Radio Music Society

Radio Music Society
Studio album by Esperanza Spalding
Released March 20, 2012
Recorded Summer 2011
Genre Contemporary jazz
Length 57:54 [1]
Label Heads Up International
Producer Esperanza Spalding, Q-Tip, Dave Love
Esperanza Spalding chronology

Chamber Music Society
(2010)		 Radio Music Society
(2012)
Singles from Radio Music Society
  1. "Black Gold"
    Released: February 1, 2012
  2. "Radio Song"
    Released: March 26, 2012

Radio Music Society is the fourth studio album by Esperanza Spalding, which was released through the record label Heads Up International on March 20, 2012.[2][3][4] The album earned Spalding Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the track, "City of Roses".

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic (74/100)[5]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [6]
Blurt Magazine [7]
Kulturspiegel favourable[8]
The Times [9]

Radio Music Society was well received by music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[5] John Bungey of The Times noted the album's "journey through soul, gospel, balladry and big-band swing", and complimented Spalding's "light, airy voice".[9] He wrote in conclusion: "For those who have hitherto found her considerable abilities easier to admire than enjoy, this is the most convincing display yet".[9] A review in the monthly Kulturspiegel extra of the German Spiegel magazine noted that the poppy arrangements of the songs might help the album to become successful beyond the jazz genre.[8]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Radio Music Society became Spalding's first Top 10 album. It debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the Top Jazz Albums chart with first week sales of 25,000 copies.[10]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Esperanza Spalding except as noted. 

No. Title Length
1. "Radio Song"   6:32
2. "Cinnamon Tree"   5:36
3. "Crowned & Kissed" (by Spalding/Algebra Blessett) 4:35
4. "Land of the Free"   1:54
5. "Black Gold" (featuring Algebra Blessett & Lionel Loueke) 5:17
6. "I Can't Help It" (by Susaye Brown Greene/Stevie Wonder, featuring Joe Lovano) 4:42
7. "Hold On Me"   3:40
8. "Vague Suspicions"   5:51
9. "Endangered Species" (by Spalding/Wayne Shorter/Joseph Vitarelli, featuring Lalah Hathaway) 6:38
10. "Let Her"   4:21
11. "City of Roses"   4:35
12. "Smile Like That"   4:18
13. "Jazz Ain't Nothin But Soul" (by Norman Mapp, featuring Joe Lovano) 3:37
Total length:
 57:52

Personnel: Esperanza Spalding: vocals, electric and acoustic bass; Leo Genovese: piano, Rhodes, guembri, keyboards (1-3, 6,8-12); Terri Lyne Carrington: drums (1-3, 5,9, 11); Anthony Diamond: saxophone (11); Q-Tip: vocals, glockenspiel (11); Jamie Haddad: percussion (1); Gretchen Parlato: background vocals, spoken word (1, 6, 10); Raydar Ellis: spoken word, sounds (10); Leni Stern: background vocals (10, Becca Stevens: background vocals (1, 6); Justin Brown: background vocals (1, 6); Alan Hampton: background vocals (1); Chris Turner: background vocals (1); Darren Barrett: trumpet (1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 12); Jeff Galindo: trombone (1,3,8,10, 12); Daniel Blake: saxophones, flute, (1, 2 ,3 ,8 ,9, 10); Jef Lee Johnson: guitar (2, 9); Olivia Deprado: violin: (2); Jody Redhage: viola (2); James Weidman: organ (4); Algebra Blessett: vocals (5); Savannah Children's Choir: choral voices (5); Lionel Loueke: guitar, voice (5); Raymond Angry: organ (5); Tivon Penicott:tenor saxophone(5); Igmar Thomas: trumpet (5); Corey King: trumpet (5); Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone (6); Ricardo Vogt: guitar (6, 8, 10); Lyndon Rochelle: drums (6); Janice Scroggins: piano (7); Billy Hart: drums (7); Jack DeJohnette: drums (8, 10, 12); Lalah Hathaway: vocals (9); Gilad Hekselman: guitar (12).

American Music Program (Big Band): Kama Bell: clarinet (1, 7, 11); Andrew Olsen: alto saxophone (1, 7, 11); John Carey: alto saxophone (1, 7, 11); Adam Reihs: tenor saxophone (1, 7, 11); Kyle Zimmerman: alto saxophone (1, 7, 11); Renato Caranto: alto saxophone (1, 7, 11); Stanley Matabane: tenor, alto saxophone (1, 7, 11); Nicole Glover: tenor saxophone (1, 7, 11); Jeff Rathbone: baritone saxophone (1, 7, 11); Benjamin C. McDonald: trumpet (1, 7, 11); Benjamin Seacrest: trumpet (1, 7, 11); Sam Seacrest: alto saxophone (1, 7, 11); Noah Conrad: trumpet (1, 7, 11); Hayden Conrad:tenor saxophone (1, 7, 11); Tre Palmedo: trumpet (1, 7, 11); Noah Hocker: trumpet (1, 7, 11); Kiran Bosely: trumpet (1, 7, 11); Stan Bock: trombone (1, 7, 11); Dan Brewster: trombone (1, 7, 11); Jerry Stalnaker:bass trombone(1, 7, 11); Ian Garner: trombone (1, 7, 11);Javier Nero: trombone (1, 7, 11); Matt Warming: trombone (1, 7, 11); Ashton Summers: trombone (1, 7, 11); Aaron Reihs: tenor saxophone (1, 7, 11).

Chart performance

Album

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[11] 59
French Albums (SNEP)[12] 54
Japanese Albums Chart[13] 39
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] 33
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[15] 40
Swedish Jazz Albums[16] 4
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 75
US Billboard 200[18] 10
US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[19] 1
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[20] 4
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[21] 9

Singles

Year Single Chart Peak position[22]
2012 "Black Gold" Top Jazz Songs #20
2012 "Black Gold" Japan Hot 100 #21
2012 "I Can't Help It" Top Jazz Songs #26

References

  1. ↑ http://www.amazon.de/Radio-Music-Society-Digital-Booklet/dp/B007G6K9AM/ref=mb_oe_o
  2. ↑ Esperanza Spalding to Release ‘Radio Music Society’ on March 20
  3. ↑ Esperanza Spalding to Record 'Radio Music Society' Album in May
  4. ↑ Esperanza Spalding Releasing New Album - Radio Music Society
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Radio Music Society- Esperanza Spalding". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  6. ↑ Jurek, Thom. "Radio Music Society". All Music Guide. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  7. ↑ Toland, Michael (28 March 2012). "Esperanza Spalding". Blurt Magazine. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hielscher, Hans (2012). "Esperanza Spalding: 'Radio Music Society'". Kulturspiegel (in German) (4): 36.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Bungey, John (March 31, 2012). "Esperanza Spalding: Radio Music Society". The Times (London: Times Newspapers Limited). Arts section. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  10. ↑ Grein, Paul. "Week Ending March 25, 2012. Albums: Appetite For "Hunger"". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  11. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society". Lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  13. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2012-04-02/more/5/
  14. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society". Norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society". Spanishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  16. ↑ http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/
  17. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society". Swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding Album & Song Chart History" Billboard 200 for Esperanza Spalding. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Jazz Albums for Esperanza Spalding. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Esperanza Spalding Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Tastemaker Albums for Esperanza Spalding. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Digital Albums for Esperanza Spalding. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  22. ↑ Billboard chart history