I have only recently discovered the talent that is Esperanza Spalding. The last minute or so of this performane literally sent chills down my spine. Wow!

Isn't she the one who won a major award instead of Justin Blubber at a recent music presentation??

Lol, yes Terry I do believe you are right. A victory for style & substance over....well, lets just leave it there!

Wow! I've heard her before and always appreciated her voice. Listening/watching this video just made me realize the extent to which her vocals remind me of the great Flora Purim.

Well I couldn't watch the vid as I was at work(YT blocked)
Sings and play compicated basslines and just to rub it well in..it was fretless!!
Now that is TALENT!!!

A prodigious talent, indeed, and her life story is an inspiration.

Wonderful cover story on her...Bass Player Magazine, April 2012.

Nice!
 
Stephen

A few years ago I caught the Rolling Thunder Tour here in NYC (Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten). What a line up! and opening for them was ES with her band. I would buy her cd's just to hear her sing! Amazing vocal stylings. Then she grabbed a standup and proceeded to play the daylights out of it...while singing! She's just a slip of a lass which makes the physicality of it even more impressive.
 
Her award was very well deserved - it's about time somebody over there woke up and recognized an artist that was truly gifted.
 
P.S. - If a bomb went off in this theater that night at least 3/4 of all the bassists from the tri-state area would've disappeared. I met a guy who was here from Australia and timed his vacation to make the show.
 
(Message edited by bassilisk on June 04, 2012)

Never heard of her before now...thanks! great voice and an excellent player to boot; that's so not prefabricated it gives me hope...
 
Tony

Now I think on, I am sure she supported Level 42 on their 30th Anniversary tour in 2010, I managed to speak with her in the interval at The Sage in Newcastle UK