Bassist, vocalist, composer Esperanza Spalding unveils the brilliant compositions of her new release, Radio Music Society into a dynamic “big band” format. Inspired by her desire to write for a large ensembles, Spalding has crafted her performances to spotlight the talents of her 12-piece world class band including Spalding on electric bass, double bass and lead vocals; Leo Genovese, piano, Rhodes and keyboards; Chris Turner, backing vocals; Tia Fuller, alto saxophone, backing vocals and music director; Lyndon Rochelle, drums and backing vocals; Jef Lee Johnson, electric guitar and backing vocals; Jeff Galindo, trombone; Corey King, trombone; Igmar Thomas, trumpet; Leala Cyr, trumpet and backing vocals; Dan Blake, tenor and soprano saxophones; and Aaron Burnett, tenor saxophone. Weaving high-caliber artists into the context of a big band could be a challenge, but not for Spalding. Her ability to combine musical styles makes her writing accessible to audiences across the spectrum.
Radio Music Society is a companion release, rather than a sequel, to Spalding’s previous internationally acclaimed Chamber Music Society, which culminated in her winning the Best New Artist GRAMMY® Award in 2011. Radio Music Society is her most diverse, ambitious and masterful recital yet. Each of the 12 songs is accompanied by conceptual music videos, which further express Spalding’s inspiration and story behind each track.
Spalding’s dynamic performances are nothing less than exhilarating when experienced live. As Jeff Baker of The Oregonian once wrote, “This was about art, performed at the highest level by someone with the vision, talent, and determination to make it happen.” Follow the Radio Music Society online at: www.esperanzaspalding.com
