esperanza spalding & Milton Nascimento announce album ft. Paul Simon, Shabaka & more
Brazilian music legend Milton Nascimento and modern-day jazz icon esperanza spalding have announced a collaborative album, Milton + esperanza, due August 9 via Concord Records (pre-order). The album features a mix of re-imaginings of Milton’s classics, newly-written pieces by esperanza, interpretations of The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life” and Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song,” and more. It features appearances by Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Carolina Shorter, Shabaka Hutchings, Guinga, Elena Pinderhughes, Lula Galvão, Orquestra Ouro Preto, Kainã Do Jêje, and Ronaldinho Silva, along with esperanza’s core band of Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano), and Corey D. King (vocals, synths).
The first single is a rendition of “Outbro,” which was originally released on Milton’s 1969 album Courage. For this new album, it’s reimagined as a gorgeous duet with esperanza, as you can hear for yourself below.
esperanza spalding also has a Blue Note Jazz Club residency coming up in 2025 (February 18-23 and February 25-March 2), and other dates before that. All are listed below.
Tracklist
the music was there
Cais
Late September
Outubro
A Day in the Life
Interlude for Saci
Saci (featuring Guinga)
Wings for the Thought Bird (featuring Elena Pinderhughes and Orquestra Ouro Preto)
The Way You Are
Earth Song (featuring Dianne Reeves)
Morro Velho (featuring Orquestra Ouro Preto)
Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar) (featuring Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Lula Galvão)
Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon) (featuring Paul Simon)
Get It By Now
outra planeta
When You Dream (featuring Carolina Shorter)
esperanza spalding — 2024/2025 Tour Dates
5/26 – Columbus, OH – Ohio Black Expo
6/1 – Ridgefield, CT – The Ridgefield Playhouse
6/2 – Princeton, NJ – McCarter Theatre Center
6/3 – Camden, NJ – Wiggins Waterfront Park
8/1 – Los Angeles, CA – Luckman Theatre
8/2 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
8/3 – Portland, OR – Vanport Jazz Festival
8/4 – Seattle, WA – Benaroya Hall
8/9 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theater
8/10 – Rio Rancho, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center
9/13 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre
9/14 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre
9/15 – St. Louis, MO – Music at the Intersection (Festival)
9/16 – Skokie, IL – North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
9/17 – Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Performing Arts Center
11/13 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater
11/14 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theatre
11/15 – Stillwater, OK – The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts
11/16 – Salina, KS – The Stiefel Theatre
2/18-2/23 & 2/25-3/2 – New York, NY – Blue Note Jazz Club
