Esperanza Spalding – Overjoyed

Esperanza Spalding is an American jazz bassist and singer. Spalding had intended to play cello but discovered the bass during a one year stint at age 14 at the prestigious performing arts high school, The Northwest Academy, to which she had won a scholarship. Spalding left high school at 16 and after completing her GED enrolled on a music scholarship in the music program at Portland State University, where she remembers being “the youngest bass player in the program.” Although she lacked the training of her fellow students, she feels that her teachers nevertheless recognized her talent and she decided to instead apply to Berklee College of Music on the encouragement of her bass teacher and did well enough in her audition to receive a full scholarship. Almost immediately after graduation from college, in 2005, Spalding was hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest professors in the institution’s history. In this video, she performs the Stevie Wonder hit “Overjoyed” at the White House before a live audience that included President Obama and wife Michelle.