Wikipedia

Chamber Music Society

For organizations including the phrase "Chamber Music Society", see Chamber Music Society of Colombo, Chamber Music Society of Detroit, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
For the 1940s radio program, see The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street.

Chamber Music Society is the third studio album by American bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding. It was released on August 17, 2010 by Heads Up International. After Spalding's Grammy win for Best New Artist, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 34 with sales of 18,000.[1]

Chamber Music Society
Studio album by
Esperanza Spalding
ReleasedAugust 17, 2010
RecordedOctober 2009
GenreJazz, Chamber Music, Third Stream
Length56:15
LabelHeads Up
ProducerEsperanza Spalding, Gil Goldstein
Esperanza Spalding chronology
Esperanza
(2008) 		Chamber Music Society
(2010) 		Radio Music Society
(2012)

Background

edit

A video was made for the song "Little Fly".[2] The song is a poem by William Blake set to music by Spalding.

A vinyl version of the album was released in February 2011. This version of the album included a bonus track titled "Morning" which was to be included on her Radio Music Society album.

Chamber Music Society was the best-selling contemporary jazz album of 2011.[3]

Critical reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Absolute Sound     [4]
AllMusic     [5]
All About Jazz     [6]
Billboard73/100[7]
The Daily Telegraph     [8]
The Guardian     [9]
Paste7.1/10[10]
Popmatters          [11]
Rolling Stone     [12]
Tom HullB−[13]

Bill Friskics-Warren of The Washington Post noted "The mood throughout the album's 11 tracks is languid and improvisatory, with Spalding and members of her chamber ensemble weaving in and out of roomy arrangements that afford them as much chance to linger on a note as to take off on flights of melodic or rhythmic fancy. Their fusion of jazz, contemporary classical and other sources, including some understated funk, is as lively as it is original".[14] Will Layman of PopMatters commented, "2010 brings Spalding’s most ambitious and complex music yet. Chamber Music Society delivers more of what a fan would expect –sinuous singing, a flexible, modern, acoustic jazz trio at the center, Latin rhythms that shift through funk, swing, and Brazilian grooves, but always in service of tuneful soul — while adding some daring new elements as well."[11]

Zachary Sniderman of Paste Magazine wrote "Spalding’s voice is the warm heart of Chamber Music Society. Her best songs are anchored by that core, despite some experimental slips into the jazz deep-end. Spalding does better carving out a soundscape than acting like a sonic bulldozer. Still, Chamber Music Society is a fresh, slender album that shows both Spalding’s immense talent and the heart within it".[15] Mark Kemp of Rolling Stone added, "Chamber Music Society finds Spalding stretching herself a bit too thin... But her talent is undeniable."[12]

Track listing

edit

All songs written and composed by Esperanza Spalding, except where noted.

  1. "Little Fly" (lyrics: William Blake, music: Esperanza Spalding) – 3:33
  2. "Knowledge of Good and Evil" – 7:59
  3. "Really Very Small" – 2:44
  4. "Chacarera" (Leo Genovese) – 7:27
  5. "Wild Is the Wind" (Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington) – 5:37
  6. "Apple Blossom" – 6:02
  7. "As a Sprout" – 0:41
  8. "What a Friend" – 4:54
  9. "Winter Sun" – 6:48
  10. "Inútil Paisagem" (lyrics: Aloísio de Oliveira, music: Antonio Carlos Jobim) – 4:38
  11. "Short and Sweet" – 5:52
Japanese only bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Midnight Sun"lyrics: Johnny Mercer, music: Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke 

Personnel

edit
  • Esperanza Spalding – bass guitar, double bass, vocals
  • Leo Genovese – piano, electric piano, melodica
  • Terri Lyne Carrington – drums
  • Quintino Cinalli – percussion
  • Entcho Todorov – violin
  • Lois Martin – viola
  • David Eggar – cello
  • Ricardo Vogt – nylon-stringed guitar on "Apple Blossom"
  • Milton Nascimento – guest vocals on "Apple Blossom"
  • Gretchen Parlato – backing vocals on "Inútil Paisagem" and "Knowledge of Good and Evil"
  • Jay Newland - engineer
  • Gil Goldstein – co-arranger

Charts

edit
Chart (2010) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 50
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 92
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[18] 13
US Billboard 200[19] 34
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[20] 1
US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[21] 1
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[22] 16

References

edit
  1. ^ "Justin Bieber Scores Second No. 1 Album (The Week in Music Sales)". Hollywoodreporter.com. February 23, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Littly Fly Music Video on Concord Records' Youtube Account on YouTube
  3. ^ (December 14, 2011). - "Billboard's Year Music" Archived 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine. - EsperanzaSpalding.com. Retrieved 2012-02-27
  4. ^ Milkowski, Bill (28 June 2013). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society". The Absolute Sound. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Chamber Music Society - Esperanza Spalding | A..." AllMusic. Retrieved Aug 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Holley Jr., Eugene (August 29, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society". All About Jazz. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  7. ^ "New Music Releases". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on September 8, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  8. ^ Hewett, Ivan (September 1, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society, CD review". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  9. ^ Fordham, John (August 26, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  10. ^ Sniderman, Zachary (August 26, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society". Paste. Wolfgang's Vault. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Layman, Will (August 16, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society". Popmatters. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Kemp, Mark (August 16, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding Chamber Music Society Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  13. ^ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Esperanza Spalding". Tom Hull. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  14. ^ Friskics-Warren, Bill (1 August 2010). "Album review: Esperanza Spalding, 'Chamber Music Society'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  15. ^ Sniderman, Zachary (August 26, 2010). "Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society By Zachary Sniderman". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  17. ^ "Lescharts.com – Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  18. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Esperanza Spalding – Chamber Music Society". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  19. ^ "Esperanza Spalding Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  20. ^ "Esperanza Spalding Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  21. ^ "Esperanza Spalding Chart History (Top Jazz Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  22. ^ "Esperanza Spalding Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chamber_Music_Society&oldid=1250435574"