Greg Spero

Greg Spero (born February 22, 1985) is a pianist from Highland Park, Illinois. He has toured with Halsey and the Miles Electric Band and has composed music for film and television. He leads the jazz band Spirit Fingers.[1]

Greg Spero performing at the Ikeda Auditorium in Chicago, Illinois

Career

Spero's mother was a classical pianist and his father was a blues pianist. When he was fourteen, he joined his father's band. He also worked with Frank Catalano, Buddy Rich, and Robert Irving III.[2] Spero became a devotee of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism through Herbie Hancock, whom he met at the Ravinia Festival. Hancock revealed that he adopted the practice from jazz bassist Buster Williams.

His album Radio Over Miles (2010) is a combination of Miles Davis and rock band Radiohead. The album was nominated for Best Jazz Album at the Chicago Music Awards. Spero's album Live in Toronto is "sold" at a karmic price; the download is available for free in exchange for karma. "Purchasers" have to check a box agreeing to complete four karmic transactions to include giving "five random smiles to people on the street, regardless of age, sex, or looks." His album Acoustic (2011) is in a piano trio setting.

In 2014, Spero began performing with pop artist Halsey. Between 2014 and his leave in 2018, Spero designed and performed all the synthesizer and keyboard parts for her live shows, at such venues as Madison Square Garden, Allstate Arena, and The Forum.[3] Spero and Halsey also performed on such late night TV shows as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. On January 19, 2018, Spero performed live on Saturday Night Live with Halsey. That day, he announced that he would be leaving the group to pursue his band Spirit Fingers full time, along with curating a video series called Tiny Room out of his Los Angeles studio.[2]

In 2015, while on tour with Halsey, Spero began composing for his new project which would eventually be named Spirit Fingers.[4] Spero accrued musicians Hadrien Feraud, Mike Mitchell, and Dario Chiazzolino to join the group. They recorded their debut record on Shanachie Records, released on March 16, 2018, and reached #11 on the iTunes Jazz charts and #20 on the Contemporary Jazz billboard charts.[5]

Although he has composed and performed jazz, his interest in other styles afforded him opportunities to record with Ski Beatz, Shock G,[6] and American rapper Murs. Spero has also written songs with Darryl Jones. He composed music for the Feltre Theater performances of Eugène Ionesco's Exit the King, two Tennessee Williams one-act plays, and for the film The Perfect Breakup.

He has performed with Arturo Sandoval, Corey Wilkes, and co-produced tracks with Ski Beatz (of Jay Z) and Shock G.[6]

Discography
  • Fossil Fuels in the House that Mouse Built (Bucket Shop, 2002)
  • Live in 25 (Greg Spero Trio, 2005)
  • The Mighty Burner (Frank Catalano, 2006)
  • GMG (GMG, 2008)
  • Radio Over Miles (Greg Spero, 2010)
  • Frank Russell (Frank Russell, 2011)
  • Acoustic (Greg Spero, 2011)
  • Electric (Greg Spero, 2014)

References
  1. Ephland, John (April 25, 2018). "Greg Spero Commands a Multitude of Styles". DownBeat Magazine. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  2. Fragassi, Selena (March 19, 2018). "After Halsey tour, Highland Park musician stretches out with Spirit Fingers". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  3. Erin Yarnall (January 24, 2019). "Highland Park Native creates his Own Place in Music Scene". The Highland Park Landmark. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  4. "Interview: Pianist Greg Spero On 'SPIRIT FINGERS' + Album Debut Stream". Okayplayer. March 16, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  5. "Meet Greg Spero, a Jazz Musician". Voyage Chicago. May 29, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  6. http://revivalist.okayplayer.com/2011/12/07/greg-spero-greater-than-you-can-hear/%5B%5D
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