Esperanza Spalding To Perform with Prince’s Welcome to America Tour

Esperanza Spalding is scheduled to open Prince’s tour on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, as part of Prince’s residency-style “Welcome 2 America” tour. The tour is a 21-date event in Los Angeles that began on April 14th at the Forum.

Spalding has recruited keyboardist Raymond Angry, saxophonist Joe Lovano, guitarist Jef Lee Johnson and drummer Terri Lynne Carrington for the event.

Prince’s residency-style concert series started in December, 2010, with dates in New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Oakland, California.

Spalding recently won the Best New Artist Grammy award, the first jazz musician to do so.