Esperanza Spalding - Academy of Achievement

<!doctype html> <html lang="en-US" prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns#"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.achievement.org:80/achiever/esperanza-spalding/","20181031235034","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1541029834"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="57x57" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="114x114" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="60x60" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="76x76" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="152x152" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-196x196.png" sizes="196x196"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-128.png" sizes="128x128"/> <meta name="application-name" content="Academy of Achievement"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#000000"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-144x144.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square70x70logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-70x70.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square150x150logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-150x150.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-wide310x150logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-310x150.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square310x310logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-310x310.png"/> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034cs_/https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Source+Sans+Pro:400,600,400italic,600italic,700,700italic" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <title>Esperanza Spalding - Academy of Achievement</title>  <meta name="description" content="Vocalist, composer and instrumentalist Esperanza Spalding fell in love with music as a little girl in Portland, Oregon. She first drew acclaim as a child violinist before discovering the upright bass as a teenager. Within months she was playing in local clubs, exploring pop, rock, hip-hop and especially jazz. By age 20 she was an instructor at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, and was performing with singer Patti Austin and a stellar roster of jazz greats. Her 2008 album,聽Esperanza, topped Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart. The following year, she was invited to perform at the White House and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Stockholm. At the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, she was honored as Best New Artist of the Year. With her 2011 album,聽Chamber Music Society, she became the bestselling contemporary jazz artist in the world. On the follow-up, Radio Music Society, she played her own compositions alongside an eclectic selection of tunes by everyone from the Beach Boys to one of her heroes, jazz great Wayne Shorter. With every performance, every recording, she continues to explore an ever-expanding musical universe."/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/esperanza-spalding/"/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Esperanza Spalding - Academy of Achievement"/> <meta property="og:description" content="<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Vocalist, composer and instrumentalist Esperanza Spalding fell in love with music as a little girl in Portland, Oregon. She first drew acclaim as a child violinist before discovering the upright bass as a teenager. Within months she was playing in local clubs, exploring pop, rock, hip-hop and especially jazz.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">By age 20 she was an instructor at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, and was performing with singer Patti Austin and a stellar roster of jazz greats. Her 2008 album,聽<i>Esperanza,</i> topped <i>Billboard</i>'s Contemporary Jazz chart. The following year, she was invited to perform at the White House and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Stockholm. At the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, she was honored as Best New Artist of the Year.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">With her 2011 album,聽<i>Chamber Music Society</i>, she became the bestselling contemporary jazz artist in the world. On the follow-up, <i>Radio Music Society</i>, she played her own compositions alongside an eclectic selection of tunes by everyone from the Beach Boys to one of her heroes, jazz great Wayne Shorter. With every performance, every recording, she continues to explore an ever-expanding musical universe.</span></p>"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/esperanza-spalding/"/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Academy of Achievement"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/spalding-Feature-Image.jpg"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="2800"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1120"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Vocalist, composer and instrumentalist Esperanza Spalding fell in love with music as a little girl in Portland, Oregon. She first drew acclaim as a child violinist before discovering the upright bass as a teenager. Within months she was playing in local clubs, exploring pop, rock, hip-hop and especially jazz.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">By age 20 she was an instructor at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, and was performing with singer Patti Austin and a stellar roster of jazz greats. Her 2008 album,聽<i>Esperanza,</i> topped <i>Billboard</i>'s Contemporary Jazz chart. The following year, she was invited to perform at the White House and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Stockholm. At the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, she was honored as Best New Artist of the Year.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">With her 2011 album,聽<i>Chamber Music Society</i>, she became the bestselling contemporary jazz artist in the world. On the follow-up, <i>Radio Music Society</i>, she played her own compositions alongside an eclectic selection of tunes by everyone from the Beach Boys to one of her heroes, jazz great Wayne Shorter. With every performance, every recording, she continues to explore an ever-expanding musical universe.</span></p>"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Esperanza Spalding - Academy of Achievement"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/spalding-Feature-Image.jpg"/> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20181031235034\/http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebSite","@id":"#website","url":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20181031235034\/http:\/\/www.achievement.org\/","name":"Academy of Achievement","alternateName":"A museum of living history","potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20181031235034\/http:\/\/www.achievement.org\/search\/{search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}</script> <script 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/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/spalding-Feature-Image-1400x560.jpg"></div> <div class="display--table"> <div class="display--table-cell"> <figcaption class="feature-area__text ratio-container__text container"> <div class="feature-area__text-inner text-white"> <h2 class="serif-8 feature-area__text-subhead back"><a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever">All achievers</a></h2> <h1 class="serif-1 entry-title feature-area__text-headline">Esperanza Spalding</h1> <h5 class="sans-6 feature-area__blurb">Jazz Phenomenon</h5> </div> </figcaption> </div> </div> </figure> </header> </div>  <nav class="in-page-nav row fixedsticky"> <ul class="nav text-xs-center clearfix" role="tablist"> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link active" data-toggle="tab" href="#biography" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Biography">Biography</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#profile" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Profile">Profile</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#interview" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Interview">Interview</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#gallery" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Gallery">Gallery</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <article class="post-1660 achiever type-achiever status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry careers-musician"> <div class="entry-content container clearfix">  <div class="tab-content"> <div class="tab-pane fade in active" id="biography" role="tabpanel"> <section class="achiever--biography"> <div class="banner clearfix"> <div class="banner--single clearfix"> <div class="col-lg-8 col-lg-offset-2"> <div class="banner__image__container"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/what-it-takes/id1025864075?mt=2" target="_blank"> <figure class="ratio-container ratio-container--square bg-black"> <img class="lazyload banner__image" data-src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/WhatItTakes_spalding-and-shorter-256-190x190.jpg" alt=""/> </figure> </a> </div> <div class="banner__text__container"> <h3 class="serif-3 banner__headline"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/what-it-takes/id1025864075?mt=2" target="_blank"> Listen to this achiever on <i>What It Takes</i> </a> </h3> <p class="sans-6 banner__text m-b-0"><i>What It Takes</i> is an audio podcast on iTunes produced by the American Academy of Achievement featuring intimate, revealing conversations with influential leaders in the diverse fields of endeavor: music, science and exploration, sports, film, technology, literature, the military and social justice.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <header class="editorial-article__header col-md-8 col-md-offset-2 text-xs-center"> <i class="icon-icon_bio text-brand-primary"></i> <h3 class="serif-3 quote-marks">Art is never over. And you're never over, because through your art you're continually reinventing yourself and regenerating yourself.</h3> </header> </div> <div class="row"> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar clearfix"> <h2 class="serif-3 p-b-1">Singer, Songwriter and Jazz Bassist</h2> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Date of Birth</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> October 18, 1984 </dd> </div> </aside> <article class="editorial-article col-md-8"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><figure id="attachment_2377" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2377 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2377 size-full lazyload" alt="Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)" width="1200" height="1598" data-sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012.jpg 1200w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012-285x380.jpg 285w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012-571x760.jpg 571w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Grammy Award-winning composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off.</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding was born in Portland, Oregon. Her parents separated when she was very young, and her mother raised Esperanza and her brother on her own in King, a Portland neighborhood that suffered from poverty and violence in the years when Esperanza was growing up. Despite the family’s limited resources, Esperanza’s mother encouraged free thinking and creative expression for her children and exposed them to a variety of cultural influences.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza fell in love with music at age four, after seeing the classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform on <i>Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood</i>. Too small to hold the cello, she took up the violin. After a few violin lessons she was able to practice and study on her own. Her progress on her first instrument was extraordinary. The Portland community provided a number of opportunities for young people to participate in music ensembles and young Esperanza took advantage of them all. At age five she was playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_4498" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><noscript><img class="wp-image-4498 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-1.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-4498 size-full lazyload" alt="Esperanza Spalding poses backstage with the award for best new artist at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)" width="2280" height="3212" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-1.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-1-270x380.jpg 270w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-1-539x760.jpg 539w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-1.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">2011: Esperanza Spalding poses backstage with the award for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. (AP Images)</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Over the next ten years, she learned guitar with her mother, taught herself piano, and experimented with the clarinet and oboe. By 15, she was concertmaster (lead violinist) with the Chamber Music Society and ready to pursue her original dream of playing the cello. By chance, she picked up an upright bass instead and fell in love with the giant of the string family. Even larger than the cello, the bass is usually the chosen instrument of tall men with long arms and big hands. At five-foot-six, Esperanza Spalding compensated for her smaller stature with an outsize talent and unrelenting commitment to music. She also took up the electric bass, and began writing songs, singing and leading a band in Portland rock clubs.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_23446" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-23446 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-23446 lazyload" alt="" width="2280" height="1520" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee-380x253.jpg 380w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee-760x507.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">2012: Esperanza Spalding is a Grammy Award-winning bassist, vocalist and songwriter best known for her albums <i>Esperanza</i> and <i>Radio Music Society</i>. <em>Radio Music Society</em> earned Spalding Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the track, “City of Roses.” (Sandrine Lee)</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Easily bored in school, Esperanza was home schooled for much of her childhood. At 16, she passed the GED (general educational development tests) and received her high school diploma. Barely a year after taking up her chosen instrument, she won admission to the music program at Portland State University. At Portland State, she absorbed as much of the jazz tradition as possible. With the encouragement of her instructors, she transferred after a year to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where she completed her undergraduate degree in only three years. She also found opportunities to play with topflight jazz artists in the Boston area, who were quick to recognize her explosive talent. By the time she graduated at age 20, she was supporting herself with her music and was asked to teach at Berklee. She was the youngest instructor in the school’s history.