Though only a sophomore, Tali Caspi ’18 has quickly become a figure in The Claremont Colleges’ music scene as the double bassist, singer, and a contributing songwriter in the 5C student band Details.
For Caspi, music has been a constant throughout her life.
“When I was a baby,” she says, “I often fell asleep in my dad’s guitar case, so I can definitely say that from a young age I have been surrounded by music.”
In third grade, Caspi began taking piano lessons, which she continued through high school. Along the way, she picked up the bass and guitar, learning to play those instruments mostly through her involvement in school orchestras and jazz bands.
Last year, Caspi joined the Pomona College Jazz Ensemble, where she met Details founder Evan DeLorenzo (PO ’17) and her other bandmates. During their first ensemble practice session, the group composed its first song, “Be a Body,” which starts with an intricate piano solo, then slowly weaves in Caspi’s strong double bass, whose deep notes are complimented by DeLorenzo’s sweetly harmonious lead vocals.
The group continued to collaborate through the spring semester and, at the end of the academic year, they began recording a full album. The result, My Teeth Shine, was released on Spotify and iTunes in November 2015. Details has since performed at venues across the 5Cs and in Claremont, including Scripps’ Motley Coffeehouse.
The group’s style is eclectic, a reflection of the diverse backgrounds of the nine band members. Caspi describes their sound as “alternative rock,” though the players’ jazz ensemble roots are also apparent; in their songs, jazz instrumentation is paired with alternative-rock-style lyrics and vocals. In addition to performing songs the band has collaborated on together, Details performs pieces Caspi has written on her own.
“It has been pretty incredible to have the tunes that I had only ever played on my guitar and sang in my dorm room actually develop and come to life through a group of super talented musicians,” she reflects.
With several members studying abroad this semester and next, it will be a while until Details can again perform live. In the meantime, the group’s other members are focusing on its involvement in the Pomona College Jazz Ensemble. The two projects remain deeply complementary, and the ensemble’s first show in March is designed to highlight young composers. The full ensemble will perform Caspi’s work, as well as that of her bandmates.
For Caspi, “What’s next?” is a difficult question to answer definitively, but she is thrilled with her Claremont music experience so far.
“I was so happy to find a thriving music community within the Claremont consortium. There’s definitely a large group of people here who participate in and enjoy live music, which is really wonderful.”
For more information about the Pomona Jazz Ensemble, click here.