Fourplay - Discography (MP3) (1991-2012)Fourplay is a contemporary jazz quartet in the United States. The original members of the group were Bob James (keyboards), Lee Ritenour (guitars), Nathan East (bass), and Harvey Mason (drums). In 1997, Lee Ritenour left the group and Fourplay chose Larry Carlton as his replacement.
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Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American jazz bassist and singer. Spalding was raised in Portland, Oregon, and was a musical prodigy, playing violin in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at five years old.She was later both self-taught and -trained on a number of instruments, including guitar and bass.
In 2010, Larry Carlton left Fourplay and was replaced by Chuck Loeb. Grammy-nominated supergroup Fourplay has enjoyed consistent artistic and commercial success by grafting elements of R&B and pop to their unwavering jazz foundations. In a span of twenty years and eleven albums, the quartet has continued to explore the limitless dimensions and permutations of jazz while at the same time appealing to a broad mainstream audience.
Their first record, 1991's Fourplay, sold over a million copies and remained at the number one position on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart for 33 weeks. Their next LP, 1993's Between the Sheets, reached number one, went gold, and received a Grammy nomination. In 1994, their third gold album, Elixir, also reached the number one position and remained on the chart for more than 90 weeks.Albums List:DISCOGRAPHY::: STUDIJNYE AlbumsOriginal Composition: Bob James - Keyboards; Lee Ritenour - Guitars; Nathan East - Bass, Vocals; Harvey Mason, Sr.
Spalding performing in 2012Background informationBirth nameEsperanza Emily SpaldingBorn( 1984-10-18) October 18, 1984 (age 35), U.S.Genres,Occupation(s)Musician, composer, educator, bandleaderInstrumentsDouble bass, bass guitar, vocalsYears active2000–presentLabelsAssociated acts,WebsiteEsperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American bassist and singer. Spalding was raised in, and was a musical, playing violin in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at five years old. She was later both self-taught and -trained on a number of instruments, including guitar and bass. Her proficiency earned her scholarships to and the.
In 2017, she was appointed Professor of the Practice of Music at.She has won four, including the at the, making her the first jazz artist to win the award. Contents.Early life Spalding was born in, to an African-American father and a mother of, and descent. She was raised in the in Northeast Portland, which at that time was at its height of. Her mother raised her and her brother as a single parent.Spalding has an interest in the music of other cultures, including that of Brazil, commenting that the melody and language of songs in Portuguese are inextricably connected. Spalding's mother shares her interest in music, having nearly become a touring singer herself. Spalding's mother took note of her musical proclivity when Spalding was able to reproduce by ear on the family's piano. Spalding has credited watching classical cellist perform on an episode of as an integral part of her childhood, and what inspired her to pursue music.By the time Spalding was five, she had taught herself to play the violin and was playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon.
Spalding stayed with the group until she was fifteen years old, and left as. Due to a lengthy childhood illness, Spalding spent much of her elementary school years being, but also attended King Elementary School in northeast Portland.
During this time, she also found the opportunity to pick up instruction in music by listening to her mother's college teacher instructor, who instructed her mother in guitar. According to Spalding, when she was about eight, her mother briefly studied jazz guitar in college. Spalding said that she accompanied her mother to the classes, sat listening under the piano, then at home repeated what the teacher had played. Spalding also played and clarinet before discovering the double bass in high school. She sings in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
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Career 2000–03: Early projects and education Spalding began performing live in clubs in Portland, Oregon, as a teenager, securing her first gig at fifteen years old in a blues club, when she could play only one line on bass. One of the seasoned musicians with whom she played that first night invited her to join the band's rehearsals to help her learn, and her rehearsals soon grew into regular performances spanning almost a year. According to Spalding, it was a chance for her to stretch as a musician, reaching and growing beyond her experience. Her early contact with these musicians who played with her fostered her sense of rhythm and helped nurture her interest in her instrument.She does not consider herself a musical prodigy, having said, 'I am surrounded by prodigies everywhere I go, but because they are a little older than me, or not a female, or not on a major label, they are not acknowledged as such.' Spalding had intended to play cello, but discovered the bass when she was fourteen at the performing arts high school, to which she had won a scholarship.The bass was a good fit for her. Spalding found school in general easy and dull, and dropped out. When she was 15 or 16 years old, she started writing lyrics for music for the local indie rock/pop group Noise for Pretend, touching on any topic that came to mind.
