Line Up 20.ii.11 Grammy Lady Esperanza

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

... live at London jazz Festival last autumn, singing and playing


and stuff like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bQM1wAR8H4

ah well the snappy mr LeG is taking us into hipdom eh ....

Gary Husband makes the kind of music that all sounds the same and hasn't changed or improved since the Cream and Mahavishnu went at it nigh 50yrs ago ... let's hope ms Spaulding is more interesting ...

[Ian Thumwood]

Calum

I will be interested to hear the Esperanza Spalding gig. I've seen her place twice and think she has definately brought a breath of fresh air to jazz. The Line Up gig features her in a Chamber music context with arrangements written by Gil Goldstein as opposed to the small group with the excellent Leo Genovese on piano / keyboards. You can get a good flavour of what her gigs sound like from the album "Esperanza" which includes covers of Milton Nascimento tunes and other latin-inspired music as well as more mellow material and aggressive , post-bop on tracks like "Mela" which feature Donald Harrison on alto.

As a live act, the accent on the two gigs I've been to has been on uncompromising jazz but I think this is only part of her influence. There is definately an element of soul in there too - the reason why I think she stands the best chance of any current jazz artist of crossing over to a more commercial audience without losing her artistic integrety. When she was ridiculous billed as a support act for Joe Cocker as Vienne last summer, she seemed purposely to play an uncompromising jazz set that included a version of Wayne Shorter's "Endangered species" that passed straight over that particular audience's head as they had come to see the fat, bald bloke from Sheffield. She then went up to mock the audience by getting them to sing along to a riff on one tune which was about as convoluted as a Lennie Tristano head. I must admit that this made me laugh even though I think an English-speaking audience wouldn't have taken too kindly to have been ridiculed in this fashion.

For me, Esperanza Spalding is a remarkable bassist, maybe one of the most talented from a younger generation since Christian McBride emerged in the early 90's. The no-nonsense lyrics to her songs may also prove a challenge but seem to serve notice that she is definately a musician of the 21st Century as opposed to some retro-act. Jazz has always reflected the popular music if it's day but perhaps not quite so much on it's own terms as ES. A good friend of mine who I would describe as having a taste in jazz that runs from Basie through to 60's Coltrane was full of praise for her work and described her as a genuine jazz musician. Seeing as he was a professional jazz musician and teaches the music in Lyon, he does know his stuff. I would be interested to hear your take although expect that the Chamber music group could be a but more reserved than when I heard they play. The gig did get some very good reviews though.

Glad she won the Grammy, by the way. Seems to me to be a vote for common sense and a thumbs up for a "real" musician as opposed to all the manufactured stuff that abounds today. The Jazz category of the Grammys is often worth checking out - over the last few years there have been some wise nominations as opposed to an inundation of complete dross "Smooth jazz." Hollenbeck and Argue have been recent nominees and the "54" colloboration between John Scofield and Vince Mendosa is an interesting take on how jazz can be incorporated in a large ensemble. The Clayton Brothers disc which was also nominated this year is also supposed to be very fine although I haven't heard any of it. Seems like there is at least one person who knows what they are doing when chosing a jazz selection.

[Serial_Apologist]

Ms Spaulding has the musical intelligence not to sell out to smooth jazz or just become another Soul attraction - of that I am sure. As a jazz singer said to me this afternoon, it must be quite a job for anyone, however talented, to be able to sing and play the bass simultaneously, let alone at her level of capability. And - dare I say it? - she has the kind of looks AND charisma rarely granted jazz musos that would win her to non-jazz audiences. Hiow much this could have to do with winning wider audiences to jazz music as a whole, I cannot say.

S-A

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

er tottie is what does it at the grammies it seems:

http://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2011/02/why-justin-bieber-lost-the-grammy-hes-not-a-cute-young-woman/71305/

look forward to hearing her, often been impressed in a straight jazz context [eg with Lovano]

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

ms Spaulding inter alia at the Vanguard [up for a week only]

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/17/133838291/fivin-around-at-the-village-vanguard-on-jazzset

[Ian Thumwood]

Calum/ SA

Having listened to this gig, I felt the best number was the opening track and whilst it was demonstrative of how someone like Gil Goldestein has absorbed "serious" string writing in a jazz context aeons beyond the kind of syrupy goo of the charts for the likes of Charlie Parker, for me this was a very restrained Esperanza performance. Whilst she has put down some very good ballad performances on disc ("Fall in" is exceptional), the final track almost mutated into the realms of "art song." Although this is a brave and interest experiment, I much prefer her edgier recordings and hope that she returns to this format in her next studio recording. All in all , though, she is a major talent in my estimation.

[Serial_Apologist]

Well, excepting monir provisos, I think we're agreed about Ms Hope, then!

Must say, though, Have to agree with calum about the two Gary Husband trax featured on the prog: I used to have a lot of time for Husband, but this stuff sounded ca 1973 Soft Machine; SM had worn themselvews out of new ideas by that stage, and I don't feel much new can today be drawn from that source. Have to say, felt much the same about the IMS quintet, much influenced from the same source; and Elephant didn't do it for me either. For more creative soucing on that jazz-rock era, Led Bib has more vitality in both the playing and the compositoinal ideas, oneself feels.

Now, come come, don't all agree at once!

S-A

[Byas'd Opinion]

I'm going to hear Led Bib next weekend. I'll let you know.

Oh, and congratulations to Roy Haynes on his Lifelong Contribution Grammy.

[Serial_Apologist]

Oh, and congratulations to Roy Haynes on his Lifelong Contribution Grammy.