Esperanza Spalding Performance Worth Twice the Price

Monday October 08, 2012

From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Review: Esperanza Spalding Performance Worth Twice the Price
By: Rick Nowlin

Let’s cut to the chase. If you ever have the chance to see Esperanza Spalding in concert, consider it a bargain at twice the price.

Friday night the bassist/singer/composer who grew up in Portland, OR, brought her 11-piece Radio Music Society (named after her most recent CD and including a seven-piece horn section) to the Byham Theater and simply killed it. I had been warned ahead of time that she puts on a show, and she certainly does.

It’s like no music I’ve ever heard before, though the construction recalled early-1970s fusion, the closest thing to it being Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth Big Band with tastes of Chicago and Bob Mintzer’s big band along with Ms. Spalding’s delicate lead vocals sprinkled in. “Endangered Species,” with a long trumpet solo from Igmar Thomas, typified the proceedings. And that doesn’t even take into account her technique on the acoustic bass, which was straight-up dangerous.

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Radio Song (clip)	1:01	Esperanza Spalding
Black Gold	5:17	Esperanza Spalding

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Watch what's on

*Radio Music Society Trailer
Black Gold
Esperanza Spalding at the Nobel Prize Ceremony
Esperanza Spalding at the Oscars

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