Although she had taken a few private voice lessons, which taught her how to project her voice, she said that her primary singing experience had come from singing in the shower, before she started performing vocals for Noise for Pretend. Her desire to perform live evolved naturally out of the compositional process, when she would sing and play simultaneously to see how melody and voice fit together, but she acknowledges that performing both roles can be challenging.Spalding left high school at 16, and after completing her, enrolled in a music scholarship in the music program at, where she remembers being 'the youngest bass player in the program.' Although she lacked the training of her fellow students, she feels that her teachers nevertheless recognized her talent. She decided to apply to on the encouragement of her bass teacher, and did well enough in her audition to receive a full scholarship. In spite of the scholarship, Spalding found meeting living expenses a challenge, so her friends arranged a benefit concert that paid her airfare. Spalding's savings did not last long and she considered leaving music for political science, a move jazz guitarist and composer discouraged. He told her that she had 'the 'X Factor' and could make it if she applied herself.
2004–07: Musical beginnings, teaching and Junjo. Spalding performs at the in Perugia, Italy, on July 12, 2007., Executive Vice President at Berklee, said in 2004 that Spalding had 'a great time feel, she can confidently read the most complicated compositions, and she communicates her upbeat personality in everything she plays.' Wrote in in 2006 that Spalding's voice is 'light and high, up in 's pitch range, and that she can sing quietly, almost in a daydream' and that Spalding 'invents her own feminine space, a different sound from top to bottom.' Spalding was the 2005 recipient of the Boston Jazz Society scholarship for outstanding musicianship. Almost immediately after graduation from college later the same year, Spalding was hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest instructors in the institution's history, at age 20. As a teacher, Spalding tries to help her students focus their practice through a practice journal, which can help them recognize their strengths and what they need to pursue.Her debut album, was released in April 2006 by Ayva Music. It was created to display the dynamic that she felt among her trio.
Though Junjo was released solely under her name, Spalding considers it a group effort. 2008–10: Esperanza. Spalding talks to the audience at the Northsea Jazz Festival in 2009.is Spalding's second studio album. After Spalding's Grammy win in February 2011, the album entered the at 138. With Esperanza, Spalding's material was meant to be more reflective of herself as an artist, with musicians selected to best present that material. Ed Morales wrote in on June 23, 2008, that Esperanza is 'a sprawling collage of jazz fusion, Brazilian, and even a touch of hip-hop.'
Siddhartha Mitter wrote in in 2008 that Spalding's singing was a noticeable difference in Esperanza, making it more mainstream and attractive to a broader audience.In December 2009 at the ceremonies, Spalding performed at in honor of the 2009 Laureate U.S. President, and again at the the following day. She was personally selected by Obama, as per the tradition of one laureate-invited-artist to perform.Spalding also was the featured final act for the opening night of the 2009 in, Utah. She closed the show with a number along with bass artists and Sean O'Bryan Smith, who also performed earlier that day. As a tribute to, Spalding was invited to sing along with,.
Spalding performed the 1987 hit single '.On February 7, 2010, Spalding became the most searched person and second most searched item on as a result of her appearance the previous evening on the television program. 2011–2015: Chamber Music Society and Radio Music Society In November 2011, Spalding won 'Jazz Artist of the Year' at the.Spalding collaborated with on the track 'Leave Me a Place Underground' from the album The Dawn of Light in 2011. She also collaborated with on the album, where she features on the track 'Crayola'. Spalding also sang a duet with on the track 'Freesia' from the 2011 album Bitches of Renaissance.In the 53rd, Spalding won the.is the third album by Spalding.
After her surprise Grammy win, the album re-entered the at number 34 with sales of 18,000. A video was made for the song 'Little Fly'.
The song is a poem by set to music by Spalding. A vinyl version of the album was released in February 2011. Commenting on the album, 's Patrick Jarenwattananon wrote that, 'the finished product certainly exudes a level of sophisticated intimacy, as if best experienced with a small gathering in a quiet, wood-paneled room.'
