Milton Nascimento & esperanza spalding: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

Suraya Mohamed | August 7, 2024
We almost never post Tiny Desk (home) concerts anymore. But to have the glorious Brazilian musical icon Milton Nascimento with his gifted friend and collaborator, esperanza spalding, be an exception is perhaps the opportunity of a lifetime. Nascimento is 81 years old now and has difficulty traveling out of Brazil.

It’s hard to explain the gravity of Nascimento’s career and his significant influence on all genres of music. Performing for more than 60 years, the singer, musician and songwriter’s discography includes more than 40 albums. In his prime, his rich voice spanned many octaves. While his vocal quality might not be as strong now, there is an intangible essence that fills the void. “What’s so amazing is the quantum resonance of this elder’s life and you can’t make that sound,” spalding told WRTI’s Nate Chinen last month. “It’s not a sound, it’s a lived thing that does travel on the frequencies, obviously, but we don’t even have the words to describe what we’re actually picking up.”

In 2022, Nascimento was on his farewell tour, but in 2023 he put his retirement on hold after deciding to collaborate with spalding on their upcoming album, Milton + esperanza. Songs from that record are featured in this magical (home) concert. Recorded last month in Nascimento’s living room in Rio de Janeiro, it’s likely to be the only video performance of this music.

The songs here are gentle, lush and filled with passion. The beautiful harmonies and syncopated rhythms combine with spalding’s acrobatic bass lines to give the music a playful, dance-like feel. But what really stands out in this performance is the deep friendship, admiration and love Nascimento and spalding hold for one another.

SET LIST
Milton Nascimento: “Cais”
Milton Nascimento: “Outubro”
Guinga, Paulo César Pinheiro: “Saci (feat. Guinga)”
Milton Nascimento, Fernando Brant: “Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar) (feat. Maria Gadú)”
Wayne Shorter, Edgy Lee: “When You Dream (feat. Maria Gadú)”

MUSICIANS
Milton Nascimento: vocals
esperanza spalding: vocals, arrangements, bass, musical direction
Maria Gadú: vocals
Guinga: acoustic guitar
Leo Genovese: piano, synth
Dedê Silva: drums
Ronaldo Silva: percussion
Shabaka Hutchings: flute
Filipe Coimbra: electric guitar
Lula Galvão: acoustic guitar

CREDITS

DIRECTION/PRODUCTION
Music Director & Executive Artistic Director: esperanza spalding
Film Director: Matheus Senra
Senior Project Manager: Nathalia Borghi
Executive Producer - Milton Nascimento: Augusto Nascimento
Executive Producer - esperanza spalding: Héloïse Darcq
Executive Producer: Fernanda Malta
Production Manager: Roberta Guedes
Production Coordinator: Erika Freddo
Producer: Renata Amaral

CAMERA CREW
DOP: André Hawk
Camera Operator: Gabriel Zambrone
Camera Operator: Marcio Nunes
Camera Operator / Gaffer: Rodrigo Ocampo
Logger / Assistant Camera: Camila Baggio
Assistant Electrician / Assistant Camera: Guilherme O'Doro
Video Assistant / Assistant Camera: Beatriz Salgado

ART DEPARTMENT
Art Director: Nathalia Siqueira
Art Assistant: Fernanda Sierra

AUDIO CREW
Audio Technical Director: Aurélio Kauffmann
Audio Technical Producer: Jimmy Junior
Recording Engineer: Ronaldo Lima
Audio - Roadie: França Babilônia
Backline Equipment: Star no Palco Backline

MISCELLANEOUS
Teleprompter Operator: Danilo Nuha
Special Thanks: Raphael Pulga, Concord Records Team, Jason Linder, Universal Records Brazil, Paul Kremen, Fernanda Mesa, Janice Mascarenhas, Wes Rodrigues, Nat Rosa, Lutera Thabisa

POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Juliana Neves
Color Correction: Bernardo Neder
Sound Mix: Arthur Luna, William Luna Junior e Luciano Scalercio
Mastering: Arthur Luna
Mastering Assistant: Enzo Menegazzi
Mastering Assistant: Raphael Rui Castro
Translation and Subtitling: All Dub Estudio

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Video Producer: Maia Stern
Audio Mastering: Josephine Nyounai
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Tiny Production Team: Hazel Cills, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Ashley Pointer
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#miltonnascimento #esperanzaspalding #nprmusic #tinydesk

[YouTubeBrasil]

22 minutos e 53 segundos de pura emoção

[brenonoah]

This is the most important Tiny Desk ever made.

[hiphopmgmt]

This is a reminder to us, Brazilians, who sometimes overlook how beautiful, culturally rich, and unique our country truly is. Hearing Esperanza speak Portuguese with a Carioca (Rio de Janeiro) accent made me realize that, at times, foreigners show more love for our country than we do ourselves. I couldn't imagine myself being from any other country in the world.

Viva o Brasil! 🇧🇷

[julianapupo]

Elis Regina once said “if God had a voice, it would be Milton’s voice”

[mattuca]

Aqui, em uma cidade rural do Japão, distante, há um velho que treme e chora ao ouvir sua voz cantando.

[stevensaunders]

I found Milton 40 years ago, when traveling the beautiful Brazil, his music has so many layers, it's a brain massage

[murilopedroza]

QUE VONTADE INSUPORTÁVEL E INCONTROLÁVEL DE CHORAR... DE ONDE VEM TANTA POESIA, QUEM DOTOU A RAÇA HUMANA DE TANTO SENTIMENTO...

[franco]

abrazo desde argentina, hermanos brasileros. larga vida a milton nascimiento!

[DimeCrisBag]

I think the Tiny Desk members, Esperanza and everybody should take this as a huge moment and accomplishment because Milton have been saying he wouldn’t do another concert, no matter what, for such a long time now, here in Brazil, through his social medias. I’m astonished, having denied so many, he did this one. Just wonderful.

[mecaminha]

As a brazilian, my heart is 🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️ What a gem!

[simionatico]

Milton Nascimento is the very definition of legend. It is so amazing realise how many different artists, from many different places and backgrounds have such respect and admiration for him. He is a force of nature, the very synthesis of Brazil and Latin America. A complete artist and human being. We should be grateful for sharing the world with him and all the art that he spreads. Viva Bituca!

[sebastianpozziazzaro]

Qué música hermosa tienen, Brasil, por Dios! Siempre directo al corazón. Abrazo desde Argentina.

Tragam imediatamente um CPF para Esperanza Spalding que canta maravilhosamente a nossa língua como nativa! E que fantástico privilégio de poder celebrar o nosso sagrado Milton Nascimento!

[joaooliveiram]

00:00 Cais
04:15 Outubro
10:10 Saci
13:40 Saudade dos aviões da Panair
20:10 When you dream

[fongfongb]

Wow.... the first time I got emotional over a Tiny Desk, what a beautiful concert. Just so moving to see Milton making music at 81. Pure joy in this music, no competition, no showing off chops, just a celebration of music and life. So

[GuilhermeHarrison]

I didn't know the Voice from God would just pop up in Tiny Desk after his stage retirement! What a moment!

[MrVeronaa]

Essa gravação tem um valor histórico que só as próximas gerações vão entender, sério.
Que preciosidade!!!

[criss_v]

That is the most precious Tiny Desk of all times! What a legend!

[ConnanGames]

Well, i never thought crying at 7 am before going to work would be so good to me!

[arqeco]

I don't even need hear the video to give a like to Milton Nascimento. Best male singer of all times. Amazing composer. Great human being. He never heard of me, but he's been my friend for all my life.