Fans filled the Orpheum Theater on Thursday, April 24th, to see Grammy Award-winning esperanza spalding. Her show was one of the venue’s Jazz After Dark shows during the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
I vividly remember watching esperanza spalding beat Justin Bieber, Florence & the Machine, Mumford & Sons, and Drake for Best New Artist at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards back in 2011. Since then, the 40-year-old composer has released seven albums, taken home Best Jazz Vocal Album three times at the Grammys, served as a professor at Harvard University, and more!
spalding invited attendees to take a “journey traveling through luscious and wondrous songs and sound” with her as the show began. After speaking with attendees who’ve seen spalding live, I learned that no show is the same. With that being said, it’s no surprise that her concerts are innovative and unique! That night, she decided to open with a cover of “I Want It Now” from the 1971 film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which is featured on her 2016 album, “Emily’s D+Evolution.” The funky rendition set the tone for the rest of the night. For over an hour and a half, spalding, along with a two-piece band and two background vocalists, took the crowd on a jazz-filled journey!
spalding, notoriously known for her exceptional bass playing, shared with the crowd, “I’m not a piano player, but you need to use certain instruments to speak certain languages.” As she played songs like “12 Little Spells (Thoracic Spine) and “Thang,” spalding uses the music to connect with the audience and their minds and bodies. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen during a show. She’s speaking a language with music while the two background vocalists translate into visual stories using their fluid dance movements.
As the night came to a close, spalding took a moment to thank everyone for supporting her and for taking the time to purchase tickets. She then performed an encore, but not before concert-goers began shouting their song requests like her 2016 track, “Judas.” spalding joked, “We get it, you know the deep cuts,” before finishing with a performance of “Formwela 4” from her 2021 album, Songwrights Apothecary Lab.
I look forward to seeing what’s next for spalding – she’s come a long ways since taking home Best New Artist in 2011, and it seems like she’s nowhere near the end of her musical journey. And if she has a show in your town, I recommend grabbing a ticket and be prepared for a unique, soulful, and connecting experience.
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