Spalding was the best-selling contemporary jazz artist of 2011, and her album Chamber Music Society was the best-selling contemporary jazz album. In February 2012, Spalding performed at the, singing the standard, alongside the Southern California Children's Chorus to accompany the video montage that celebrated the film industry greats who died in 2011 and early 2012.is Spalding's fourth studio album, released by Heads Up International in March 2012. Spalding hoped this album would showcase jazz musicians in an accessible manner suitable for mainstream radio, while incorporating her own musical compositions with covers of such artists as the and.Spalding also made guest appearances during this time, appearing on 's 2013 album, on the track 'Dorothy Dandridge Eyes'. She also sang a jazz duet on ' album, called 'Old & Crazy'. In November 2013, Spalding released a single 'We Are America' to protest the prison camps, with cameo performances by Stevie Wonder. 2016–present: Emily's D+Evolution, Exposure, and 12 Little Spells In March 2016, she released her fifth studio album, released by Concord Records. The album was co-produced by Spalding and longtime David Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti.
On the album, Spalding sings through the alter ego of Emily, which is her middle name. In an interview, Spalding stated that Emily 'is a spirit, or a being, or an aspect who I met, or became aware of. I recognize that my job.is to be her arms and ears and voice and body'. The album and corresponding tour featured musicians on guitar, and on drums, and, and on vocals.In December 2017, Spalding released, which is her sixth studio album. For this project, she embarked on a creative experiment beginning on September 12, 2017, setting out to create the album from start to finish in 77 consecutive hours, while streaming the whole creative process live on. Once completed, she released 7,777 limited edition recordings of the album. The packaging of the physical album included a piece of the original notepaper Esperanza used to write the lyrics and music, allowing those who witnessed the process to own a piece of the creation itself, directly from the source.
About the experiment, Spalding stated that it being live forced her to be more creative, because there was no option to return to the same thing and try again.Spalding appeared in the film in 2017.She appeared on the production The Great Math Mystery, talking about the connection between music and mathematics.From October 7 to October 18, 2018, Spalding released twelve tracks - one per day - that, in unity, form her seventh studio album,. Each 'spell' was accompanied by a music video released on her and correlates to a singular body part. Spalding described the album's experimental structure as a result of her gradual distancing from the title of an 'artist', gravitating towards a concept-driven identity.
Artistry Influences Spalding was mentored. She has cited jazz bassists and as important influences on her music—Carter for the orchestration of his playing and Holland for the way his compositional method complements his personal style. She has described the saxophone player, and singer-songwriter, as heroes.
She has also noted her preference for the.Spalding has said she loves and was influenced by a 'wonderful arc that started 40 years ago in 2008 where people kept incorporating modern sounds into their music.' Spalding, who has expressed a desire to be judged for her musicianship rather than sex appeal, believes that female musicians must take responsibility to avoid oversexualizing themselves. And, to write original music, one must read and stay informed about the world. She has said she models her career on those of and, and also cited as a major musical inspiration. Spalding says that her mom was and will always be her role model.
This section needs expansion. You can help. ( April 2019)During her time as a student at Berklee she began dating fellow student and jazz trumpeter,.
They were in a relationship for 4 years.She practices. Instruments Electric bass. Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass (fretless). A5 (semi-acoustic, 5-string, fretless). South Paw Fretless 5-string. Moollon Chambered Double P5 Fretless BassAmplifiers. SVT-4PRO.
Ampeg PN-410HLF cabStrings. Fender 9050M Stainless Steel Flatwound Long Scale (.055–.105)Double bass. 7/8 double bass (manufacturer unknown). Standard model S1 Czech-Ease acoustic road bassCharity work During her 2012 tour, Spalding donated a portion of proceeds from merchandise sales to the non-profit organization. The organization, based in Washington, D.C., works to combat around the world. On September 23, 2018, she appeared with at the Lions of Justice Festival, sponsored by, to support the respect and dignified treatment of all people.Esperanza Spalding also is an advocate for parks and open spaces, and is a supporter of. (1960).
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