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_2376" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2376 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2376 size-full lazyload" alt="Academy of Achievement youth delegate Esperanza Spalding mesmerizes the audience at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco with her expressive singing and inventive bass playing." width="2280" height="3425" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011-253x380.jpg 253w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011-506x760.jpg 506w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">American Academy of Achievement youth delegate Esperanza Spalding mesmerizes the audience at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco with her expressive singing and inventive bass playing.</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Spalding toured and played with a host of well-known artists, including Joe Lovano, Patti Austin, Michel Camilo, Charlie Haden, Regina Carter, Pat Metheny, Dave Samuels, and many others, while heading her own jazz trio.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">In 2006, Spalding recorded and released her first CD, <i>Junjo</i>. She followed it in 2008 with <i>Esperanza</i>, which displayed her expanding range as a composer, fusing straight-ahead jazz with soul and hip-hop sounds and the rich musical traditions of Cuba and Brazil. Spalding was not only playing acoustic and electric bass with imagination and an authority far beyond her years, she was also singing with grace and conviction in English, Spanish and Portuguese.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_2370" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-2370 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-2370 lazyload" alt="Virtuoso bassist Esperanza Spalding plays for one of her longtime heroes, jazz giant Wayne Shorter, at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" width="2280" height="1518" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005-380x253.jpg 380w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005-760x506.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Virtuoso bassist Esperanza Spalding performs with her mentor, jazz giant, and Academy Golden Plate awardee Wayne Shorter, at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1">On the strength of its enthusiastic reviews in the jazz press, <i>Esperanza</i> flew to the top of <i>Billboard</i> magazine’s contemporary jazz chart and remained on the list for over 70 weeks. Strong international sales helped it become the bestselling album by a new jazz artist in many years.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">In 2009, Esperanza Spalding was invited by President <span class="s2">Barack Obama</span> to perform at the White House and in Stockholm, Sweden, at the ceremony where the President received the Nobel Peace Prize.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_8406" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-8406 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wordpress-Oct2015_In-Performance-at-the-White-House.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-8406 size-full lazyload" alt="Esperanza Spalding performs in the East Room of the White House on October 14, 2015. The President and Mrs. Obama are seated in the front row. (Photo by Wayne R. Reynolds)" width="2280" height="3040" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wordpress-Oct2015_In-Performance-at-the-White-House.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wordpress-Oct2015_In-Performance-at-the-White-House-285x380.jpg 285w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wordpress-Oct2015_In-Performance-at-the-White-House-570x760.jpg 570w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/wordpress-Oct2015_In-Performance-at-the-White-House.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Esperanza Spalding performing in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on October 14, 2015.</figcaption></figure> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Spalding followed the success of <i>Esperanza</i> with <i>Chamber Music Society</i> in August of 2010. The CD included eight of her original compositions as well as American and Brazilian standards. It was performed by Spalding’s quartet, a string trio and guest vocalists including the Brazilian star Milton Nascimento. The album reached number one on <i>Billboard</i>‘s Contemporary Jazz chart, and Spalding received the 2011 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. In the half-century since the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences created the Grammy Award, Spalding was the first jazz musician to receive the New Artist award.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">On the even more ambitious follow-up, <i>Radio Music Society</i> (2012), she played her own compositions alongside an eclectic selection of tunes by everyone from the Beach Boys to one of her heroes, jazz great Wayne Shorter. The personnel included her regular rhythm section — drummer Terry Lynne Carrington and pianist Leo Genovese — as well as longtime mentor Joe Lovano on saxophone, master drummer Jack DeJohnette and guest vocalists.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_2368" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2368 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2368 size-full lazyload" alt="Esperanza Spalding meets Golden Plate Awards Council member Oprah Winfrey at the American Academy of Achievement's 2014 event in Beverly Hills honoring Sidney Poitier. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" width="2280" height="1817" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003-380x303.jpg 380w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003-760x606.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Esperanza Spalding meets Golden Plate Awards Council member Oprah Winfrey at the American Academy of Achievement’s 2014 dinner ceremony in Beverly Hills, California honoring the legendary actor Sidney Poitier.</figcaption></figure> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">In the years since the release of <i>Radio Music Society</i>, she has collaborated with many of her musical heroes, not least saxophone legend Wayne Shorter, one of the founding fathers of the fusion movement in jazz. In 2016, Spalding produced <em>Emily’s D+Evolution</em>, which pushed her melodic approach to jazz toward rock and funk, and earned her many accolades including recognition as one of the Best Albums of the Year. Today, Esperanza Spalding tours the world with an expanded ensemble like those she gathered in her <i>Chamber Music</i> and <i>Radio Music</i> recordings, combining the traditional and the experimental while exploring an ever-expanding universe of global music.</span></p> <p>In September 2017, Esperanza Spalding embarked on her most audacious project yet. Over one 77-hour period, she wrote, performed and recorded a new album, <em>Exposure</em>, live-streaming the entire process on Facebook.</p></body></html> <div class="clearfix"> </div> </article> </div> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="profile" role="tabpanel"> <section class="clearfix"> <header class="editorial-article__header"> <figure class="text-xs-center"> <img class="inductee-badge" src="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/inducted-badge@2x.png" alt="Inducted Badge" width="120" height="120"/> <figcaption class="serif-3 text-brand-primary"> Inducted in 2014 </figcaption> </figure> </header> <div class="row"> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar"> <dl class="clearfix m-b-0"> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Career</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> <div><a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/#filter=.musician">Musician</a></div> </dd> </div> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Date of Birth</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> October 18, 1984 </dd> </div> </dl> </aside> <article class="col-md-8 editorial-article clearfix"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Vocalist, composer and instrumentalist Esperanza Spalding fell in love with music as a little girl in Portland, Oregon. She first drew acclaim as a child violinist before discovering the upright bass as a teenager. Within months she was playing in local clubs, exploring pop, rock, hip-hop and especially jazz.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">By age 20 she was an instructor at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, and was performing with singer Patti Austin and a stellar roster of jazz greats. Her 2008 album,聽<i>Esperanza,</i> topped <i>Billboard</i>‘s Contemporary Jazz chart. The following year, she was invited to perform at the White House and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Stockholm. At the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, she was honored as Best New Artist of the Year.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">With her 2011 album,聽<i>Chamber Music Society</i>, she became the bestselling contemporary jazz artist in the world. On the follow-up, <i>Radio Music Society</i>, she played her own compositions alongside an eclectic selection of tunes by everyone from the Beach Boys to one of her heroes, jazz great Wayne Shorter. With every performance, every recording, she continues to explore an ever-expanding musical universe.</span></p> </article> </div> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="interview" role="tabpanel"> <section class="clearfix"> <div class="col-md-12 interview-feature-video"> <figure> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/UVZVHx9w-e8?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=3379&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_36_22_12.Still002-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_36_22_12.Still002-760x428.jpg"></div> <div class="video-tag sans-4"> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> <div class="video-tag__text">Watch full interview</div> </div> </div> </figure> </div> <header class="col-md-12 text-xs-center m-b-2"> <i class="icon-icon_bio text-brand-primary"></i> </header> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar"> <h2 class="serif-3 achiever--biography-subtitle">Singer, Songwriter and Jazz Bassist</h2> <div class="sans-2">San Francisco, California</div> <div class="sans-2">September 13, 2014</div> </aside> <article class="editorial-article col-md-8">   <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Can you tell us about the Portland, Oregon of your youth?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Esperanza Spalding: It’s very different than what you see on <i>Portlandia</i>, even though I love <i>Portlandia</i>. My Portland was a very interesting mix of factors and universes actually.</span></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/fYE41l5jX4Y?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=157&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_51_10_12.Still011-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_51_10_12.Still011-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1">I grew up in a very difficult neighborhood.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>There was a lot of crime and a lot of addiction problems and just people who didn’t have a lot of options in life.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So my family grew up in that neighborhood. And somehow, at a really early age, I got connected to these music programs.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>One of them was called the Culture Recreation Band, which was put together by these grown jazz musicians who had this idea that they could help kids in the neighborhood stay out of trouble if they could have a horn in their hand and be basically held accountable to show up every week at this place and know what they were supposed to know.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So these were mostly kids from my neighborhood, you know, from similar circumstances. On the other hand, I got involved in this program called the Chamber Music Society of Oregon, which was run by two incredible women, Hazel DeLorenzo and Dorothy McCormick, who really singlehandedly built this organization that provided free instruments and next-to-free classes, summer classes, and weekly orchestra rehearsal for children and older people and adults to keep alive the torch of chamber music, of live chamber music.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So that was my little world in music.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And wow, I of course couldn’t fathom how unique that environment was!<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>I couldn’t fathom how difficult it is for working adults to keep an organization like either of those alive and floating and thriving and actually accessible to the kids who need it most.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>I mean, every kid needs and deserves access to music, but there really was no other option for a lot of the kids who were in this Culture Recreation Band.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And wow, that was a really amazing — now I realize — way to grow up.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And I got into music when I was five.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So I always was around this world of grownups making miraculous things happen, and thinking that was just normal.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And I guess because music is the thing that has remained the same since that time in my life, what I remember most from that time of my life in Portland are those individuals in these programs, teaching these programs, running these programs.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>What was your first attraction to music? Do you remember being really struck by a musical experience?</b></span></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/JEq70OoUO68?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=102&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_48_48_04.Still004-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_48_48_04.Still004-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/passion/">Passion</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Esperanza Spalding: The first musical experience that I really remember being struck by I actually hated, because it was bagpipes at the elementary school for some celebration. Now I appreciate bagpipes, but then, to my little vulnerable new virgin ears, the sound was like <i>ahh</i>! Just to be honest. That was my first musical experience that I remember being very impacted by. On the other hand, I remember hearing Yo-Yo Ma on television, on public television, and on <i>Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood</i>, and I don’t think I had ever heard any sound like that before, not with the imagery, not with the visuals of this young-looking guy doing this thing that seemed just — I just didn’t have any reference for it. It just was like the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. And right then and there I decided I wanted to do — whatever that is — I want to do that. And what I don’t consciously remember, but now I know, is that in the same episode of <i>Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood</i> — it was apparently an episode all about music, music, music, music. So when they went to the next segment there was a woman playing acoustic bass, and the other female character was dressed as an acoustic bass. But I don’t remember seeing that as a kid, but I must have. So I thought, until I saw a rerun of that episode, that it was purely by chance I was so drawn to the bass, but maybe it was some sort of like subliminal seed that was planted. And those are the two seminal turning points in my life, seminal moments, being exposed to those two instruments.