Updated August 09, 2024 at 11:21 AM ET
It was esperanza spalding鈥檚 longtime dream to make music with Milton Nascimento.
The bassist was a student at Berklee College of Music when she first became a fan of the Brazilian singer-songwriter. A friend showed her Wayne Shorter鈥檚 1975 album Native Dancer, which features Nascimento. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know that was an option, that sound in the cosmos,鈥� she told NPR鈥檚 Michel Martin. Now, two decades after that introduction, she has made an album with her idol. It's called Milton + esperanza.
At 81, Nascimento鈥檚 career spans more than 60 years. With over 40 albums, the singer is a household name in his home country. And spalding has won five Grammys, including one for best new artist in 2011, beating out Justin Bieber and Drake.
Their new album includes classics from Nascimento鈥檚 catalog, new originals by spalding and covers of 鈥淓arth Song鈥� by Michael Jackson and 鈥淎 Day in the Life鈥� by the Beatles. The collaborators on the album include singer-songwriter Paul Simon, for two weeks so he could sing the duet Nascimento wrote for him.
Much of the album was recorded at Nascimento鈥檚 home in Rio de Janeiro. 鈥淥ur engineer set up microphones in the room where Milton watches TV,鈥� spalding said. 鈥� We brought in some mattresses from another part of the house and just made a little nook in there.鈥�
鈥淚t was really beautiful,鈥� said Nascimento, speaking to NPR through an interpreter, 鈥淓veryone felt comfortable. I chose some songs. She chose others. Then we chose the musicians. We started out small, but it became something much greater.鈥�
A collaborator who was on their minds when they made the record was their mutual friend, the late Wayne Shorter. The saxophonist died in March 2023, a month before they planned to start recording. 鈥淚t was a very emotional, intense time,鈥� spalding said. 鈥淚 mean, Wayne is the reason that I know Milton. Wayne is a person that we have in common. A deep friend and a deep mentor, a hero.鈥�
They honor their mutual friend by ending the album with Shorter鈥檚 song 鈥淲hen You Dream.鈥� It features singing by his widow Carolina Shorter. 鈥淪he said one of the last things Wayne said to her was, 鈥榊ou have to sing. People need to hear your voice,鈥欌�� spalding said. 鈥淪o it also felt like a gratitude, an honoring of his wish to have his wife's voice out in the world.鈥�
spalding says creating an album with Nascimento is one of the best experiences of her life. 鈥淚 love him,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o it's a joy to do whatever I can to serve the music.鈥�
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