Esperanza Spalding Issues Tour Update

Esperanza Spalding will be taking a quick break from her Radio Music Society World Tour for a few dates with Us Five, a jazz quintet led by saxophonist Joe Lovano. The group, filled out by James Weidman, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela, will be playing at Scullers in Boston and the Roots ‘N Blues ‘N BBQ Festival in Columbia, Missouri in September.

“I’ve never played with anyone before Joe that was that free musically,” she said in a 2009 interview. “[It makes] you remember the reason that you practice isn’t to show off and have chops – it’s actually to be free like that and let whatever is [inside you] out without any inhibition.”

After the Us Five gigs, Spalding will resume her trek in support of her 2012 album Radio Music Society with a U.S. leg beginning with a performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California on September 23rd. From there, the Grammy award winning bassist will work her way east, mixing in some European dates for good measure.

Esperanza Spalding Tour Dates:

with Us Five:

• September 13, 2012: Boston – Scullers
• September 14, 2012: Boston – Scullers
• September 21, 2012: Columbia – Roots ’N Blues ’N BBQ Festival

Radio Music Society 2012/13:

• September 23, 2012: Monterey, CA – Monterey Jazz Festival
• September 25, 2012: Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
• September 26, 2012: Denver, CO – The Odgen Theatre
• September 28, 2012: Omaha, NE – Holland Center Kiewit Hall
• September 30, 2012: Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre
• October 1, 2012: Chicago, IL – City Winery
• October 2, 2012: Chicago, IL – City Winery
• October 3, 2012: Chicago, IL – City Winery
• October 10, 2012: Orpheum Theatre – Wichita, KS, US
• October 12, 2012: Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
• October 13, 2012: San Antonio – Lila Cockrell Theatre
• October 17, 2012: Clemson – Brooks Center for the Performing Arts
• October 19, 2012: Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
• October 20, 2012: Clearwater, FL Clearwater Jazz Holiday
• October 24, 2012: Newport News, VA – Ferguson Center for the Arts
• October 26, 2012: New York, NY – Apollo Theatre
• November 3, 2012: Zurich – Jazznojazz 2012 – Switzerland
• November 6, 2012: Leverkusen – Leverkusener Jazztage 2012 – Germany
• November 14, 2012: Paris – Le Trianon – France
• November 15, 2012: London – Royal Festival Hall – United Kingdom
• April 24, 2013: Wilmington, DE – Grand Opera House