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Do you remember what Yo-Yo Ma was playing?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: One of the Bach cello suites. I don’t remember which, but one of the J.S. Bach cello suites.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_2371" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2371 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2371 size-full lazyload" alt="Academy Guest of Honor and jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter accompanies Esperanza Spalding in a duet performance at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" width="2280" height="1518" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006.jpg 2280w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006-380x253.jpg 380w, /web/20181031235034im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006-760x506.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Academy Golden Plate awardee and legendary jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter accompanies Academy delegate Esperanza Spalding in a duet performance at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco, CA.</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>What music did you hear in the home? Was your mom musical?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Yeah. We had a Harry Belafonte Christmas album, and a Stevie Wonder Christmas album, and some Roland Hayes records, and I was allowed to listen to the classical station or the oldies station. I wasn’t interested in the jazz station, although I probably could listen to that. In my early years that was the music I remember hearing, asking my mom to keep out the Harry Belafonte and Stevie Wonder records way beyond and way before Christmas. The gospel sound I didn’t think I liked very much, but I did. I didn’t like church when I was a kid, and it reminded me of church, so “Oh, turn it off.” But I actually really loved Roland Hayes. We had a piano in the house that I would play all the time and write songs. I would steal songs from the radio and pretend like I wrote them. That was kind of the musical scene, you know.</span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s2"><b>Did your mom make up songs too?</b></span></p></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/zAXfAHnYJds?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=94&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_41_51_14.Still003-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_41_51_14.Still003-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1">Esperanza Spalding: My mom is very, very musical.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So, she would just make up these incidental — I guess you could say incidental music, but it was prominent so it wasn’t just incidental.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So, you know, maybe you — like you’d scratch yourself — “I have a scratch right here…” she’d be like, “Oh you don’t need to cry, ’cause your mama is by. Your mama who loves you and will never, ever leave you.”<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And she’d just come up with these.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>I remember that one.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>In the morning there’d be a song.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And she just would kind of turn any phrase — everyone in my family tends to talk to ourselves a lot — so she would just turn like a little thing she was saying to herself into a song, and then somebody would catch it and be like — “You know you should stop…”<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>Very musical.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>Very, very, very musical.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And completely hands-off in an interesting way around my musical obsessions.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So hands-on in terms of connecting me with great teachers and organizations that we could access, but then totally hands-off.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>She didn’t like make me practice every day or anything. I don’t know what to say about that approach.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>It’s really interesting, because she’s so musical and she loves music so much, and she had this dream of being a musician, but she didn’t impose it or make resistance to me exploring really anything, which is interesting.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/X-dGzA6tfCE?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=0&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_36_22_12.Still002-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Spalding-Esperanza-2014-MasterEdit.00_36_22_12.Still002-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1">I think the way our parents approach our passion affects greatly the way we approach our passion.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And I think the resistance can be a really powerful tool too.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>On the other hand, I think when parents can be too much hands-on, it can be stifling, because it really — it’s like I think I’ve heard this expression that, “You can’t be taught anything.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>You have to learn it yourself.”<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>Like people can guide you in the right direction and show you options, but only the individual can learn what it is to be learned.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>And in music, that statement I think is profoundly true, because it really is your partner for life. I think, even at a young age, it’s really important to develop your own relationship to the study of music, to the practice, to the ingestion of this entity that will be what you live and breathe and love and hate and cry about and laugh about for the rest of your life.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>So I feel really grateful that I was kind of allowed to develop my own special relationship to the art form and then, of course, be surrounded by good, great, and not-so-great teachers also.<span class="Apple-converted-space">聽 </span>It’s kind of interesting.</p> </div> </div>     <aside class="collapse" id="full-interview">    <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p class="p1"><b></b><span class="s1"><b>You have a remarkably open mind musically. There are so many streams of music flowing through your albums and your songs. Did your mother encourage an open-minded approach in general?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: That way of looking at music that isn’t strictly in one category never really was in our palette of conversation. I sort of feel like, if you look at a human being, let’s say somebody from — just to name any random place — Sicily. So you look at this human being and you say, “I want to deconstruct your DNA.” And you ask this person, you discover that there are some — for some reason — Russian ancestry. In some kind of way there’s Moorish ancestry. And then you discover there’s some Northern Italian, let’s say. I don’t even know. There could be some German ancestry. And you ask this person, “Now, how does it feel to be a part of all these cultures?” And the person is going to say, “I’m Sicilian.” And you go, “Yeah, but you have African and Russian and German and Italian. What’s it like to have all these things coursing through your blood? ” And the person is going to say, “I’m Sicilian,” you know. Whatever is that entity that in and of itself has grown through a long period of time in Sicily is inevitably the product over time of influences of — I’m not saying — this is obviously not historically correct. I’m just saying that to a Sicilian — “I’m a Sicilian. I’m a Sicilian if I’m Sicilian.” Music — the same way that love between two human beings who end up in each other’s path for an infinitely varied array of reasons — the love develops spontaneously, and the product, that child and the life of the child develop spontaneously and is influenced by the next person that falls in love. And this infinite network of connections and relationships that we see on the planet of human beings and cultures, to me, is the natural evolution of music too. So I guess I want to say the music I make is no more concerned about the Western classical influence or the South American influence as the Sicilian is that we’re doing the DNA study on to the Russian or the German.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">When you live it, you’re not conscious of the influences, like where it’s coming from. I almost feel like there’s a fear of letting the door just be open and say, “Yes, I am obsessed with Shostakovich and that doesn’t contradict or inhibit or nullify my love of TLC,” just for a random example. And if you grew up in that, I think organically what you start to hear, the same way that if one of your parents is Russian and one is Italian, you become this beautiful combination of these influences, and you’re not like, “Oh, now I’m really acting Russian. Oh, now I’m really acting Italian.” It’s you speak that way, you feel that way, you hear that way, you think that way.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">And I think, especially for composers, we don’t know — maybe we do — when Bart贸k was conscious of like, “I am borrowing this from a Hungarian folk song.” I would imagine, over time, he spontaneously would hear these melodies that were influenced by the music he had studied and exposed himself to. And in the age we live in now, where we are literally hearing sound and songs and different rhythms in movies all the time, there’s no way you can only hear it as a classical thing or a blah, blah, blah thing. I really feel like that is the future of music, and more than hearing like the specific influences and how they meld, you’re hearing the voice of an individual who just happens to be the combination of forces that they are. And everybody will choose how deep down the rabbit hole of these genres they want to study, but I think it’s more based on a love of a sound or a love of a composer. I do deeply love Shostakovich — deeply, deeply, deeply — and the love of his music makes me want to study his work, not to “bring more classical into my…” It’s just if you’re open to receive the palettes that are in this planet, you’re always going to have ideas. And it’s like, imagine being a painter and now you have like 35 more colors. And the reality is that what we’re observing is full of millions of colors. So, it’d be like, “Oh my gosh, now I can paint what I’m seeing for the first time,” or “Finally I know how,” and it really feels like now, having access to almost any music from anywhere on the planet, you just have infinite colors to paint the intangible that you hear or imagine, and now you have a larger palette to play with.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>We’ve read that poetry is very important to you as well. You write lyrics obviously, so that’s another form of creativity in your life. Did you read a lot as a kid? Were you a good student in school?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I was not a good student, but I did read a lot. All the time, actually. And just to clarify, only in the last year have I really started even claiming that I write poetry. Now it’s becoming something that is really important to me, and I am recognizing it more and more as the tool that it can be when you’re inspired, and you know the craft and you know your tools. I always loved to read, and I always loved poetry, but I never took the time to really live with poetry and let it affect me the way that poetry can, as a sensory experience. It’s kind of like watching a film that you’ve seen many times, and then paying attention to the music, like I want to say <i>All About Eve</i>, or something that. The story’s so captivating you’re just watching it and laughing at what’s to laugh at, and being heartbroken at what’s to be heartbroken at. And then someone goes like, “Man, but have you heard the score?” and you go, “Oh!” and you watch it again, and you suddenly feel this added depth of what the music contributes. So in the last year I have started experiencing poetry as the sensory experience. It’s really kind of like multimedia before there was multimedia, you know, great poets. You literally taste, feel, sense the temperature, the air. I mean you have this full sensory experience of a thought, which is really abstract if you think about it. I can write something — it’s kind of like — it’s almost like Wi-Fi, you know? I can write something over here, read it, and you have the same physical sensory experience or something similar to what my thought was. That’s very magical to me, and that’s a whole can of worms, or Pandora’s box, or whatever you want to call it, that I’m really excited to be peeking into now ,kind of for the first time in my life I have to say.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>How would you describe what you do in music?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I am a composer I guess. I would say, within music, or the performance of music, I focus on voice-based poetry, lyrics, and composition and arranging, which is a part of composition too.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>What poets are you drawn to?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Oh my gosh, so many. Right now I’m into Gary Snyder, which is really crazy. And I love Dylan Thomas. Of course everybody does. I wish I’d brought my book, because I’m really bad with names. I’ve always loved William Blake. Always, always, always.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You were reading Emily Dickinson during a recent interview.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Oh, yes! Emily Dickinson is also very, very, very — a lot of her stuff is very abstract. It’s dark and abstract. I think David Bowie is an amazing poet. Obviously Joni Mitchell. Not that I’m sitting around reading her poems, but I hear the poetry in her music. I like to listen to her poems in the songs. </span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Your house was multilingual, we understand, when you were growing up. What languages were you hearing?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Well, I grew up hearing Spanish even though we’re not Hispanic, because my mother speaks Spanish. I don’t remember why now. I just remember the presence of a lot of Spanish-speaking women in the house around. I know before I was born she was involved in the farmworker’s union in California. She is a person who’s just engaged with the people who she feels are really doing the underdog work, of bringing something to the surface where then it can become a topic that it’s cool to talk about and be all liberal on. I remember distinctly Spanish-speaking women in the house and my mom always spoke Spanish. So I grew up with that.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>How about Portuguese?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Portuguese I started studying in college because I wanted to understand the poetry in these Brazilian songs I was becoming obsessed with.