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Esperanza Spalding in Bass Player

Dr. Cheese

Dr. Cheese

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
57,320
120,614
Metro St. Louis
#1
Esperanza Spalding is the lead interview in the latest issue of Bass Player. It is also the best interview I have read in Bass Player in a very long time. I already loved Spalding, but I am becoming a total fanboy of hers. I just admire her dedication to music. Often I read an interview and I want to go check out their gear or buy their CD ( I do plan on buying Spalding new CD,) but after reading Esperanza's interview, I just wanted to practice! She is so doggone serious that it is infectious!

I also dig the fact that she seems to be an almost total non-gearhead. She just plays that Jazz because Fender gave it to her. It is also pretty evident that she is not super deep into bass guitar yet, but she is learning. I hope she does not get to deep into the tradition, because I think she brings a really unigue voice to bass guitar. That is why I cringed a bit when she said she was getting into slapping. I love slap, but I fear her just sounding like everyone else. That said, it was cool how she was impressed with Prince slapping her fretless (she didn't know fretless could be slapped!:D)
 
#4
Oh My God



esperanza1.jpg
 
#5
Phil Smith said:
No matter what technique she uses she's still going to sound like herself. I admire her total immersion, but she has been on the path for a while, rising up through the ranks in community orchestras.
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Phil, I know you are right. She will always sound like Esperanza Spalding whether she slaps, plays with a pick, or decides to use the stereotypical Jaco back pickup tone on her fretless. Still, I think the fact that she was not deep into electric bass has allowed her to come to the bass guitar, especially fretless with an open mind and few preconceptions.
 
#10
So she wa opening for Prince and he picked up her bass and slapped on it. I wonder how Prince's audience took that, I trust no Justin Bieber fans were there? However I do remember the stories of Rolling Stones' fans booing Prince when he opened for them around the time that Little Red Corvette was a hit
 
#14
electracoyote said:
Great interview. She plays a 7/8 upright. Her Fender fretless was a good call on their part as she is quite the Jaco fan.

And, yeah Cheese, I don't notice her good looks either (cough, cough...)
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Hey, I know I sound like the white guy who says he doesn't see color, but when I hear her talk about music, she is so profound. Her looks really take a back seat to her words.

I'm joking. My cellphone has no smilies!
 
#20
A very good read. It's also interesting that both Esperanza and Stanley Clarke had enough respect for Q-Tip's skills to use him on their projects.

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste! :cool:
 

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