A few months ago, I was watching the 2011 grammy's, they stepped up to announce the winner of best new artist; nominees included Justin Bieber and Drake. My friends and I sat braced, finger crossed for drake. The announcers opened the envelope and read out the name Esperenza Spalding and an unassuming small lady with a kinky afro who I had never heard of or seen in my life walked up to collect her award. 'Esperenza who!?'
Slightly enraged by the fact that Drake hadn't won the award I went off to google this woman, my discoveries shocked, appalled and stunned me to say the least.
Esperenza is a phenomenal jazz double bassist who sings and plays her bass like it's all she has left in this world. Yes, I became obsessed, her music is JUST DIVINE and I honestly cannot get enough. (It really doesn't help that I love the double bass and one of my deepest regrets is not learning to play it)
Someone on YouTube summed up her history excellently:
''Esperanza spalding grew up with a single parent in the ghetto, taught herself violin at 5, and various other instruments, attended jazz college with her mom at 8 and would play songs the teacher taught her mom by herself, at 16 went to college at portland university on a scholarship, then attended berkely school of music on a scholarship, almost had to stop her music career because of lack of money, if you ask me, this girl deserved the grammy 10 times over a pop star found on youtube''
From her beautifully husky but toned voice to her passionate plucking of the bass to her excellent compositions; her music is simply just some of the best I have come across in this contemporary age. Perhaps it is the drive and determination with which she elevated herself from the ghetto that creates the passion in her music, whatever it it, it is inescapable.You connect with the emotion in her voice and many her time her music has made me well up with tears.
I wish I had enough words to express my love of her music, but I just do not. YES she deserved that grammy, 10 times over and I am so glad I discovered her. She does contemporary Jazz music proud.
It gets better; this woman is just so amazing... she began teaching at Berkley at the age of 20! (making her one of the youngest ever professors of music at the university. Pure unadulterated talent. She is an inspiration to us all.
Perhaps she will be the one to make Jazz commercial once again.
Please if you love jazz listen to her music you will NOT regret it , She has two main albums, 'Chamber music society'- 2010 ,' Esperenza'- 2008
And listen to these YouTube videos for a flavour, just a flavour however:
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