Biography
Spirit Fingers emerged as a Los Angeles-based contemporary jazz quartet amid the rise of the West Coast Get Down collective, whose alumni include Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Kendrick Lamar, Miles Mosley, and numerous others. Their approach merges prime early-'70s jazz fusion traits such as sweeping tempo shifts and key changes with hip-hop, pop, and modern funk elements.
Spero serves as the group's bandleader, pianist, and primary composer-arranger. A classically schooled player who earned a degree in Music Composition and Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he first encountered Herbie Hancock at the Ravinia Festival while still a student; Hancock mentored him in fresh approaches to internal music perception and composition while also acquainting him with Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism, which Spero has followed continuously since that introduction.
Prior to relocating westward he collaborated in Chicago with drummer Makaya McCraven, saxophonist Frank Catalano, trumpeter Marquis Hill, and additional Windy City figures. Once on the West Coast he worked as a touring and studio musician while acting as musical director for Halsey, and in 2015 he assembled Spirit Fingers alongside internationally renowned bassist Hadrien Feraud, drummer Mike Mitchell, and guitarist Dario Chiazzolino.
Following an initial trek with Halsey, Spero, drained by constant travel and the close of a personal chapter, sought to fuse his recently acquired pop and urban sensibilities with the jazz and fusion foundation of his academic background. While back on the road he devoted nightly hours after performances to writing material for the ensemble he had in mind. Upon completing the Halsey outing he tested those compositions and arrangements with seasoned players in Chicago; manager Mark Cavanaugh responded by urging him to commit fully to the new direction, prompting his decisive move to Los Angeles.
There he began composing music for television commercials and film scores, collaborating with rappers and West Coast Get Down participants until locating the ideal roster for Spirit Fingers, every member a seasoned studio and stage veteran. Early concerts drew praise from Hancock, local DJs, and industry professionals alike. In 2017 the quartet signed with Shanachie and recorded its self-titled debut, co-produced by Spero and McCraven with Cavanaugh serving as executive producer; the album appeared in spring 2018 and garnered unanimous praise across leading jazz and mainstream outlets.
Extensive touring preceded a shift to Ropeadope for the 2020 release Peace, a twelve-track set whose exploratory, evocative electronic and organic soundscapes unite the drive of '70s-era jazz fusion and improvisation with contemporary pop and hip-hop aesthetics.
Spero serves as the group's bandleader, pianist, and primary composer-arranger. A classically schooled player who earned a degree in Music Composition and Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he first encountered Herbie Hancock at the Ravinia Festival while still a student; Hancock mentored him in fresh approaches to internal music perception and composition while also acquainting him with Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism, which Spero has followed continuously since that introduction.
Prior to relocating westward he collaborated in Chicago with drummer Makaya McCraven, saxophonist Frank Catalano, trumpeter Marquis Hill, and additional Windy City figures. Once on the West Coast he worked as a touring and studio musician while acting as musical director for Halsey, and in 2015 he assembled Spirit Fingers alongside internationally renowned bassist Hadrien Feraud, drummer Mike Mitchell, and guitarist Dario Chiazzolino.
Following an initial trek with Halsey, Spero, drained by constant travel and the close of a personal chapter, sought to fuse his recently acquired pop and urban sensibilities with the jazz and fusion foundation of his academic background. While back on the road he devoted nightly hours after performances to writing material for the ensemble he had in mind. Upon completing the Halsey outing he tested those compositions and arrangements with seasoned players in Chicago; manager Mark Cavanaugh responded by urging him to commit fully to the new direction, prompting his decisive move to Los Angeles.
There he began composing music for television commercials and film scores, collaborating with rappers and West Coast Get Down participants until locating the ideal roster for Spirit Fingers, every member a seasoned studio and stage veteran. Early concerts drew praise from Hancock, local DJs, and industry professionals alike. In 2017 the quartet signed with Shanachie and recorded its self-titled debut, co-produced by Spero and McCraven with Cavanaugh serving as executive producer; the album appeared in spring 2018 and garnered unanimous praise across leading jazz and mainstream outlets.
Extensive touring preceded a shift to Ropeadope for the 2020 release Peace, a twelve-track set whose exploratory, evocative electronic and organic soundscapes unite the drive of '70s-era jazz fusion and improvisation with contemporary pop and hip-hop aesthetics.
Albums
Singles
