Who is Esperanza Spalding?
Esperanza Spalding was born in America in 1984
She is a singer, double bass, electric bass guitar and acoustic bass guitar player
After leaving school at 16 (not usually a good idea!) she went to the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston
After graduating they asked her to stay on as a teacher – the youngest ever at the college
She formed a Jazz Trio there and recorded her first album, which was mainly instrumental, in 2006
Esperanza has won numerous Grammy Awards and played at celebrations for President Obama and Stevie Wonder.
Background – ‘Samba Em Preludio’
‘Samba Em Preludio’ is a cover of a song composed by a Brazilian guitarist called Roberto Baden Powell in 1962
The lyrics were written by the Brazilian poet, Vinicius de Moraes. It was originally intended as a duet between a man and a women
When Baden Powell first played the music to de Moraes, so that he could write the lyrics, he refused as he thought the music was copied from the 19th century Polish composer, Chopin
This is perhaps why it is called Samba Preludio as a ‘nod’ to Chopin’s famous composition of 24 Preludes
Samba is a Brazilian style of music known for it’s energetic drumming and syncopated rhythms
There are many variants of the style, including Bossa Nova which translates as ‘new trend’
‘Samba Em Preludio’ – Lyrics
Structure
As in ‘Killer Queen’ it makes more sense in this set work to look at how the different musical elements are used in rather than go through it section by section. However, it is important that you know the structure
What is it composed for?
Review Questions
1) Which country is Esperanza Spalding from?
2) What instruments does Esperanza Spalding play?
3) Who wrote the music for the original ‘Samba Em Preludio’?
4) Who wrote the words for ‘Samba Em Preludio’?
5) What language is it sung in?
6) Name the three instruments in ‘Samba Em Preludio?
7) There are 7 sections in the song – can you name them all?!