PREVIEW: For Esperanza Spalding, Music is the Motivation

Thursday October 06, 2011

From NJ Press Media

For Esperanza Spalding, Music is the Motivation
By: Ed Condran

When Esperanza Spalding surprised music fans by winning the Best New Artist Grammy in February, the jazz singer and bassist didn’t let it go to her head – even though she is the first jazz artist to hoist such hardware.

“It was nice but it doesn’t make me a better musician,” Spalding said. “You don’t want to make a really huge deal over it because it doesn’t mean that I’m more productive. It’s nice that more people know me and maybe they’ll buy my records or come see a show. I can’t deny that benefit but I don’t see anything beyond that. I get to have more fun with interviews but as far as my music goes, it’s the same.”

That’s good news since much of Spalding’s stylish and sophisticated music is sublime. That goes for each of her three albums, dating back to her 2006 debut, “Junjo.” Yes, Spalding, who will perform Monday (Oct. 10) at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, has been around for a few years with a nice little canon – but she won a new artist Grammy.

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

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

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