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It’s not an easy language, is it?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Well, no. English is much weirder and harder though than most languages, than most of the Latin-based languages. Actually Spanish or Portuguese are gloriously logical phonetically and grammatically and consistent. So I was studying Spanish and then Portuguese. A lot of the grammatical rules and conjugation rules are the same. So they felt like a natural outcropping from each other. I’m definitely not fluent. I couldn’t be a translator, but I can survive.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You said school was tough for you. Do you think you had a different way of learning?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I just thought I knew everything and I knew better than all my teachers. Foolishly so. I just thought, “Y’all don’t know.” And I didn’t take authority very seriously at all — at all. I wanted to be special and I wanted to do things at my own pace, and I wanted to focus on what I thought was interesting more than other things, and that doesn’t work when you’re one of 30 or 25. So I just didn’t do very well. I love learning though. I loved learning. In class, it was perfect because everything was brand-new, and everything under the sun. You don’t know anything yet. So I just found being in class completely amazing and satiating, and I wanted to go to school and I wanted to be in class, but everything else wasn’t very cool. Tests and studying and — I think of myself as a learner by osmosis. I study things very specifically. I break it down into as many pieces as I can and put it back together a million different ways. But about two months later I can’t remember anything that I studied, but it stays in me somehow by osmosis. And I can only prove that because of music. Other musicians know this too. You’ll think that it didn’t do you any good. You worked on something for eight months for Jiminy’s sake, you know, a concept or a harmonic concept and you applied it in all sorts of keys and you applied in all these tunes and different tempos, and you put it in a live setting, and then when you want to do it, it’s like — ah! — it doesn’t come. And then maybe a year later it’s ingested enough or you’ve absorbed it by osmosis and there it lives. And I’m really grateful for music because I think for other walks of life the way my brain seems to work it wouldn’t be good. I couldn’t be a dentist and forget, you know, what you’re supposed to do. But I’m kind of making it comical. I wasn’t a bad student. Actually what happened is I got really sick and I ended up missing a lot of school, and I missed so much that I couldn’t catch up again.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You got really sick? What was the matter?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I had some autoimmune deficiency thing going on. My joints would swell up and I couldn’t move. So I started home schooling. When I went back to school, I couldn’t plug back in to the pace until college. Then I was cool.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It must have been tough on your mom. She was a single parent. She had to support you and teach you and also take care of you when you were sick.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Yeah. Fortunately I got better during the home schooling time. This is maybe a little out of place. I just feel like it’s important to say. Who knows who may see this? I feel like my mom is the antidote to the myth of “the welfare mom” and “welfare babies,” because there may be individuals — and I’m sure there are — out there who really abuse social services, but I can say that we would have been homeless. We could not have survived without public assistance. My mom is the hardest-working person I know. I don’t know how she raised two kids and did everything. She had her own health problems too. I don’t know how she did that.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>What kind of work did she do?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Everything under the sun. College educated but just — I don’t know. Some people miss the boat. It’s not that she’s not smart.聽</span><span class="s1">She’s incredibly intelligent and incredibly hard-working and very honest. She has a lot of integrity. And not only all of that, she somehow found the time to kind of train her kids to be critical thinkers. So we never would just be sitting and like ingesting something from TV or from a magazine. She always would try to open our eyes to a counter-commentary or a counter-perspective. I would always remember, you know, we learned the word “prostitute,” and we came home and she used it and she’s like, “No. They’re prostituted women. These are women.” Not… you know. “Yes, that is awful and it’s tragic and it’s illegal.” She’s like, “But these are women. These are human beings that are in a…” you know. That’s just one small example, but I just think of the time and the care and the attention that my mom found for me and my brother. And I’m baffled that she was working sometimes two jobs. And she herself went back to school. So she’s juggling all this, and being such an attentive teacher really to me. Anyway, just to say that those welfare checks and food stamps and Section 8 literally saved our lives, genuinely. I always like to give the example of my mom, because if anybody sat down and had a conversation with my mom, you’d think like, “Oh my God! You should be like a CEO of something.” She’s so smart. And so it’s not — for a lot of families, it’s not lack of intelligence or — what is the other word I want to use? Tenacity, entrepreneurship. It’s not a lack of those qualities. It’s just, if you’ve never had to figure out how to feed three people on $8, or working a full-time job and the wage is not enough to pay your living expenses, if that’s a state you’ve never had to reach, I think it’s really hard to fathom why don’t you just get your stuff together and just make it work. It’s a really odd position in life to be in. And on top of that, just the stress of having dependents and not knowing — actually not having the answer of how you are going to solve that. And whatever that is, the wherewithal to just keep going and not become an alcoholic or a drug addict, and still really try to instill, like my mom did, this sense of like, “You can do anything,” and “Use your mind. Use your potential. Use your heart.” I don’t know. I think my mom is an example — one of the many examples — of an antidote to that myth, I think, that people are just sitting around collecting checks. I feel really grateful to the programs that were available at that time. Everything from school lunches to all the programs that we took advantage of and used to their full potential at that time to step beyond that state of living just day-to-day, month-to-month, which fortunately did happen eventually. But yeah. I don’t know how she did it. It still kind of boggles my mind. It really does. She’s pretty hardcore.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It must be incredibly heartening for your mother to see what you’ve accomplished.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: The best part is she’s not worried about accomplishments. Like when I talked to her about the Grammy, she’s like, “Oh neat, what is that?” Anyway, I just cut out this article from the newspaper I think you’re really going to like.” She’s not very concerned with how the dominant culture perceives your success, because she’s never really operated along that value scale either. I think what really interests her is how we treat each other. That’s what interests her about human beings. Her heroes are — her favorite musicians, her favorite thinkers or writers or commentators — are people that she receives a sense of their humanity basically. So I think she could actually care less how well I’m doing and more just how I’m doing and how I’m living on the planet, which is, of course, a lifelong project. You’re always trying to get yourself together. But yeah, I had a really — have a — very one-in-a-million mom. I see over and over again how, for better and for worse, her worldview really colors the way I do things and the way I receive information, and I’m really grateful.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Is it true that you more or less taught yourself violin at a very young age?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Yes. Only because we didn’t have access to regular lessons. The truth is, you can go a long time off of a couple good lessons. I think the teacher knew we wouldn’t be able to come regularly, and I liked to play. So if you have those two things going on, there’s really no excuse for not becoming the musician you want to be. If you have a good teacher that gives you good material to study and you want to play, you’re all set. You’re really all set.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You left school at 16 and got your GED and then went to Portland State, where you were the youngest bass player there and had only been studying for how long?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: About a year and a half.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You must have progressed very quickly.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I am under the impression that what the teachers at PSU saw was potential. Because yeah, there’s only so much you can do in a year and a half. Obviously, I was coming from violin, so there’s things that translate to the bass. But again, there are the individuals in the public sphere who get a lot of spotlight and notoriety for their accomplishments in music, and for every one there are probably about 50 who never are in the spotlight and whose names may never be known outside their circle of people they have affected. But the real superheroes, as far as I’m concerned, in music, in what keeps music alive and evolving and moving forward and thriving and growing and expanding are those kinds of teachers like Ken Baldwin and Hamilton Cheifetz and many others — Darrell Grant — who were the people that had so much infinite patience with my little wild character, and supported and fed and nurtured and disciplined potential, because that’s all talent is. It’s not worth anything. It’s like having a pick and a hammer. If you don’t know where to dig for gold, you just have some tools and not much to do with them. Which is to say that me being at that school wasn’t so much about like, “Yeah, I only played for a year and a half and I got into PSU.” It was these teachers who saw something that could be cultivated, and I still have a lot of work to do to cultivate what they saw. But really all of what you just mentioned is props to those teachers. And I don’t know how they have the patience. I hope they only get one as annoying and wild as me every once in a blue moon.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You went from Portland State to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In addition to expanding your knowledge of music, you started networking there with some amazing musicians.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: That, to me, is the crowning glory of that school. It’s a crossroads, where you’re going to run into everybody from everywhere doing everything. Everything from film scoring to electronic music to gospel music. You have Korean traditional music. Anything you can dream of is happening there. And it’s still out of an economic system. So you actually are willing to go play any time for free. A lot of people are, which is something that’s really hard to recreate once you get out of school. Part of what you’re there for is to play all day long. I know my experience isn’t unique, in that I have crossed paths and rubbed skin and rubbed ideas and exchanged ideas with hundreds of people from everywhere.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Stanley Clarke was there, wasn’t he?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Oh yeah. That’s not even to mention the other big names that you get to meet if you’re lucky. I got my first real touring gig with Patti Austin because she was there. and I got to audition for her and worked with Pat Metheny and Gary Burton and Joe Lovano who became a school for me outside of school.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You ended up touring with him.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: We still play together. I met lots and lots of people.聽</span><span class="s1">Good players and great players continue to develop through word of mouth basically. So you know, nobody’s going to hire you many times if you’re like “okay.” And you know that. You learn that right away. It’s very real. I feel like most of the people I knew, we were living off of our playing. So you have not just the incentive of becoming greater, but you want to work. And if you show up at a little gig, even if it’s a jam session, you never know who’s listening, and if you’ve really done your homework and you’re evolving, you’ll get a random call. I remember getting a call from Kenny Garrett, who had heard from somebody, and Donald Harrison called me to play. That sounds like name-dropping, but it’s not. It’s just it’s that circle. You know, you hear somebody play and it’s interesting and you need a bass player. Well, they always need bass players. Just for the kids to know, it’s a good instrument to study. You’re going to get called. And then that leads to this. And <i>voila</i>!</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You’ve got to be ready, though.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Oh yeah. If you’re not ready for that circumstance that you end up in, you have to have the gall to turn that shame and embarrassment into fodder for the next phase of study. That’s hard to do, because you feel like crap.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Has that actually happened to you?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Oh my God, it happens all the time! I’m grateful when that happens, because it shows you areas that you need to work on. That’s the greatest gift for an artist to have.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">That part of you that is hungry to grow can atrophy if you always feel like you’re on top, ’cause then, where are you going to go? But getting your butt kicked and really getting embarrassed and like, “Ooh, I need to work on that.” Being willing, I guess, to recognize that that’s what’s going on. I feel like that is the greatest gift you could have, as a grown professional musician. ‘Cause once you’re out of school, no one’s going to come up and tell you “That was sad,” unless you’re in a couple of clubs in New York. There’s this place that — ooh, I haven’t played in many years — but sometimes I go down there. It’s called the Fat Cat. And it’s this weird place with ping pong tables and it’s just very bizarre, but there’s always a jam session happening. And one night, this piano player was down there playing. He’s playing, you know, and he’s taking a solo, and this guy sitting next to him like “Mm-mm. Mm-mm. You ain’t doing it for me.” And he just sort of like tries to ignore the guy and he keeps playing and he’s like, ‘Really?” So, he’s like keeping focused and he’s trying to block this guy out and he’s like, “Man! Mm-mm. Sad!” You know, commenting, commenting. Finally the guy stops. He’s like, “Man, give me a break! I mean, is that really necessary?” And the guy heckling him says, “Well, don’t get mad at me. You’re the one playing all that crap!”</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">That’s rare, though.