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News Taping Recap

Esperanza Spalding’s Radio Music Society in action

When Esperanza Spalding appeared on Austin City Limits in 2009, she frankly blew us away. A great singer, composer, bandleader and bassist, the Portland native-turned-Austin resident wasn’t a household name, but she made a huge impression on everyone who saw her on our stage. So we were pleased to have her back, with a Best New Artist Grammy on her shelf and a new twist on her distinct vision of jazz and soul.

In a direct nod to her latest record Radio Music Society, a giant jambox adorned our stage; when it started to glow, the band began to play, jumping genres amid radio static to emulate someone switching stations looking for the perfect song (a theme she’d come back to later). Then a deejay announced “Us,” a funky pop tune in which Spalding explained “the philosophy of the Radio Music Society” and introduced her 11-piece band. Stage appropriately set, she and her musicians danced skillfully across a line where jazz, R&B and pop hook up. She veered from the romantic pop/soul of “Crowned and Kissed” and the overt R&B empowerment of “Black Gold” to the jazz balladry of “Hold On Me” and the bebop fusion of Wayne Shorter’s “Endangered Species” (now given environmentally-conscious lyrics).

But Spalding and the band did more than simply play different but related styles. They mixed it all together, adding scat singing to the lovelorn soul of “I Can’t Help It,” slathering the R&B ballad “Cinnamon Tree” with busy jazz guitar (provided by Jef Lee Johnson, a cult figure for guitar nerds) and spicing the singalong soul pop of “Radio Song” with a free jazz piano solo. “Radio Song,” in fact, climaxed the set, rolling the entire “philosophy” of the Radio Music Society into one number, with explanatory dialogue, a catchy chorus and a call-and-response vocal line that made the audience part of the performance. Spalding left the stage still playing and leading the crowd in song.

She encored with a nod to her jazz roots, essaying a sweet take on Betty Carter’s “Look No Further” accompanied only by her drummer. It was a perfect way to cap the big music of the main set and a reminder of her mantra from her first ACL appearance: jazz ain’t nothin’ but soul. You’ll hear for yourself when Esperanza Spalding’s episode airs in February. Don’t miss it!

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News Taping Recap

Gary Clark Jr. does his hometown proud

We’re immensely proud of the eclectic range of Austin City Limits – the variety of genres and locations from which our artists come is amazing. But it’s nice to for us to showcase the “Austin” in our name with a hometown hero. Gary Clark Jr. has been busting it in the River City for over a decade, and his hard work has paid off with a growing touring audience, high profile shows at major festivals (including the Austin City Limits Music Festival and Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival) and his much-acclaimed major label record Blak and Blu. He’s been with us before, as part of the Jimmy Reed tribute five years ago, but we were thrilled to welcome him back to the ACL stage, this time under his own name.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for like 16 years,” the young guitar slinger commented before he began. “So let’s have some fun!” There’s an irony to that statement being followed by the downhearted “When My Train Pulls In,” but the heavy blues riffs defied the lyrics’ melancholy cast. The show kicked into high gear immediately afterward with the driving fingerpicked boogie of “Don’t Owe You a Thang,” and the hometown crowd settled into the palm of his hand. “@garyclarkjr is slaying @acltv right now mayne!!!,” claimed tonythecuate on Twitter.

Though the blues forms the heart of his music, Clark is more than just a blues man. “Travis County,” a tune he claims is “about my younger days runnin’ around and gettin’ into trouble,” rocked like Chuck Berry with hair on his chest. “Ain’t Messin’ Round” added a horn section for a jumpin’ soul number, while “Things Are Changin’” and the falsetto-sung “Please Come Home” worked enough R&B magic to prove that Clark will be known as much for his silky singing as for his six-string skills. He also created an epic medley of Jimi Hendrix’ instrumental showcase “Third Stone From the Sun” and Little Johnny Taylor’s funky soul tune “If You Love Me Like You Say” that had the audience roaring by the end. “GC Jr has really come into form these last 4 years. Truly phenomenal guitar player/ singer/ songwriter nowadays,” commented fan Jason Long.

As much versatility as Clark demonstrated, however, he didn’t forget the blues that originally inspired him. He paid tribute to key influences early on by covering Albert Collins’ “If Trouble Was Money” (“one of my favorite songs,” he noted) and Muddy Waters’ “Catfish Blues.” His own original “Bright Lights” put a psychedelic shimmer on the ages-old form, while the grungy “Numb” recalled the days when the blues formed the basis of heavy metal.

The crowd was buzzed enough once the main set was over, but Clark wasn’t done with us yet. His three-song encore delivered original country blues in “Next Door Neighbor,” more heart-throb soul with “You Saved Me” and a canny Albert King cover with “Oh, Pretty Woman,” featuring Clark and his co-guitarist Zapata! trading licks in tribute to the late blues man. When it was all over, the crowd was left exhausted but ecstatic. “@GaryClarkJr just absolutely tore a hole in the roof of this joint. Amazing set! Doing his hometown proud!!” boasted Nakia on Twitter. “I just raised him on my list from “who is this guy” to “have to buy a CD” and “watch for him playing close by”! GroovyHoovy,” exhulted David Hoover on YouTube.

Gary Clark Jr. has come a long way from being a teenager playing blues standards in bars he wasn’t old enough to drink in. We’re proud to host his coming out party and can’t wait for everybody to see the episode, It’ll air in February next year – don’t miss it!

