August 10, 2008 • The founder and impresario of jazz at Newport is also a pianist. He brings a handpicked set of musicians ranging from their twenties to nearly 80 for a rousing set of small-group swing.

Newport Jazz 2008: George Wein's Newport All-Stars

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Music Interviews

Esperanza Spalding: Voice of the Bass

May 15, 2008 • There are many gifted jazz singers, and there's no shortage of accomplished acoustic bass players. But 23-year-old Esperanza Spalding's new album features both her soaring, flexible vocals and the low-end thump of her double bass.

Esperanza Spalding: Voice of the Bass

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Esperanza Spalding performs for "Morning Becomes Eclectic." KCRW hide caption

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KCRW

Favorite Sessions

KCRW Presents: Esperanza Spalding

KCRW

June 6, 2012 • Spalding treated the Morning Becomes Eclectic crew to a full-band in-studio performance during a recent visit to Santa Monica. Watch Spalding and company perform "Smile Like That."

First Listen: Esperanza Spalding, 'Radio Music Society'

Esperanza Spalding's new album, Radio Music Society, comes out March 20. Sandrine Lee hide caption

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Sandrine Lee

First Listen

First Listen: Esperanza Spalding, 'Radio Music Society'

March 11, 2012 • The virtuoso singing bassist, the surprise Best New Artist at the 2011 Grammys, has founded a sort of club. Its mission is to investigate the many mysteries of the "pop song," with jazz musicians, cheerful vocals and scare quotes.

Radio Song

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Esperanza Spalding: Jazz As 'Radio Music'

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Music Interviews

Esperanza Spalding: Jazz As 'Radio Music'

March 17, 2012 • The bassist and 2011 Grammy winner for Best New Artist explores the link between jazz and African-American identity on a new album.

Esperanza Spalding: Jazz As 'Radio Music'

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Highlights From The 2009 Newport Jazz Festival

Dave Brubeck is the most-featured artist of all time at the Newport Jazz Festival. Getty Images hide caption

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Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

Highlights From The 2009 Newport Jazz Festival

August 11, 2009 • Last weekend's festival packed in a dizzying array of talent, all performing in the span of 32 hours. We listened closely to as much of it as we could and picked five of the best songs — though certainly only a tiny sampling of the greatest moments — from our recordings.