聽</span><span class="s1">Usually what starts to happen is you start living in a bubble, and the more — the better you’re doing, the bigger the bubble becomes. So the further you have to go to have some real — a real interface with a musician who’s really going to be straight with you, or a listener who’s going to be straight with you. I don’t know why I’m talking about this, but I guess in case some young people are listening, that’s a gift. If somebody’s willing to talk down to you, or criticize you — I’m sorry — <i>be critical of your playing</i>, that is really a great gift because as I’m sure we know from other fields, when somebody doesn’t think you have any potential, they don’t say anything. There’s something there that rubbed them. Like if you ever think somebody’s just really sad and really not doing anything, you just kind of like brush it off, but when something that somebody’s playing really bothers you and you keep thinking about it, to me that means it’s affected you. It’s like the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference, right? So if somebody is taking the time and the energy to be mad at you or get on your case, that’s a really good sign, I think, that there’s something — there’s more to dig out.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>How did it come about that you started teaching at Berklee College of Music at the age of 20? You must have been the youngest teacher they ever had.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I think you have to ask them. That surprised me too.聽</span><span class="s1">When the President asked me to come in and teach, I just thought I must be filling some demographic that is needed here in the teacher roster. But that’s not solely true. I taught a five-week program, like a bass-specific five-week program to teenagers. So I was a graduate at that time, obviously. It was the summer after I graduated. And I guess I got good feedback. And they asked me to come on as an instructor. That’s a really humbling and inspiring situation I recommend for any musician, because it really forces you to look critically at your own process. I think many times we’re not even aware of how we’re progressing. It’s very intuitive, or might be just based on something you learned a long time ago. So it’s A: Looking at what you’re doing that’s not really working very well. And B: How do you improve your own methods and find a way to translate your method for every different person? To me that’s an extension of performance, right? Because you know what you want to convey. You’re feeling it. You’re believing it already. But it’s like, “How do I translate this to you, or to this room, or to this student?” I feel like it’s an extension of performance and composition and poetry, ’cause you’re trying to take a very abstract thought if you think about it. How can you get from not being able to do something to doing it in a way that you, dear 18-year-old from Tallahassee or whatever, will be able to use? And the evidence is going to show up next week, and that you’ll feel inspired to use? Ooh, it’s challenging! And you don’t succeed every time. But I felt like that was a really big gift, and a great lesson that I’m just really realizing now is an extension of performance. I mean, you’re kind of trying to turn on a similar electrical field, so to speak, when you’re performing. It’s like, “I want you to get this.”</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You’re trying to reach people.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Yeah. Simply put.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You have just pointed out the creativity in teaching.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Oh my. Great teachers are the most creative. Absofreakinlutely. Absofreakinlutely. I still remember one day — this is just very poetic. It’s also funny.聽</span><span class="s1">Ken Baldwin — bless his soul, may he rest in peace — was my bass teacher at Portland State University. And one week we all came in, and we hadn’t practiced anything. I don’t know why. There must have been a good party that weekend or something. And this is a very serious and consummate bass player who, you know, has better things to do than sit in a classroom with a bunch of little snot-nosed 20-something-year-olds and one teenager who didn’t work on what he said. So, he’s a very elegant gentleman. It’s like he’s trying to think, “How can I translate what I’m feeling to these students in a way that they’re going to get it?” And he just says, “Have you ever had a puppy?” We’re all going like, “Hmm. This is an interesting way of being reprimanded.” “You know, it’s just so sweet and you’re just so sweet to it, and you feed it and you give it water, and then it pees on the carpet and you just want to kick it, but you can’t. You know you can’t.” That went straight to the heart. Oh! So whatever. My point is, I don’t know of another way he could have expressed that thought in a nonviolent way. And I promise that was the last week we ever didn’t go ‘shed. And I’m sorry to put all your business out there, Mr. Baldwin, but that’s to me a very beautiful poetic example of the creativity flowing through great teachers. And of course, that’s a silly sort of topical example I wanted to use, because in musical terms not everybody might appreciate it, you know.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It sounds like he spurred you to action.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Absolutely. And you know what’s ingenious about that? The means that were needed at that moment to get us to the next level weren’t musical and they weren’t technical. It was psychological. Sorry. I feel like the greatest teachers I’ve had are part psychologist. You have to understand what’s going to reach this person and help bring out what’s in there. Sometimes fear and guilt are relevant tools within the arsenal.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>What spurs your creativity? You became a composer early on. Where do you think that creative spark comes from? It’s very different to be a performer than to write music yourself.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Where does the creative spark come from? You know, it can be the residue of working consistently towards something you haven’t been struck by yet. You may be a poet that doesn’t feel inspired. But by going through the motions, so to speak, of the tools of your craft, this other — like “dark matter” — is generated that starts to take on a density and a form and a reality of its own. Then there’s the type of creative spark that is literally just a spark in the dark, and you don’t know what caused it and you go searching for it. And the process of searching for it usually reveals a piece or a project or an idea. I think of it like excavating ruins or fossils. And I think even that can be intuitive. Like, what if we dug here, or you can do the research to discover, “Oh, if I dig here, there’s going to be something.” I know in my case — this feels really silly to talk about, because it’s so vast and nebulous and sort of globular at times. The feeling of an idea hitting you? It’s really hard to grab the tail of a cloud, and like,”It looks like this!” That being said, a title will come — and then it’s like a chain reaction, like <i>buh-da-da-da!</i>. And then a whole song develops. Like a slip of the tongue, the other day. We were joking about hardened criminals and we said “hardened subliminals.” And then we kept spinning off — I kept — Lee and me and all the ones inside my head kept spinning off of what that could mean. Hardened subliminals. What would that mean? Then it starts to bring up this imagery of like the prison of your mind, where these subliminals that you haven’t even been realizing were in there — you don’t even know why they’re in there in the first place, or who sent them there, or where they came from. It’s like they’re in there so long they just get hardened and then they can’t change. And you don’t know where to send them. Anyways. And then that — it just can go on forever. But many times a little thing over there turns on a whole world, kind of. It’s like you didn’t know that there was a switch that was connected to all this, and now it all starts to come alive and you just want to tell people what you saw in that toy store.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You have to be willing to be receptive to those instincts, don’t you?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: And try to follow through. Like I said before, t</span><span class="s1">alent is not a quality in and of itself. It’s a — actually, I’m sorry — it’s a quality like tall or big lips or long fingers. It’s a quality. It’s not necessarily an advantage or of value in and of itself. So yes, it’s wonderful to see things that that other person doesn’t immediately see, but if you can’t do anything with it, you’re not an artist. It’s still cool for you. Like I have a great time just spinning little funny ideas off in my head all the time, but I feel like I want to translate them into a tangible form that can be shared. So yes. I think it’s very crucial to be receptive — just in the world, as an artist — to sounds and images and ideas. And there’s this thing called follow-through, where you take that thing as far as you can take it. And it may be a dead end, but the dead ends lead to something else too. So this thing of follow-through, and then also the willingness to accept a failure and turn it into a success. That can be the most annoying thing ever, when you’ve spent all this energy creating something and you have this thing that’s like, let’s say it’s a poem and it’s like, “Wow, it’s eight verses! This is awesome!” And then you put it down and you look at it a week later and you realize all the weaknesses in it, or you realize that nobody understands what you were trying to say, but you like it. My mom would always say, “Well, if you like it so much, place it up on the wall,” but don’t leave it at that. If you love that line that you wrote, or you love that visual that you made, great, put it on the wall. But if you want this to be a consummate piece of art, or a piece of work that other people can engage with, you’ve got to improve it.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">It’s like an editor, you know. You don’t just hand out the 16 or, let’s say — I don’t know, it’s way more — 300 hours of footage. You edit it, and you re-edit it and you re-edit it, and you check with your editor and you check with other viewers to see how your original idea is being translated. And I think that can be a really scary process for artists, because it’s like birthing this thing that nobody knew existed in the first place. So, how can you tell me if it’s not good enough? But there’s also this inner viewer, this inner more objective viewer that, if we’re willing to give it a voice, helps us become better editors and better refiners. And that, to me, is part of follow-through. Part of follow-through is taking it as far as you can take it and saying, “Ooh. Is that what it wants to be?” and sometimes it’s yes. Sometimes it’s no. Knowing the difference, and being willing to do the next stage of work, the next level of work. And it’s really annoying, but it’s the — I feel like — the most rewarding part of being an “artist.” It’s like nobody can tell you it’s done or it’s over. It’s never over. The process is never over. Art is never over. And you’re never over, because through your art you’re continually reinventing yourself and regenerating yourself. I mean, “What is an idea? What is the creative spark?” Well, either you can take the approach that it’s something out there in the universe that we capture, or it comes from the residue of what we are and our experiences. Either way, it’s a piece of yourself. So we get this luxury of having permission to constantly refine and redefine ourselves, which is a luxury that actually everybody’s afforded, but I think most people don’t give themselves room to do that, you know.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Talking about inspiration and preparation, the concept of a muse comes to mind. There’s a story about Shostakovich teaching a class, and one of his students did not complete the development section of the assignment. His excuse was, “Professor Shostakovich, the muse didn’t alight on my shoulder and I just didn’t have the inspiration.” And Shostakovich’s answer was, “I don’t want to hear about your muse. Just write the development.” Those of us on the outside may have a very romantic view of a muse, like a bird of paradise coming into your world and giving you an idea. But I gather it’s not necessarily…</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Well, two things quickly. I’m trying to be more concise here. Let’s see if we can practice that now.聽</span><span class="s1">I don’t remember which writer said this, but in an interview, a prolific novelist was asked, “Do you write only when you’re inspired, or do you write all the time? Do you wait for the muse, or do you just kind of knock it out? You can just sort of spin it out?” And he said, “Well, I do wait for the muse. I write when the muse comes, but fortunately she shows up, like me, every day at 9:00 a.m.” And to me, I think the anecdote is actually much shorter than the way I just said it, but that sort of sums up the point that I was trying to make earlier, with follow-through, and Doctor — I assume — Shostakovich or Maestro Shostakovich was trying to instill in the student. The way that I’ve learned, the way that I’ve convinced myself to keep at something when it doesn’t seem like any fruits are forming — because that can happen. You have an arranging project or an assignment, or preparing for a gig, something that’s very new and difficult, and it can feel like you’re doing the same thing and nothing is changing. You know you’re able to do it faster now. Okay. I couldn’t put that chord there as quickly, but it just doesn’t seem like much is coming, especially with lyrics and poetry because you know when the words are there, and there isn’t like a method to have great lyrics. And I always think to myself, “Well, if I were the muse and I had something really special that could only be translated through a human form, wouldn’t I want to give it to the person who was most, agile and fit for the task?” You know, like if you want to get this message to Marathon, you give it to a runner. You wouldn’t give it to somebody who doesn’t run very often, because you’re not sure if they’re going to make it. So I think if there is this kind of idea of a muse or whatever that could be, the muse isn’t going to waste all that gold on somebody who is not in shape. So you want to be somebody. You want to be a good candidate for the muse to travel through. The muse is whatever that is, magic to travel through.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It sounds like inspiration is all well and good but you have to be ready for it.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Absolutely. And don’t think of it like work. It’s the funnest and most glorious thing ever. Most people know that, and it probably seems like that. But you dedicate yourself. You make a commitment. You’re signing up for something for the rest of your life. Once we accept that this is my day gig <i>and</i> my night gig, it’s a beautiful thing.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>As you said, it’s your life partner.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: It is. It really is, and all that that entails.