From the White House to a high school Cafetorium near me

A couple of years after we moved here, word of mouth finally told us about the amazing musical talent to be found in a local high school. Curious, skeptical, and looking for cheap entertainment, Rob and I went to an evening performance in the school’s cafeteria and were utterly blown away by the extraordinarily good jazz music that emanated from a collection of otherwise gangly rural teenagers. We have been High School Jazz Band Groupies ever since.

It seemed unlikely that so much rich, natural jazz talent was hidden in the treed hills around here, where musical tastes seem more of the country AND western genre. We eventually concluded that while talent may indeed exist anywhere, it really requires a master technician to coax it out, develop it, challenge it, and convince it it can fly. Here, that technician is named Greg.

Greg has been teaching band kids his whole life, it seems. He appears tough but loving, focused but encouraging, serious but funny. He undoubtedly has been the favorite and most inspiring teacher for thousands of band kids. And one of those kids did something amazing last night to say thank you.

To be honest, I hadn’t heard of Esperanza Spalding until she won this year’s Grammy for Best New Artist… beating out Justin Bieber and thereby proving that there is a God and He is a music-lover. Apparently it was the first time ever that the New Artist award went to a jazz musician. But that’s not why I finally heard about Esperanza. No, it was her backstage press conference, shiny gold gramophone in hand, when she specifically named her most influential teachers. Right there, for everyone to hear, she thanked Greg. It made the Local Rag and she was suddenly on my radar.

So last night, as a thank you to Greg and to help him and the high school raise funds for the band program, Esperanza held a concert in the school’s cafetorium (a newly upgraded lunch room AND performance arts stage – trust me, it actually works). Greg’s current pinch-me-so-I-know-I’m-not-dreaming jazz kids played back-up, reportedly not the least upset about jumping back into band rehearsals while still on summer vacation. It was a surreal night. A night where big world met small town, where appreciation and gratitude duked it out, where young, raw talent witnessed the effect of dedicated cultivation. And as any self-respecting Jazz Band Groupie should be, I was there.

Esperanza was in a word astounding. I had never witnessed a performance like hers. She sang and played the bass..although she is also an accomplished piano, violin, cello player as well. Just 26 years old (and at 20, the youngest professor to ever teach at the acclaimed Berklee College of Music in Boston), she was young and enthusiastic and expressive and demur. Having toured all over the world, including appearances on Letterman, playing at the White House, and performing at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Norway at the personal invitation of President Obama, Esperanza was also confident and mature and comfortable and professional.

Esperanza did some scatting – that improv style of talking-singing in made up words, some slow but mostly fast. I have heard people scat. It can be somewhat awkward and clunky as they try to sing nonsense without preparation. When Esperanza scatted, it was like she truly was speaking a foreign language. It was fluent and cohesive, sentences that sounded complete, facial expressions that conveyed meaning. She drew me into her world even though I had no idea what she was saying.

Although I like bass in music – it’s usually the sound I amp up a bit on my equalizer – I have never heard the bass by itself sound like music. It’s so low and thumpy, it has always been hard for me to detect melody during bass solos. For the first time, last night I heard it. Esperanza played her bass with her full body and soul. She hugged it, she danced with it, she caressed it, she respected it but worked it hard. She felt the music she was playing and it danced out of her every pore. She played with full joy and expression. Several times, she brought to mind the music scene from the “Charlie Brown Christmas” special where all the kids are on stage dancing and flopping, eyes closed, fully encased in the music they are playing. If Esperanza had solicited requests, I would have begged she and the band play The Peanuts Theme. I know it would have been spectacular.

It’s not often our little town gets visited by Big Celebrities. Well, aside from Tonya when she does her grocery shopping. So the town did its very best to roll out the Red Carpet for Esperanza. Her name was up on the billboard for the local printing shop. I’m sure the McDonalds sign would have welcomed her, too, were the restaurant not currently under some unexpectedly extensive remodeling. There was a VIP Meet & Greet at the nicest restaurant in town prior to the show. I should have forked over the money to schmooze…and brought Piglet with me. Darned hindsight.

The Mayor was the program’s emcee. The school district’s Superintendent was there, as was a mover-and-shaker County Commissioner. Flowers were purchased to decorate the stage. A fancy amp was rented from the local music store down the street for Esperanza’s bass, as was an alto sax for a dear friend she brought along. (The friend was also an amazing musician and passed for one of the band kids…albeit in uncharacteristically rocking heels…until Esperanza introduced her.) And prior to the event, as cars were arriving and a main parking lot filled up, the high school’s principal stood, all suited up, in the middle of the street directing traffic.

At the almost-conclusion of the show, before the presentation of some root beer to Greg by the drummer (inside joke) and after the introduction of the Jazz Band Booster Mom, the principal gifted Esperanza with a collection of high school logoed sweatshirts and t-shirts. She genially draped them over her sparkly gown and kept them there as the school administrators continued to thank everyone they could think of for making the evening happen. Seemingly, if one is sharing the stage with a Grammy winner, one is inspired to give an acceptance speech.

So I am now officially an Esperanza Spalding fan. Not only of her incredible talent and true passion for her art form, but also of her character and graciousness. She is truly an award winner.