Esperanza Spalding has won four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, making her the first jazz artist to win the award. At that time, she turned some heads beating out Justin Bieber and affecting the Grammys to change their voting rules. But beyond her relatively fast rise to fame, “Espe” has enjoyed the utmost respect of her peers while she freely moves in and out of different musical genres. Listen to her story that includes her love for Wayne Shorter, her attitude towards recording and live shows and how she’s now working for Emily D.
Intro: Kickin’ it – Jeff Lorber