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Tell us about winning the Grammy for Best New Artist. It took a lot of people by surprise because you were up against some pretty famous people.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: I don’t know what to say about all that.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>What did you think of when it happened?</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Five minutes before it happened, my brother was there and we were just sitting there like, “Isn’t this weird that we’re here? What is going on? Isn’t this trippy?” I just felt like, “We have tickets! We’re in the front! We can feel the fire from Arcade Fire on our faces.” It’s so weird to think of where we started and now we’re somehow a part of this big weird whoop-de-do. We just kind of looked back.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">The general feeling was like, “It’s so weird and wonderful to be here, because this has nothing to do with what I spend most of my life pursuing.” I’m not creating the kind of art, and I don’t feel interested generally in being a creator of the type of art that is noticed by that organization. I can appreciate it. It’s just, I don’t particularly feel drawn to perform or write in — not like there’s “that way,” but you know what I mean. And so then what’s-his-name — not what’s-his-name, John Legend and Jewel up there, and I like both of them and we were just — I don’t know. I’m getting the feeling again. It was just like, “What? Okay. I’m glad I wore a nice dress. Let’s go try to say something.” And then I was thinking, “Wow. Well, this is going to mean we can play bigger venues.” That’s what I was thinking. And then I thought, “Okay. What are we going to do with this? This seems like something.” So then, right after that, I got like to do a bunch of cool interviews and be in magazines and all that. And I was thinking like, “This is not about me and my art. It’s just because now I’m somebody that something weird happened to.” And that was very clear to me that this is not about art. It’s not about what I’m doing. It’s about what happened in that situation. And I just thought, “Well, I do feel like, for me, the Best New Artist means potential, because ‘New.’ I always feel new”. So, I thought, “Okay. Well, I can live with that honor or that title because I think of myself as a new artist all the time. And I always want to be the best at what I’m doing. So, okay. That’s how I’m going to take this and just let the noise do what it does.” You know what I mean? Because it’s a noise machine. So let the noise do what it does. Recognize it was some weird fluke or whatever. However that happened, that’s what happened.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">And then I thought, “Wow, this is going to make the <i>Radio Music Society</i> thing work better than originally planned, because聽</span><span class="s1">I had this idea to bring musicians who are important to me, and put them in this album that was sort of like — the mission was to get the songs played on the radio so people would be, whether they knew it or not, hearing Joe Lovano and hearing Jack DeJohnette. And I feel like their spirit is translated through the vibrations of what they play. I thought that would be so cool if like some little kid in Arkansas who had never heard of jazz before hears this song that’s kind of grooving, and then they end up hearing Joe Lovano. That was like a little story that played out in my head. I thought it would be cool if it could happen. And I thought, “Well, maybe with the Grammy now, people will give it more opportunity.” But I want to say that opportunity is wonderful, and doesn’t necessarily make better art. So when opportunity and exposure align with great art, that’s awesome. And sometimes great art ends up happening under the radar for decades. And it’s just as crucial. It <i>has</i> to be in the planet. It <i>has</i> to be in the planet. It’s not like — “because one day it will be known.” You never know where that art is going to arrive, and who’s going to touch it and who needs it. You just never freaking know.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">For all of the hype that Grammy created, it’s all died down now. And I just am reminding myself you don’t need all that to make incredible glorious art that touches a lot of people and can go really far. That should always, I think, be the predominant goal in your head because the music industry is always playing catch-up with what’s really happening. So if you’re out in the world trying to chase a version of what works, you’re already too late. All you can do is cultivate and bring out what you’re hearing based on your life and your dreams and your fears and your wishes. Bring it out the best you possibly can. Find people to help you bring it out better than you can do it by yourself, and then find the “demographic,” quote-unquote, or I just like to say, “the people in the world who will dig it,” because even if it’s one in a million, that’s still a lot of people who will like your music. And I guarantee you’ll be less likely to become an addict, alcoholic, womanizer, or sufferer of life. Which, there’s no good reason — if you won the womb lottery and you’re born in the “developed world” — you have to suffer through life. I think a lot of artists, they were born with this thing, this vision, this calling to do something that only they could see, and they compromise that for opportunity and exposure. I think they suffer greater than somebody who doesn’t get the notoriety but spends their whole life pursuing and developing their passion.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You’re the only one who can make your music.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: That’s it.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>It is truly an inspiration to talk to you.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Well thank you. Thanks for letting me blah-blah-blah so long. It’s just fun. It’s fun.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Thank you.</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Esperanza Spalding: Thank you for asking me to do it.</span></p> </div>  </aside>  <div class="read-more__toggle collapsed" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#full-interview"><a href="#" class="sans-4 btn">Read full interview</a></div> </article> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="gallery" role="tabpanel"> <section class="isotope-wrapper">  <header class="toolbar toolbar--gallery bg-white clearfix"> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="serif-4">Esperanza Spalding Gallery</div> </div> <div class="col-md-6 text-md-right isotope-toolbar"> <ul class="list-unstyled list-inline m-b-0 text-brand-primary sans-4"> <li class="list-inline-item" data-filter=".photo"><i class="icon-icon_camera"></i>15 photos</li> </ul> </div> </header> <div class="isotope-gallery isotope-box single-achiever__gallery clearfix"> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.4100185528757" title="Backstage at the 2011 Grammy Awards: Esperanza Spalding displays her award for Best New Artist. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Backstage at the 2011 Grammy Awards: Esperanza Spalding displays her award for Best New Artist. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013.jpg" data-image-caption="Backstage at the 2011 Grammy Awards: Esperanza Spalding displays her award for Best New Artist. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)" data-image-copyright="Esperanza Spalding" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-270x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-013-539x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1" title="Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012a.jpg" data-image-caption="Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)" data-image-copyright="spa0-012a" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012a-380x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012a.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.3309982486865" title="Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012.jpg" data-image-caption="Composer, bass player and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, incandescent onstage and off. (Photo courtesy of Esperanza Spalding)" data-image-copyright="spa0-012" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012-285x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-012-571x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.501976284585" title="Esperanza Spalding mesmerizes the audience at the 2014 International Achievement Summit with her expressive singing and inventive bass playing. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Esperanza Spalding mesmerizes the audience at the 2014 International Achievement Summit with her expressive singing and inventive bass playing. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011.jpg" data-image-caption="Esperanza Spalding mesmerizes the audience at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco with her expressive singing and inventive bass playing. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-011" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011-253x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-011-506x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.501976284585" title="Esperanza Spalding sings and accompanies herself on upright bass at the International Achievement Summit. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Esperanza Spalding sings and accompanies herself on upright bass at the International Achievement Summit. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-010.jpg" data-image-caption="Esperanza Spalding sings and accompanies herself on upright bass at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-010" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-010-253x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-010-506x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.501976284585" title="Esperanza Spalding takes a break between numbers at the International Achievement Summit. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Esperanza Spalding takes a break between numbers at the International Achievement Summit. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-009.jpg" data-image-caption="Esperanza Spalding takes a break between numbers at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-009" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-009-253x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-009-506x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66578947368421" title="Esperanza Spalding addresses the Academy of Achievement before her performance at the Academy's 2014 Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Esperanza Spalding addresses the Academy of Achievement before her performance at the Academy's 2014 Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-008.jpg" data-image-caption="Esperanza Spalding addresses the Academy of Achievement before her performance at the Academy's 2014 Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-008" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-008-380x253.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-008-760x506.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66578947368421" title="A meeting of musical minds: Esperanza Spalding on bass and Wayne Shorter on soprano saxophone at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - A meeting of musical minds: Esperanza Spalding on bass and Wayne Shorter on soprano saxophone at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-007.jpg" data-image-caption="A meeting of musical minds: Esperanza Spalding on bass and Wayne Shorter on soprano saxophone at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-007" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-007-380x253.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-007-760x506.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66578947368421" title="Wayne Shorter accompanies Esperanza Spalding in a duet performance at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Wayne Shorter accompanies Esperanza Spalding in a duet performance at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006.jpg" data-image-caption="Academy guest of honor and jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter accompanies Esperanza Spalding in a duet performance at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-006" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006-380x253.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-006-760x506.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66578947368421" title="Virtuoso bassist Esperanza Spalding plays for one of her longtime heroes, jazz giant Wayne Shorter, at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Virtuoso bassist Esperanza Spalding plays for one of her longtime heroes, jazz giant Wayne Shorter, at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005.jpg" data-image-caption="Virtuoso bassist Esperanza Spalding plays for one of her longtime heroes, jazz giant Wayne Shorter, at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-005" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005-380x253.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-005-760x506.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66578947368421" title="Violinist Joshua Bell, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Violinist Joshua Bell, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-004.jpg" data-image-caption="Violinist Joshua Bell, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-004" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-004-380x253.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-004-760x506.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.79736842105263" title="Esperanza Spalding meets Oprah Winfrey at the Academy of Achievement's 2014 event honoring Sidney Poitier. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Esperanza Spalding meets Oprah Winfrey at the Academy of Achievement's 2014 event honoring Sidney Poitier. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003.jpg" data-image-caption="Esperanza Spalding meets Golden Plate Awards Council member Oprah Winfrey at the American Academy of Achievement's 2014 event in Beverly Hills honoring Sidney Poitier. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-003" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003-380x303.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-003-760x606.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.78947368421053" title="Esperanza Spalding meets Sidney Poitier and bandleader Ricky Miner on the occasion of Mr. Poitier's 2014 induction into the Academy of Achievement in Los Angeles. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Esperanza Spalding meets Sidney Poitier and bandleader Ricky Miner on the occasion of Mr. Poitier's 2014 induction into the Academy of Achievement in Los Angeles. (漏 Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-002.jpg" data-image-caption="Esperanza Spalding meets Sidney Poitier and bandleader Ricky Miner on the occasion of Mr. Poitier's 2014 induction into the Academy of Achievement in Los Angeles. (漏 Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="spa0-002" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-002-380x300.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-002-760x600.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.54868421052632" title="Jazz phenomenon Esperanza Spalding poses for a portrait in 2012. