Esperanza Spalding is known for her amazing playing on the upright and electric basses, along with her soulful songwriting and beautiful vocal abilities. She has just released her latest concept album that takes you on a journey through the body and all of the rhythmic magic that goes along with it.

From Esperanza:

DEAR TREASURED LISTENER,

OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, I’VE BEEN MOVING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM A “MUSICIAN” KIND OF IDENTITY, AND FURTHER INTO A…”WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF…” IDENTITY. THERE ISN’T A PAGE FOR THAT YET ON ITUNES..SO WHILE THEY WORK ON THAT, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT’S GOIN’ ON HERE WITH THIS NEW NON-CATEGORY:

FIRST, AN IDEA STRUCK: 12 LITTLE SPELLS… I WANTED TO RELEASE ONE MORE SONG-EY ALBUM/TOUR PROJECT TO TIDE US OVER BEFORE I DISAPPEAR INTO THE BELLY OF DEVELOPING THE NEXT FULL THING*… THEN, ALL THE SUDDEN, THIS 12 LITTLE SPELLS IDEA JUST STARTED TAKING SHAPE IN MY IMAGINATION ALL QUICK-LIKE… AND MADE VARIOUS PARTS OF MY BODY TINGLE: HANDS, LEGS, SOLAR-PLEXUS, EARS, FEET, ARMS… (NO I DON’T USE DRUGS)… THIS TINGLING HAD A KIND OF HEALING SENSATION, AND I WONDERED: CAN I HARNESS THESE 12 LITTLE SENSATION-REVELATIONS INTO SOUNDS, WORDS, IMAGERY, AND PERFORMANCE THAT ACTIVATES THIS HEALING, TINGLING EFFECT IN OTHERS? I’M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASSUME: YES… (ALL OF US CREATING AWAY HERE ON THIS LIVE-SHOW AND ALBUM ASSUME SO…WE’RE AUDACIOUS LIKE THAT) OH, AND GETTING INITIATED INTO REIKI DEFINITELY HELPED SET UP THIS PARADIGM… OF ARTICULATING THE IDEA THAT NOURISHING ENERGIES MOVING THROUGH ONE PERSON, CAN BE SHARED WITH ANOTHER… (AND SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE A PROFOUND LITTLE THING TO SAY ABOUT THAT AND THE VERY NATURE OF BEING A PERFORMER…BUT…WE’LL LEAVE IT TO THEM…)BUT, LIKE ANY RESPONSIBLE MAGIC-MAKER, I CAN’T TELL YOU ANYMORE. YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT ’TIL WE’RE IN THE SOUND AND SPACE TOGETHER…AND JUST FEEL IT. (AND IF YOU DON’T FEEL A DAMN THING TWINKLING IN YOUR SOLAR-PLEXUS – OR ANYWHERE ELSE- AT LEAST HERE’S SOME DOPE ASS MUSIC)

MAGICALLY,

ESPERANZA

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