L1 - About Samba Em Preludio

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.

‘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 19^th 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’

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?!