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Jazz phenomenon Esperanza Spalding poses for a portrait in 2012. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-001.jpg" data-image-caption="Jazz phenomenon Esperanza Spalding poses for a portrait in 2012. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri)" data-image-copyright="Esperanza Spalding - Portraits" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-001-380x209.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/spa0-001-760x417.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66710526315789" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee.jpg" data-image-caption="2012: Jazz great Esperanza Spalding is a Grammy Award-winning bassist, vocalist and songwriter known for albums like <i>Esperanza</i> and <i>Radio Music Society</i>. (Sandrine Lee)" data-image-copyright="wp-240esperanzaspaldingcourtesyofmontunoproductionsphotobysandrinelee" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee-380x253.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wp-240EsperanzaSpaldingCourtesyofMontunoProductionsPhotoBySandrineLee-760x507.jpg"></div>  </figure>    </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <footer class="editorial-article__footer col-md-8 col-md-offset-4"> <div class="editorial-article__next-link sans-3"> <a href="#"><strong>What's next:</strong> <span class="editorial-article__next-link-title">profile</span></a> </div> <ul class="social list-unstyled list-inline ssk-group m-b-0"> <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="" class="ssk ssk-facebook" data-gtm-category="social" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Shared Achiever on Facebook"><i class="icon-icon_facebook-circle"></i></a></li> <li class="list-inline-item"><a 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class="ratio-container ratio-container--square bg-black"> <div class="lazyload box achiever-block__image" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rol0-001a-190x190.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rol0-001a-380x380.jpg"></div> <div class="achiever-block__overlay"></div> <figcaption class="text-xs-center achiever-block__text"> <div class="display--table"> <div class="display--table-cell"> <div class="achiever-block__text--center"> <div class="achiever-block__name text-brand-primary">Sonny Rollins</div> <div class="achiever-block__known-as text-white sans-6">Greatest Living Jazz Soloist</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="text-white achiever-block__text--bottom"> <div class="achiever-block__year sans-4">Inducted in <span class="year-inducted">2006</span></div> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </a> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> </div> </article> <div class="modal image-modal fade" id="imageModal" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" 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list m-b-0 list-unstyled"> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/hank-aaron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Hank Aaron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/kareem-abdul-jabbar/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lynsey-addario/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lynsey Addario</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/edward-albee/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Edward Albee</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tenley-albright-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Tenley Albright, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/svetlana-alexievich/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Svetlana Alexievich</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/julie-andrews/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Julie Andrews</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/maya-angelou/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Maya Angelou</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-d-ballard-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert D. Ballard, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-roger-bannister-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Roger Bannister</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-banville/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Banville</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ehud-barak/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ehud Barak</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lee-r-berger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lee R. 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Black, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/elizabeth-blackburn/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Elizabeth Blackburn, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-boies-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David Boies</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/norman-e-borlaug/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Norman E. Borlaug, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/benjamin-c-bradlee/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Benjamin C. Bradlee</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sergey-brin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sergey Brin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carter-j-brown/"><span class="achiever-list-name">J. Carter Brown</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/linda-buck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Linda Buck, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-burnett/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carol Burnett</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-h-w-bush/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George H. W. Bush</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/susan-butcher/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Susan Butcher</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-cameron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Cameron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/benjamin-s-carson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Benjamin S. Carson, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jimmy-carter/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jimmy Carter</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/johnny-cash/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Johnny Cash</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/william-j-clinton/"><span class="achiever-list-name">William J. Clinton</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/francis-s-collins/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/denton-a-cooley/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Denton A. Cooley, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/francis-ford-coppola/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Francis Ford Coppola</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ray-dalio/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ray Dalio</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/olivia-de-havilland/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Olivia de Havilland</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/michael-e-debakey-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Michael E. DeBakey, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/michael-dell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Michael S. Dell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ron-dennis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ron Dennis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/joan-didion/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Joan Didion</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-herbert-donald-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David Herbert Donald, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-doubilet/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David Doubilet</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/rita-dove/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Rita Dove</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sylvia-earle/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/elbaradei/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mohamed ElBaradei</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/gertrude-elion/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Gertrude B. Elion, M.Sc.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/larry-j-ellison/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Larry J. Ellison</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nora-ephron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nora Ephron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/julius-erving/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Julius Erving</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tony-fadell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Tony Fadell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/paul-farmer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Paul Farmer, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/suzanne-farrell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Suzanne Farrell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-field/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sally Field</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lord-norman-foster/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lord Norman Foster</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/aretha-franklin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Aretha Franklin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/milton-friedman-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Milton Friedman, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-fuentes/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Fuentes</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/athol-fugard/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Athol Fugard</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ernest-j-gaines/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ernest J. Gaines</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/william-h-gates-iii/"><span class="achiever-list-name">William H. Gates III</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-gehry/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank O. Gehry</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/murray-gell-mann-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Murray Gell-Mann, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-ghosn/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Ghosn</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/vince-gill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Vince Gill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ruth-bader-ginsburg/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ruth Bader Ginsburg</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/louise-gluck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Louise Gl眉ck</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/whoopi-goldberg/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Whoopi Goldberg</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jane-goodall/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Jane Goodall</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/doris-kearns-goodwin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mikhail-s-gorbachev/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mikhail S. Gorbachev</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nadine-gordimer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nadine Gordimer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-jay-gould/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen Jay Gould, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-greider-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carol Greider, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-grisham/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Grisham</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-john-gurdon/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir John Gurdon</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/dorothy-hamill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dorothy Hamill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/demis-hassabis-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Demis Hassabis, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lauryn-hill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lauryn Hill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-edmund-hillary/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Edmund Hillary</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/reid-hoffman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Reid Hoffman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/khaled-hosseini/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Khaled Hosseini, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ron-howard/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ron Howard</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-hume/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Hume</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/louis-ignarro-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Louis Ignarro, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/daniel-inouye/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Daniel K. Inouye</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeremy-irons/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jeremy Irons</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-irving/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Irving</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/kazuo-ishiguro/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Kazuo Ishiguro</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-peter-jackson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Peter Jackson</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/donald-c-johanson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Donald C. Johanson, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-m-johnson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank M. Johnson, Jr.