PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
July 10, 2015
Media Contact
Jane Gendron
(435) 640-3315
jgendron@jgendron.com
Park City Institute Presents
Esperanza Spalding Presents EMILY’S D+EVOLUTION
Perla Batalla
Anna Wilson
July 30, 2015
St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights
Concert Series at Deer Valley Resort
PARK CITY, UT – A jaw-dropping, triple billing sweeps into Park City on July 30: Grammywinning singer-composer-bassist Esperanza (Emily) Spalding and her newest project Emily's
D+Evolution; mesmerizing, Grammy-nominated, vocalist-composer Perla Batalla; and prolific
songwriter and sultry chanteuse Anna Wilson. All St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights concerts take
place at Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. Wilson kicks off the show at 7
p.m., followed by Batalla and then Spalding. Concert tickets and information available at Park
City Institute’s box office, 435-655-3114, or online at www.BigStarsBrightNightsConcerts.org
Headliner Esperanza Spalding presents her latest project Emily's D+Evolution – a rekindling of
her childhood interest in theater, poetry and movement, which delves into a broader concept of
performance. Taking a new approach to her on-stage persona, the remarkable Spalding taps into new
creative energy, delivering live, musical vignettes. As she puts it, "Emily is my middle name, and I'm
using this fresh persona as my inner navigator. This project is about going back and reclaiming uncultivated curiosity, and using it as a compass to move forward and expand. My hope for this group
is to create a world around each song, there are a lot of juicy themes and stories in the music. We will
be staging the songs as much as we play them, using characters, video, and the movement of our
bodies.”
“A spark plug who dances as she grooves through a funked-up and rocked-out repertoire”
(Billboard), Spalding is renowned for the soaring vocals and bass-playing chops that earned her Best
New Artist Grammy in 2011 and a tidal wave of critical acclaim. The prodigy-turned professional
sings in English Portuguese and Spanish and plays a mean funk, scat and improv with BrazilianLatin- and African-inflected styles added to the mix.
With a “voice full of color and nuance” (Cosmopolitan), Perla Batalla comes to the stage with an
unexpected blend of folk, Latin, pop and American songbook. Formerly a Leonard Cohen back-up
singer, the Grammy-nominated composer-vocalist launched her solo career with Cohen’s
encouragement more than a decade ago, earning critical acclaim for her stunning voice and culturemerging compositions on seven albums. On stage, Batalla casts a warm spell – there’s magical
realism in her performance, alongside folk, jazz and rock influences. The Los Angeles-based
musician pays homage to her Mexican heritage as her rich and glorious vocals seamlessly transition
from English to Spanish and back.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “Perla Batalla is the kind of artist Peter Gabriel would fall in
love with. Comfortable in both English and Spanish, proud of her mestiza heritage, musically
adventurous and accompanied by impeccable performers…you hear a Chicana Joni Mitchell, a
gutsier Joan Baez, an idealistic artist…but above all, she is a born storyteller with a rambunctious
sense of humor.” Batalla will be accompanied by singer-songwriter Tom Prasada-Rao.
Nashville-based Anna Wilson brings her silky smooth vocals to the line-up as she ventures from
standards to “countrypolitan.” With “a voice like crème de cacao and an inner metronome that
swings wildly from age to age,” (Jazz Times), Wilson is a troubadour, ASCAP award-winning
composer and straight-up performer. A prolific songwriter, she’s penned tunes for two decades for
country’s elite, such as Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn and Billy Ray Cyrus. At the same time, she’s
created her own jazz-inflected music, performing at venues ranging from jazz festivals to the
Bluebird Café. Her newest – old school-inspired – album, “Jazzbird/Songbird” sparkles with
originals as well as covers ranging from Gershwin to Fleetwood Mac.
“These three women bring such diverse and extraordinary talent to the stage,” says PCI executive
director Teri Orr. “This night will be magical, no doubt about it.”
CONCERT DETAILS
All St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights concerts take place at Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park
Outdoor Amphitheater. Shows start at 7 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Tickets may be purchased
via phone at 435-655-3114, online at www.BigStarsBrightNightsConcerts.org or at Park City
Institute’s Box Office (located at 435 Swede Alley in the Mega-Genius Supply store and IQHQ for
the summer). Lawn tickets may also be purchased at the New Park Mega-Genius location (1153
Center Drive, Suite G-230); Hugo Coffee (1794 Olympic Pkwy); The King’s English Bookshop
(1511 South 1500 East, Salt Lake City); the Deer Valley Signatures stores located at 625 Main
Street and Silver Lake Village and Deer Valley Etc. in Snow Park Lodge (please call 435-649-1000
for Deer Valley store hours).
Gates open 90-minutes before show time. Coolers are permitted and a nine-inch chair height
restriction (i.e. you shouldn't be able to roll a basketball under the seat) is enforced. Concerts will
be held rain or shine.
Upcoming Shows & Pricing
Warren Haynes with Gov’t Mule
July 16
Lawn seating: $40
Reserved seating: $55 and $75
Easton Corbin
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
July 23, 2015
Lawn seating: $40
Reserved seating: $55 and $75
Esperanza Spalding, Perla Batalla and Anna Wilson
July 30, 2015
Lawn seating: $40
Reserved seating: $55 and $75
Grace Potter
Opener: Rayland Baxter
August 4, 2015
Lawn seating: $40
Reserved seating: $55 and $75
Chris Botti and Joshua Bell
August 15, 2015
Lawn seating: $45
Reserved seating: $65 and $85
The Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo
August 22, 2015
Lawn seating: $45
Reserved seating: $65 and $85
Lee Brice
August 29, 2015
Lawn seating: $40
Reserved seating: $55 and $75
Aloe Blacc
September 6, 2015
Lawn seating: $45
Reserved seating: $65 and $85
***
* Please contact Jane Gendron for interview requests, review tickets and press information,
jgendron@jgendron.com or 435-640-3315.
ENTERTAINING, EDUCATING AND ILLUMINATING SINCE 1998
Park City Institute is a non-profit organization, dedicated to bringing world-class performances and
new ideas to the community. Since 1998, PCI has presented internationally renowned and cutting
edge musicians, actors, authors, comedians, dancers, speakers and film at The George S. and
Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts (a joint-use facility with the Park City School
District). The organization is presenting its 12th season of headliner concerts at Deer Valley Resort
this summer. PCI is dedicated to introducing young people to the arts through free student outreach
workshops, shows and demonstrations. They proudly launched the Mega-Genius Supply Store and IQ
HQ - an after school literacy program and very thinky retail store - in January 2010 and recently
opened a second Mega-Genius retail shop in New Park this spring. And the organization continues
to illuminate with TEDx events, Curiosities evenings and the Park City Institute / Strategic News
Service Future in Review Speaker Series.
###