Spalding continued to branch out, playing with jazz groups as well as leading her own septet and trio. In 2002 she joined the hip-hop group Black Science Tribe, which gained a sizable following touring along the West Coast.
Since moving East to attend the Berklee College of Music, Ms. Spalding has regularly worked as a freelance bassist and singer, both locally and internationally. Ms. Spalding has worked with many notable Grammy-winning artists such as pianist Michel Camilo, vibraphonist Dave Samuels, saxophonist Joe Lovano, violinist Regina Carter, guitarist Pat Metheny, and singer Patti Austin.
She has also performed as a member of the Boston Pops, with drummers Bill Stewart (John Scofield, Chris Potter, Joe Lovano), Terri-Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock), Mark Walker (Paquito D'Rivera), as well as guitarist Adam Rogers (Michael Brecker, Chris Potter), saxophonist Seamus Blake (Mingus Big Band, Bloomdaddies), and trumpeter Byron Stripling and performed as an opening act for comedian and sometimes-jazz drummer/vocalist Bill Cosby.
Recently, Ms. Spalding released her debut album as a leader, Junjo on the Barcelona based jazz label Ayva Music. Her CD features pianist Aruan Ortiz, and drummer Francisco Mela.
She is the 2005 recipient of the prestigious Boston Jazz Society scholarship for outstanding musicianship. Spalding holds a B.M. from Berklee College of Music, where she also enjoys the status as the youngest faculty member ever in the history of the College. Esperanza recently became a new artist represented by the Montuno management agency.
In 2009 she played at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo(Norway), as the Nobel Peace Prize winner,
Barack Obama, artist of choice.
In 2011 she was awarded the Grammy for best new artist, the only Jazz musician to be awarded the Grammy.
Ebony And Ivy
Esperanza Spalding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Built up by heavy locked crooks
With unburdened minds of bastardized Darwinian logic
Projected as hard evidence on backs and faces of our ancestral culprits
Wasted, toiling as the majority on plantated crimes
We wanna knock and climb brass rings of wisdom
And build our own hot breath kingdoms
Then hand out dirty white rules to wipe up and memorize
Then howl our own law hand-me-downs upon the class of masses
And grin as each graduate passes
On our synthesized words that sterilize natural awe
Sage grows on the mountain
You can dig it with a silver spoon
Float it off to market
Hawk and talk it from hot air balloons
Get your good old-fashioned learning
Hear the bell in summer's ending underneath the apple tree
Time to choose a branch and build your nest of animosity
Now we're really, really learning
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal?
Sage grows on the mountain
Round the fountain of unfiltered truth
Someone's locked the well
You might contaminate their point of view
And the taste of high-class feelings
Peeking through the keyhole
Thirsty people watch the master read
One degree of kneeling separates the haves from loving need
And the art of low-class feeling
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal?
Finally, ochre, ivy, brick and leather-bound books
To find and fill our minds with double standard vision
By degrees we banished slaving over someone else's question tests or problems
And abolished all un-savary un-good grammar and forbid shovels
Picking our hammers and the act of starching linen
To become the educated ones wrapped in them
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal?
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal
In "Ebony and Ivy," Esperanza Spalding tells a story of the difficult journey to true education and knowledge. She criticizes the traditional Western education system that glorifies Ivy League institutions and the selective, elitist knowledge they offer. She uses the metaphor of "ochre, ivy, brick, and leather-bound books" to represent the façade of the Western education system. She references how the books were built up by "heavy locked crooks" who manipulated facts to fit their own ideology of Darwinian logic. They projected this biased understanding of reality onto the backs and faces of those before them, including their ancestors who were thought of as "culprits." She paints a picture of the oppressed majority, who were forced into labor on plantations and made to suffer through the crimes of the colonizers. The singer of the song wants to break the chains and climb towards true wisdom, rather than the pre-packaged, sterilized knowledge offered to them. She wants "to build our own hot breath kingdoms" and "hand out dirty white rules," rather than sterilizing the awe of the natural world.
In the second verse, the chorus shifts to a more holistic understanding of education, where knowledge is not solely contained within the four walls of an Ivy League institution. Esperanza sings of the "sage grows on the mountain," a metaphor for the knowledge that is naturally available to those who seek it. She highlights the absurdity of institutions using this "sage" and repackaging it for the masses, marketing it and selling it from hot air balloons. She reminds listeners that education is not limited to the academy and that we can learn from our own experiences and observations.
The third verse encapsulates the message of the song. She sings of the liberation of self-education, the breaking of the chains that come with systemic education, and the possibility of true holistic education. The singer finally reaches the point where they are free to educate themselves outside of the confines of the Western, elitist education system.