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/philip-johnson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Philip C. Johnson</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/chuck-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Chuck Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-earl-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Earl Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/quincy-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Quincy Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/beverly-joubert/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Beverly Joubert</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/dereck-joubert/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dereck Joubert</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/paul-kagame/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Paul Kagame</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/thomas-keller-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Thomas Keller</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-m-kennedy/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Anthony M. Kennedy</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/b-b-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">B.B. King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carole-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carole King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/coretta-scott-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Coretta Scott King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/henry-kissinger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Henry A. Kissinger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/willem-j-kolff/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Willem J. Kolff, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wendy-kopp/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wendy Kopp</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/henry-r-kravis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Henry R. Kravis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nicholas-d-kristof/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nicholas D. Kristof</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mike-krzyzewski/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mike Krzyzewski</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ray-kurzwell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ray Kurzweil</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/eric-lander-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Eric S. Lander, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-s-langer-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert S. Langer, Sc.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/richard-leakey/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Richard E. Leakey</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/leon-lederman-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Leon Lederman, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-lefkowitz-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/congressman-john-r-lewis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Congressman John R. Lewis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/maya-lin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Maya Lin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-lucas/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George Lucas</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/norman-mailer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Norman Mailer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/peyton-manning/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Peyton Manning</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wynton-marsalis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wynton Marsalis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-c-mather-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John C. Mather, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/johnny-mathis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Johnny Mathis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ernst-mayr-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ernst Mayr, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/willie-mays/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Willie Mays</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-mccourt/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank McCourt</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-mccullough/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David McCullough</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/audra-mcdonald/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Audra McDonald</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-william-h-mcraven/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral William H. McRaven, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/w-s-merwin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">W. S. Merwin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-a-michener/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James A. Michener</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/marvin-minsky-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Marvin Minsky, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mario-j-molina-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mario J. Molina, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/n-scott-momaday-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">N. Scott Momaday, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/story-musgrave/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Story Musgrave, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ralph-nader/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ralph Nader</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/peggy-noonan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Peggy Noonan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jessye-norman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jessye Norman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tommy-norris/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lt. Thomas R. Norris, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/joyce-carol-oates/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Joyce Carol Oates</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pierre-omidyar/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Pierre Omidyar</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jimmy-page/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jimmy Page</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/larry-page/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Larry Page</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/arnold-palmer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Arnold Palmer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/leon-panetta/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Leon Panetta</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/rosa-parks/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Rosa Parks</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/suzan-lori-parks/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Suzan-Lori Parks</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/linus-pauling/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Linus C. Pauling, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/shimon-peres/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Shimon Peres</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/itzhak-perlman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Itzhak Perlman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-david-petraeus/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General David H. Petraeus, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sidney-poitier/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sidney Poitier</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-colin-l-powell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General Colin L. Powell, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/harold-prince/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Harold Prince</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/venki-ramakrishnan-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Venki Ramakrishnan, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lord-martin-rees/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lord Martin Rees</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lloyd-richards/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lloyd Richards</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-ride-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sally K. Ride, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sonny-rollins/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sonny Rollins</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-romero/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Anthony Romero</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-rosenquist/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Rosenquist</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pete-rozelle/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Pete Rozelle</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Bill Russell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/albie-sachs/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Albie Sachs</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/oliver-sacks-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Oliver Sacks, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jonas-salk-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jonas Salk, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frederick-sanger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frederick Sanger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-b-schaller-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George B. Schaller, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/barry-scheck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Barry Scheck</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/richard-evans-schultes-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Richard Evans Schultes, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-h-norman-schwarzkopf/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-schwarzman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen A. Schwarzman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/glenn-t-seaborg-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Glenn T. Seaborg, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/neil-sheehan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Neil Sheehan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-alan-shepard-jr/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral Alan B. Shepard, Jr., USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-slim/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Slim Hel煤</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frederick-w-smith/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frederick W. Smith</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-sondheim/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen Sondheim</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sonia-sotomayor/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sonia Sotomayor</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wole-soyinka/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wole Soyinka</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/esperanza-spalding/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Esperanza Spalding</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/martha-stewart/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Martha Stewart</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-james-b-stockdale/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral James B. Stockdale, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/hilary-swank/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Hilary Swank</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/amy-tan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Amy Tan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/dame-kiri-te-kanawa/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Kiri Te Kanawa</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/edward-teller-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Edward Teller, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/twyla-tharp/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Twyla Tharp</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wayne-thiebaud/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wayne Thiebaud</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lt-michael-e-thornton-usn/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lt. Michael E. Thornton, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/charles-h-townes-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Charles H. Townes, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-trimble/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David Trimble</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ted-turner/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert Edward (Ted) Turner</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/desmond-tutu/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Archbishop Desmond Tutu</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-updike/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Updike</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/gore-vidal/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Gore Vidal</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/antonio-villaraigosa/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Antonio Villaraigosa</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lech-walesa/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lech Walesa</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/herschel-walker/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Herschel Walker</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-d-watson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James D. Watson, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/andrew-weil-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Andrew Weil, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/leslie-h-wexner/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Leslie H. Wexner</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/elie-wiesel/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Elie Wiesel</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/edward-o-wilson-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Edward O. Wilson, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/oprah-winfrey/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Oprah Winfrey</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tom-wolfe/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Tom Wolfe</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-wooden/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Wooden</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/bob-woodward/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Bob Woodward</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/shinya-yamanaka-m-d-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Shinya Yamanaka, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-chuck-yeager/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General Chuck Yeager, USAF</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/andrew-young/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Andrew J. Young</span></a> </li> </ul> <div class="list__close"></div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 col-lg-3"> <ul id="menu-footer-menu-col-1" class="menu list-unstyled"><li class="menu-item menu-item-has-children menu-our-history"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/our-history/">Our History</a> <ul class="sub-menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-about-the-academy"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/our-history/">About the Academy</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-academy-patrons"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/our-history/patrons/">Academy Patrons</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-delegate-alumni"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181031235034/http://www.achievement.org/our-history/alumni/">Delegate Alumni</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-directors-our-team"><a 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