Milton Esperanza (stylized as Milton esperanza) is a collaborative studio album by jazz singer Milton Nascimento and jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding.[1] Concord Records released the album on August 9, 2024.[2][3] Three tracks from the album were released as singles.
| Milton Esperanza | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 9, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | 2023 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 67:30 | |||
| Label | Concord | |||
| Producer | Esperanza Spalding | |||
| Milton Nascimento chronology | ||||
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| Esperanza Spalding chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Milton Esperanza | ||||
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Background
editThe album was recorded in Brazil during 2023 and includes 16 tracks: originals by Spalding as well as jazz and pop standards from Nascimento's catalogue.[4] Spalding sings in Portuguese on most of the tracks. Nascimento, who was 81 at the time of recording, is heard on tracks "Cais", "Outobro", "Saci", "Morro Velho", and "Um Vento Passou (Para Paul Simon)". The album is dedicated to the memory of Wayne Shorter, who passed away in March 2023, aged 89. Nascimento and Spalding's first collaboration was on Spalding's 2010 album Chamber Music Society, with Nascimento singing on the track "Apple Blossom". Nascimento was introduced to Spalding's work by Herbie Hancock.[5]
The list of guest stars includes musicians such as Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadu, Guinga, Tim Bernades, and Carolina Shorter, Wayne Shorter's widow.[6] Singer-songwriter Paul Simon studied Portuguese for two weeks so as to sing the duet that Nascimento wrote for him.[7]
Tracks "Outubro", "Um Vento Passou (Para Paul Simon)" and "Saudade dos Aviões da Panair (Conversando no Bar)" were released as singles.[8][9][10]
Reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100[11] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| All About Jazz |  [12] |
| The Guardian | [4] |
Milton Esperanza received critical acclaim from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted mean score of 84 based on 5 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
Matt Collar of AllMusic wrote, "At the center of all this are Nascimento and Spalding, whose smiling interplay helps make Milton Esperanza feel like both a capstone to a monumental career and continuation of a musical legacy."[6]
Jack Nicas of The New York Times stated, "There is little surprise that, at 81, Nascimento’s voice is not what it once was. It is quieter, unsteadier and at times straining to reach notes it once soared past. Yet it retains an undeniable warmth. It is weathered, broken in. And it provides a comforting presence throughout the album, like a grandparent’s hand in yours."[13]
Ernesto Lechner of Rolling Stone added, "The result of their collaboration is Milton Esperanza, an episodic, strikingly impressionistic album that combines reworked Nascimento classics with new Spalding originals, warm audio vignettes, and a couple of intriguing covers."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Music Was There" | Justin Tyson | 0:57 |
| 2. | "Cais" | Nascimento, Ronaldo Bastos | 3:40 |
| 3. | "Late September" | Spalding | 1:26 |
| 4. | "Outubro" | Nascimento | 5:17 |
| 5. | "A Day in the Life" | Lennon–McCartney | 4:36 |
| 6. | "Interlude for Saci" | Corey D. King | 1:41 |
| 7. | "Saci" (featuring Guinga) | Guinga, Paulo César Pinheiro | 3:28 |
| 8. | "Wings for the Thought Bird" (featuring Elena Pinderhughes and Orquestra Ouro Preto) | Spalding | 3:06 |
| 9. | "The Way You Are" | Spalding | 0:48 |
| 10. | "Earth Song" (featuring Dianne Reeves) | Michael Jackson | 6:42 |
| 11. | "Morro Velho" (featuring Orquestra Ouro Preto) | Nascimento | 5:15 |
| 12. | "Saudade dos Aviões da Panair (Conversando no Bar)" (featuring Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, and Lula Galvão) | Nascimento, Fernando Brant | 5:24 |
| 13. | "Um Vento Passou (Para Paul Simon)" (featuring Paul Simon) | Nascimento, Márcio Borges | 4:36 |
| 14. | "Get It by Now" | Spalding | 2:24 |
| 15. | "Outro Planeta" | Tyson | 2:06 |
| 16. | "When You Dream" (featuring Carolina Shorter) | Wayne Shorter, Edgy Lee | 9:26 |
| Total length: | 67:30 | ||
Personnel
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References
edit- ^ "Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding unite on new album". Jazz in Europe. May 24, 2024. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "Milton esperanza - Concord - Label Group". Concord Records. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Mohamed, Suraya. "Milton Nascimento & esperanza spalding: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert". NPR. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ a b Kalia, Ammar (9 August 2024). "Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding: Milton Esperanza review – Brazilian giant finds a new groove". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Helfand, Raphael. "Milton Nascimento and esperanza spalding's journey into jazz's open ocean". The Fader. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Collar, Matt. "Milton Esperanza - Milton Nascimento, Espera... | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Guevara, Milton; Haney, Taylor; Martin, Michel (9 August 2024). "Milton Nascimento and esperanza spalding honor friendship on their new album". NPR. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Corcoran, Nina (15 May 2024). "Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento Announce Album, Share New Song "Outubro"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Chelosky, Danielle (21 June 2024). "Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding – "Um Vento Passou" (Feat. Paul Simon)". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
- ^ ""Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar)" Featuring Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Lula Galvão Released Today from Milton Nascimento and esperanza spalding's Collaborative Album". Shore Fire Media. 21 June 2024. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
- ^ "Milton Esperanza by Milton Nascimento Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. n.d. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ May, Chris (31 July 2024). "Milton Nascimento / Esperanza Spalding: Milton esperanza album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Nicas, Jake (1 August 2024). "Some Final Notes From the 'Voice of God'". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Lechner, Ernesto (7 August 2024). "Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding Celebrate Brazilian Classics on 'Milton Esperanza'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 October 2024.