Line by Line Meaning
Ochre, ivy, brick, and leather-bound books
The trappings of higher education
Built up by heavy locked crooks
Higher education is built upon a history of systemic oppression
With unburdened minds of bastardized Darwinian logic
Some theories are presented as fact without regard for equal exploration and examination
Projected as hard evidence on backs and faces of our ancestral culprits
Ideas presented as fact without equal examination become tools for perpetuating systemic oppression
Wasted, toiling as the majority on plantated crimes
We cannot progress as a society until we acknowledge the harm caused by past generations and make reparations
We wanna knock and climb brass rings of wisdom
We aim to achieve the highest levels of education
And build our own hot breath kingdoms
We strive for autonomy over the narrative and institutions that shape society
And make fuming passions rain down ash
We want to challenge the status quo and stimulate change
Then hand out dirty white rules to wipe up and memorize
We want to deconstruct systems of oppression and provide a new framework for society
Then howl our own law hand-me-downs upon the class of masses
We want to force the existing power structure to acknowledge and reckon with its flaws
And grin as each graduate passes
We hope to create a new generation of educated individuals who are willing to influence positive change
On our synthesized words that sterilize natural awe
We recognize that our education is limited and possibly oppressive, though we hope it also sparks inspiration for progress
Sage grows on the mountain
There are truths out there that are unexplored and unexploited
You can dig it with a silver spoon
Some people can effortlessly access the knowledge that others must toil for
Float it off to market
We must market our knowledge and our understanding and accept the potential consequences of that decision
Hawk and talk it from hot air balloons
Perspectives on learning can be offered from a great height or a great distance, perhaps lacking positive influence or understanding
Get your good old-fashioned learning
Our concept of education is constantly evolving and becoming more entrenched in tradition, for better or worse
Hear the bell in summer's ending underneath the apple tree
We feel the passing of time and the end of an era
Time to choose a branch and build your nest of animosity
We must choose which direction to go and stake our place in society, even if it puts you at odds with others
Now we're really, really learning
As we progress, we acknowledge the limitations of our existing education and understanding of the world
Peeking through the keyhole
Our understanding of the world is often limited and narrow-minded
Thirsty people watch the master read
We are eager to learn and seem often unable to create our own sustenance
One degree of kneeling separates the haves from loving need
Power and wealth often dictate the ways in which education is distributed
And the art of low-class feeling
There is an art to being poor and uneducated that is unique and valuable
To find and fill our minds with double standard vision
The concept of education is often complex and contradictory
By degrees we banished slaving over someone else's question tests or problems
We strive for autonomy and intellectual freedom in our pursuit of education
And abolished all un-savary un-good grammar and forbid shovels
Education has moved away from manual labor and prioritized communication skills and cognitive development
Picking our hammers and the act of starching linen
Our education has given us a new set of tools and skills, but in ways that differ from previous generations
To become the educated ones wrapped in them
Education is a key factor in shaping our identity
Finally, ochre, ivy, brick and leather-bound books
Education is anchored to physical objects that we have come to associate with it
It's been hard to grow outside
Education can stifle growth and variety in perspectives
Growing good and act happy
We are pressured to conform and meet expectations
And pretend that the ivy vines
We often feel trapped by our education and its expectations
Didn't weigh our branch down
We seek to move past the limitations of our education
But we're finally happy
We have struggled but we have found happiness with the education and perspectives we have gained
With the sage on the mountain now
We believe in a greater and more holistic understanding of the world
Is it plant or animal?
We must challenge our own understanding of the world and seek greater knowledge and perspective
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Esperanza Spalding
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maya Burns
Ochre, ivy, brick, and leather-bound books
Built up by heavy locked crooks
With unburdened minds of bastardized Darwinian logic
Projected as hard evidence on backs and faces of our ancestral culprits
Wasted, toiling as the majority on plantated crimes
We wanna knock and climb brass rings of wisdom
And build our own hot breath kingdoms
And make fuming passions rain down ash
Then hand out dirty white rules to wipe up and memorize
Then howl our own law hand-me-downs upon the class of masses
And grin as each graduate passes
On our synthesized words that sterilize natural awe
Sage grows on the mountain
You can dig it with a silver spoon
Float it off to market
Hawk and talk it from hot air balloons
Get your good old-fashioned learning
Hear the bell in summer's ending underneath the apple tree
Time to choose a branch and build your nest of animosity
Now we're really, really learning
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal?
Sage grows on the mountain
Round the fountain of unfiltered truth
Someone's locked the well
You might contaminate their point of view
And the taste of high-class feelings
Peeking through the keyhole
Thirsty people watch the master read
One degree of kneeling separates the haves from loving need
And the art of low-class feeling
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal?
Finally, ochre, ivy, brick and leather-bound books
To find and fill our minds with double standard vision
By degrees we banished slaving over someone else's question tests or problems
And abolished all un-savary un-good grammar and forbid shovels
Picking our hammers and the act of starching linen
To become the educated ones wrapped in them
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal?
It's been hard to grow outside
Growing good and act happy
And pretend that the ivy vines
Didn't weigh our branch down
It's been hard to grow outside
But we're finally happy
With the sage on the mountain now
Is it plant or animal
bajawkamare
Another level altogether! What a beautiful day this has turned out to be... I've found Esperanza! Banish the evil out of this corrupt kingdom.
Der17
I could really not stand so much of Esperanza Spalding's earlier work but I have to admit that I like this a lot. I always thought that the classic boundaries and expectations of jazz didn't fit her but this fusion-esoteric-ish context seems to be where she can be herself and just be great.
André Anlub
Touché! que critica fodástica! Sucesso sempre, Esperanza! Já baixei quase todos os seus vídeos e shows para ver na telona!
Mark Lavengood
So good...so artistic...thanks for the sweet inspiration y'all! <3
raspberry_jubilee
Esperanza is a genius. Really amazing and thought-provoking material right here.
mark w.
Damn those layered melting vocals so good
Nathan Reno-Winters
This is BEAUTIFUL.
EZCode
So beutiful... so much talent!
peter g
the term "genius" is terribly overused, but this is the real deal.
Carlinhos Paixão
Tem razão