REVIEW Esperanza Spalding Thrills at The Egg

Monday January 24, 2011

From The Albany Times Union

Spalding Thrills at Egg
By: Michael Eck

The term virtuoso often translates as show-off. You know, the type of musician for whom a backing band is merely a launching pad for epic, indulgent solos that put technique and flash before music.

Esperanza Spalding is a virtuoso, but she’s not a show-off.

The 26-year-old bassist led her Chamber Music Society through a quiet but thrilling program at The Egg on Sunday, effortlessly fusing classical, jazz and Third Stream influences.

Spalding came to national recognition in 2008 with a self-titled solo album that strutted with confidence, displaying strong song-writing chops, masterful instrumental skills and a high-pitched, powerful voice. 2010’s follow-up, “Chamber Music Society,” was less funky and less brash, leaning heavily on the classical skills Spalding developed as a young prodigy in Portland, Ore.

At The Egg, not surprisingly, she drew entirely from the latter, fronting a simply stellar band fleshed out by drummer Terri Lynn Carrington, pianist Leonardo Genovese, vocalist Leala Vogt and the string trio of cellist Jody Redhage, violist Lois Martin and violinist Sara Caswell.

To read the full article click here

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

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Black Gold
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