PODCAST: Inside Berklee—Esperanza Spalding, Part 2
Esperanza Spalding B.M. '05
Image courtesy of the artist
Grammy-winning bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding B.M. '05 says that openness to critical feedback is part of what helps her find the original grooves and rhythms that have made her so successful.
"People are keeping you from getting eaten by sharks and falling off cliffs. It's for your own well-being," Spalding recently told the BIRN’s Tony Brown in a recorded interview for the station. She later added, "How else are you going to know where the edge of the cliff is, or where the good stuff is? It's more like they're tipping you off to where the treasure is hidden."
In the first part of the interview, which aired on Sounds of Berklee last week, the two talked about how her latest album, Emily's D+Evolution, came about. In this segment, they turn to Spalding's early days in Portland, Oregon; her mother's influence on her musical development; why feedback is important; and what's next for her.