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News

Watch Esperanza Spalding’s ACL taping stream live on Dec. 2

If you liked Friday night’s live stream with Gary Clark Jr., come back this Sunday December 2 as Grammy-winning artist Esperanza Spalding makes her return to ACL, as we’re pleased to announce that her taping will be live-streamed in the U.S. at 8pm Central Time. Fans can log-on to ACL’s YouTube Channel to experience the jazz/soul singer/composer/bassist perform live direct from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The live-stream will webcast the taping in its entirety and the broadcast episode will air February 23rd, 2013 on PBS stations as the full-hour season finale of ACL’s Season 38.

Esperanza Spalding made her ACL debut back in Season 35, performing tracks from her 2008 breakthrough Esperanza, and wowing an audience largely unfamiliar with her music. Her appearance continues to be one of the most popular ACL encore episodes. She has since gone on to capture the attention of audiences around the globe, leading to her stunning 2011 Grammy win, becoming the first jazz artist to win the Grammy for Best New Artist. Spalding’s dynamic relationship with her acoustic double bass has cemented her presence in musical history as a modern jazz virtuoso with “a light, fizzy, optimistic drive that’s in her melodic bass playing and her elastic, small-voiced singing” [The New York Times].

Spalding’s highly-anticipated return to ACL has her performing songs from her latest release, Radio Music Society. The album represents a celebratory vision of the artists who helped cultivate and inspire Spalding’s career throughout the years. Radio Music Society has received high praise from critics, who hail the album’s “journey through soul, gospel, balladry and big-band swing” [The Times] and “torchy swaggers, world-jazzy guitar grooves propelling smoky saxes, and political songs with only a Hammond organ for company” [The Guardian].

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Encore Broadcast News

Encore: Steve Miller Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band

We love to present new music and show off current artists hitting their prime. But we’re happy to honor the veterans and the lifers – the folks whose work has stood the test of time. In that light, we welcome the Steve Miller Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to the ACL stage this weekend.

The Steve Miller Band needs no introduction – lauded rock guitarist Steve Miller and his various partners-in-crime have been knocking around since the late 60s, leaving a string of indelible hits in their wake. Remember “Abracadabra?” “Fly Like An Eagle?” “Space Cowboy?” Of course you do, and you’ll hear them all on Saturday in front of an enthusiastic crowd in what was the very first taping of ACL at the Moody Theater. And if you love the show, you can purchase it on DVD, including an extended interview and songs that didn’t make the final edit, here.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been around even longer than Miller – the group’s genesis coincides with the founding of the Hall itself back in 1961, and the style of New Orleans jazz the band plays goes back even further – history lives on in PHJB’s performances. But don’t think that means that the group is preserved in amber. Joining the band onstage are Yim Yames from My Morning Jacket, James Petralli from White Denim and the ever-elegant Del McCoury Band to add their inimitable contemporary mojo. Once you hear “St. James Infirmary” sung by a high-voiced indie rock frontdude, you’ll realize it’s what you’ve always wanted.

photo by Scott Newton

Tune in this Saturday for your classic rock ‘n’ jazz fix – as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Toggle over to the episode page for more info, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter or to click over to our Facebook, Twitter and News pages for more ACL goodies. Next week: Steve Martin and Sarah Jarosz.

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News

Watch Gary Clark Jr.’s ACL taping – streamed live on Nov. 30

Austin’s own rising star, rock ‘n’ soul phenomenon Gary Clark Jr. makes his highly-anticipated return to ACL this week, and we’re pleased to announce that the taping will be live-streamed in the U.S. on Friday, November 30th at 8pm Central Time. Fans can log-on to ACL’s YouTube Channel and will have the opportunity to watch the guitar slinger perform live direct from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The live-stream will webcast the taping in its entirety and the broadcast episode will air February 16th, 2013 on PBS stations as part of ACL’s Season 38.

Gary Clark Jr. has been tearing up Austin stages since he was a teenager, and the twenty-eight year old singer-guitarist recently made a name for himself across the globe with the release of his critically acclaimed major-label debut Blak and Blu. Entertainment Weekly raves, “Every generation has its chosen one and right now, this is Clark’s time.” Austin American Statesman says, “The kid used to be a local secret. Then the rest of the world caught on.” The New York Times hails Clark as “a guitarist of deep magnetism and tremendous feel,” while Billboard calls him a “game-changer” and Spin agrees: “There truly is nobody else like him around.” Known for his blistering live performances, Clark has been on a sold-out U.S. tour flaunting his six-string chops and thrilling audiences with his bold mix of blues, rock, soul and funk.

Clark made his auspicious ACL debut back in Season 33 as part of the Tribute to Bluesman Jimmy Reed, with Jimmie Vaughan and Omar Dykes, impressing his fellow musicians and ACL’s viewers. On November 30th, he takes the Austin City Limits stage to show what he can do with his own music.

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News

Ticket Giveaway: Esperanza Spalding 12/2

Austin City Limits will be taping a performance by Esperanza Spalding on Sunday, December 2nd, at 8 pm at ACL Live at The Moody Theater (310 W. 2nd Street, Willie Nelson Blvd).  We will be giving away a limited number of space available passes to this taping. Enter your name and email address on the below form by 9 am Friday, November 30th.

Passes are not transferable and cannot be sold. Standing may be required.

No photography, recording or cell phone use in the studio.