I met one of my idols Tuesday night!!!!!!! Esperanza Spalding is an all-around artist. She is an incredible bassist, vocalist, lyricist, composer, arranger, and from what I can tell, person. Experiencing "Radio Music Society" live at The Paramount in Seattle was SO moving and inspirational. Hearing Esperanza talk about the significance and meaning of such pieces as "Land of the Free" and "Vague Suspicions" brought to life what I believe creativity is about: moving and being moved by creating connections among humans and the universe around us. Weight, message, and purpose.
Also, she encored with "Precious," just her and the upright. This song has been an anthem for me, and to experience it in such an authentic, pure performance closed the concert perfectly for me. Then I waited for over an hour outside the stage door in hopes of meeting the magic herself. While waiting, trombonist Jeff Galindo invited us on the tour bus to talk music. I also got to meet trombonist Corey King, pianist Leo Genovese, saxophonists Dan Blake and Aaron Burnett, and trumpeter Igmar Thomas. Wooooo! Another "experience of a lifetime" to take place at the Paramount. (The other being Bon Iver last September.)
=D
And I was not there. So, to celebrate my love for this incredible band, I made these this morning:
High & Dry
The Tourist
I recorded them as movies with my Canon DSLR, but I extracted the audio so I could just share that. They're really rough and unedited, but I'm not a recording engineer or audio editor... YET!
Oh, and I found out that Explosions in the Sky is playing in Seattle tonight. Like right now. This is the second time in recent months that I missed seeing them! I had no idea they were playing. Bummer, dude.
Today begins a time of genocide commemoration for Rwanda in remembrance of April 6, 1994, the hundred days of horror, and the ensuing devastation of the nation. And yet, each day I meditate on the incredible strength and unity of Rwanda, as its people have unified to heal and restore the beautiful land of a thousand hills. For my friends and family in Rwanda, those I don't know, and humanity in general: peace is possible!
One of the volcanos in the Musanze district of Rwanda
Hello! From now on I'll post new articles and stories under the "Journalism" section of my website,
here
. Also, I'm posting lots of photographs on my personal facebook and tagging my business page in each, so you can see them in the "Photos of Hanna Stevens Creative" section of
this webpage
.
Thanks a million for keeping tabs on me the last couple months; I hope you'll stick around!
<3 H
After visiting my friends Isaac and Susan in Germay, I had 36 hours to see Brussels before flying back to US from Rwanda. Here I'm at the home of my extremely rad couchsurfing host, Mika!
