# Video: Esperanza Spalding has established herself as one of today’s major musical conceptualists

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2017/09/13/video-esperanza-spalding-established-one-todays-major-musical-conceptualists/
- Published: 2017-09-13T20:23:47+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Over the course of five studio albums, bassist Esperanza Spalding has established
herself as one of today’s major musical conceptualists. **

Her funky yet cerebral 2016 album, _Emily’s D + Evolution_ (Concord), touched on
themes of imagination and creativity through the invocation of Spalding’s alter-
ego and creative avatar, Emily. With its incisive lyrics and bracing fusion of genres,
it was among the year’s best concept albums.

For her new work, _Exposure_, Spalding is displaying her creative energy in a unique
way, crafting a complete album in 77 hours, with every second of the recording session
live-streamed on Facebook Live.

Fans will bear witness to every moment of Spalding’s recording process, including
the breaks she takes to sleep in the studio. A monitor will also show Spalding’s
live audience comments, essentially allowing viewers to have input into the production
of the album. After _Exposure_ has been created and recorded it will be available
on limited-edition CD and vinyl via Concord Records.

Spalding has said that only 7,777 copies of _Exposure_ will be made, so it is a “
first come, first served” project. Fans can place pre-orders now. Other information,
including a pre-order link.

Spalding has invited other musicians and special guests to appear on the album, 
but those artists have yet to be announced.

Spalding anticipates that the unique “live” element of the album will ramp up the
intensity of the recording session, imbuing the proceedings with a fresh sense of
purpose and intent. “I foresee that creating before a live audience will add excitement
and extra inspiration energy,” Spalding said in a press statement. “Having such 
limited time to write and record 10 songs will also force us to rely on improvisation
and first instinct. Not allowing us time to judge, second guess, question or alter
the initial hits of inspiration that drive the creation of each song. That means
that the audience will get a record of the most potent, charged, fresh-from-the 
ethers-compositional, musical and lyrical content.”

Since the release of _Emily’s D+Evolution_, she debuted _Virgin Writes_, a lyrical,
Butoh staging of the ancient Greek mythological story of Iphigenia (in collaboration
with Yuka C. Honda and Vangeline). Her _Esperanza Spalding Selects_ display at the
Cooper Hewitt Museum is on exhibit now through January 2018.

In the spring of 2018, Spalding will begin a new role as professor of practice in
the Music Department of Harvard University, where she will teach a course that crosses
musical styles and genres. She joins flutist Claire Chase as recent additions to
the faculty.

Spalding also recently performed at Carnegie Hall with members of the Philadelphia
Orchestra and NY02, a Carnegie Hall program for instrumentalists ages 14 to 17. 
She performed at the alternative Inauguration Peace Ball in January in Washington,
D.C., and is currently touring with Andrew Bird.

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