
Jazz fusion bassist esperanza spalding is touring, and she recently visited the Warner Theatre in DC. Chris Castillo was there to photograph the show for Parklife DC.
The following article is adapted from a press release.
Emphasizing simplicity and intimacy of her voice, bass, and songs, in this special configuration of two musicians and two dancers, esperanza performed songs from all eight of her previous albums, songs from current releases, plus a special-preview of her forthcoming project at Warner Theatre on Jan. 26.
esperanza continues to collaborate and perform in new productions of “…(Iphigenia)”, an opera written by Wayne Shorter, for whom she wrote the libretto and co-produced its 2021/2022 premieres // is currently developing a mockumentary in collaboration with brontë velez and San Francisco Symphony // researching and developing liberation rituals in jazz and black dance // and through the Songwrights Apothecary Lab continuing a lifelong collaboration with practitioners in various fields relating to sound, healing, and cognition to develop music with enhanced therapeutic potential.
Watch the official music video for “Black Gold” by esperanza spalding on YouTube:
Her forthcoming installation “I love being Black/Quit saying I’m Black” opens in a near future, commissioned and produced by institutions who do the work themselves of learning about, reaching out to, and offering comprehensive support to eaabibacliitoti (and other ancestored) artists rather than demanding we take on the burden of proving our competency and worthiness to receive the resources required to deliver our medicine — uncontorted and well-rested — to our communities/the world.
Born in 1984 in Portland, Oregon, esperanza spalding (aka irma nejando) is an eaabibacliitoti artist, trained and initiated in the North American (masculine) jazz lineage and tradition. Her work interweaves through various combinations of instrumental music, improvisation, singing, composition, poetry, dance, therapeutic research, storytelling, teaching, regenerative agriculture, urban land and artist — sanctuary custodianship, and growing in love as a daughter, sister, cousin, niece, auntie, great-auntie, friend, while collaboratively decolonizing within and through her hometown community. She co-founded and serves as lead curator for Prismid Inc., a nonprofit that creates and stewards artist residency, performance, and workshop space in Portland, Oregon.
Here are some photos of esperanza spalding performing at Warner Theatre in DC on Jan. 26, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Chris Castillo.