Esperanza Spalding & Milton Nascimento Announce New Collaborative Album Featuring Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves + More

Renowned jazz musician Esperanza Spalding and famed Brazilian vocalist Milton Nascimento announced their new collaborative album, Milton + Esperanza, will be released via Concord on August 9. The pair unveiled the first taste of the LP today, a reimagined version of Nascimento’s “Outubro.”

Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento’s friendship dates back nearly 15 years. The duo finally recorded their first full-length collaboration together throughout 2023 in Brazil. The 16-track effort includes five reworked takes on Nascimento-penned gems, new original songs composed by Spalding and choice covers such as Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” and The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life.”

Spalding and Nascimento tapped an otherworldly roster of guests to appear on Milton + Esperanza. Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Carolina Shorter, Shabaka Hutchings and Guinga are among the artists that make cameos on the LP.

Produced, arranged and executive produced by Spalding, Esperanza called in her core band of Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano) and Corey D. King (vocals, synths) for the project. Fittingly, the main ensemble was rounded out by several Brazilian musicians such as Orquestra Ouro Preto, percussionists Kainã Do Jêje and Ronaldinho Silva as well as Lula Galvão and Guinga on guitar.

Milton Nascimento originally released “Outubro” on his 1969 album, Courage. The song represents the oldest composition of his included on the forthcoming record. Spalding and Nascimento’s voices soar in combination with each other in a completely different yet similarly inspired singing on the original.

Listen to the Milton + Esperanza version of “Outubro” below:

Milton + Esperanza Tracklist

1. the music was there
2. Cais
3. Late September
4. Outubro
5. A Day in the Life
6. Interlude for Saci
7. Saci (featuring Guinga)
8. Wings for the Thought Bird (featuring Elena Pinderhughes and Orquestra Ouro Preto)
9. The Way You Are
10. Earth Song (featuring Dianne Reeves)
11. Morro Velho (featuring Orquestra Ouro Preto)
12. Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar) (featuring Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Lula Galvão)
13. Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon) (featuring Paul Simon)
14. Get It By Now
15. outra planeta
16. When You Dream (featuring Carolina Shorter)