Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento to release Brazilian jazz album with all-star line-up including Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves, Shabaka Hutchings and more

Milton + esperanza - a new album by Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento and decorated musician/composer Esperanza Spalding – is set for release on 9 August on Concord Records. Recorded in Brazil over the course of 2023, Milton + esperanza is a stellar collaboration from the two musical luminaries and friends, who first recorded together on Spalding’s breakthrough 2010 Chamber Music Society album on the bewitching track ‘Apple Blossom’. 

The new album features 16 tracks that celebrate and reimagine five of Nascimento’s beloved classics, plus newly written originals by Spalding, alongside imaginative interpretations of The Beatles’ ‘A Day In The Life’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’ among other works that lovingly explore the music of Brazil and beyond.

The starry guest appearances include vocalists Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Carolina Shorter, plus flautist Shabaka Hutchings, with Nascimento and Spalding’s effortless vocal chemistry at the heart of the music.

The album is produced, arranged and executive produced by Spalding and though some work was done in the US, much of the recording happened in Rio and features Spalding’s core band of Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano), Corey D. King (vocals, synths), and several Brazilian musicians, including Orquestra Ouro Preto, percussionists Kainã Do Jêje and Ronaldinho Silva, and Lula Galvão and Guinga on guitar.

Watch the album visualiser below and for more info visit found.ee/Milton-esperanza