esperanza-spalding-oscars
Besides Pharrell jamming with Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman in the mezzanine section, the musical highlight of last night's 84th Academy Awards was undoubtedly the divine rendition of Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" that okayplayer fav Esperanza Spalding delivered from on high for the "In Memoriam" montage, looking like the Greek Goddess of Soul in her gold-trimmed white gown and Afro-halo. With the Southern California Children's Choir on the angelic back-up, rarely has Oscar--who's musical taste tends to veers erratically from "Windmills of My Mind" to "Kind of Hard Out Here For A Pimp"-- been serenaded so beautifully. No video online as yet but enjoy this audio-only youtube clip while we sort that out--or just buy the song as a single on iTunes. And of course look for Spalding's jazzy opus Radio Music Society to drop soon (pre-order here).
