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Jazz diva Esperanza Spalding follows rocky road

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By Dan Grunebaum

When Japan Today locates Esperanza Spalding at her home in Brooklyn, it's not been long since the musician performed for U.S. President Barack Obama. "It's sweet to be able to offer something of my art to a person who has the responsibility of the president," she says of her appearance at the White House Jazz Gala on April 30. "I also happen to like him. I think he's a good dude who works really hard."

It turns out that, at 31, Spalding has already played for the Obamas a few times. Which given her Grammy-studded career and the Obamas' well-known love for music, maybe shouldn't be a surprise.

The main subject of our conversation isn't the Obamas, however, but Spalding's upcoming Japan tour. Rather than the virtuoso acoustic jazz-funk she's best known for, Spalding will bring her rock alter-ego Emily D+Evolution, which she has just conjured to life on the new album of the same name.

"This is a very unique product in that I'm creating a character," she says of Emily (in fact Spalding's middle name). “'I’ve never created a character before, so I don't have anything to compare it to. The initial inspiration came through a kind of ‘download,’ and the process has been one of trying to match the sound and staging to what I originally felt in that download. I asked Emily, 'What did you come here to do?'"

Compared to Spalding's 2011 Chamber Music Society and 2012 Radio Music Society, Emily brims with raucous guitar and angular dissonances, having as much in common with Radiohead as it does with Miles Davis. "Everyone was very confused because I'm so associated with jazz," she laughs about the response to her new approach. "But it's OK because I know it's great work, and it may take a minute for some folks to make room for it."

The Japan tour sees Spalding touching down at rock concert venues in Tokyo and Osaka, but she actually debuted Emily at last fall’s Tokyo Jazz festival. "This gentleman came up after and he was so sweet and said, 'I really liked what you did but I couldn't understand anything.' I said, 'That's OK.' So I'm getting a sense that people will stick with me even if they don't understand what I'm doing at first. And that challenges me also."

Given Spalding’s prodigious talents as singer-songwriter, bassist and producer, it's likely people will be around for a while to see what she has in store. Apparently her achievements also lead aspiring young musicians to approach her as a role model.

"I try to redirect them," she states flatly. "I'm not a great role model if they want to be jazz musicians. I've lived this life as a jazz musician and there's a lot to learn — particularly as a woman — but I'm really a beginner. They should be listening to the masters."

Still a young woman but already having achieved so much, Spalding projects an intriguing blend of simultaneous confidence and humility. "Try not to be like the greats of history -- just try to be f**king excellent," she warns budding musicians. "And be what you can be. Some people hit that really early, and some people take longer. I'm a take longer person."

Despite having won four Grammys, Spalding is even at the moment we speak folding her own laundry. "I know I can write and sing and play, but my vision is still far away," she muses.

"I feel like a beginner and want to do st that no one else has ever done. But with jazz I haven't yet hit the st I want to do. It's a long trajectory, and very few people hit what they want to do early. Not even Coltrane."

Osaka Club Quattro, May 30; Tokyo Zepp Divercity, May 31. http://www.esperanzaspalding.com/#emily

© Japan Today

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Saw her play with Joe Lovano, Jack DeJohnette and Leo Genovese a couple years ago at UC Davis. A breathtaking set in a great-sounding hall.

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A "diva" she is not. She seems to be very well-grounded for someone having achieved so much at a relatively young age.

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She is really good. Emily D is strange. eom.

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