This 1986 ‘live’ CD confirmed the promise of Nascimento’s ‘Encountros E Despedidas’ from a year earlier: A new beginning – a renascimento – of one of Brazil’s top singers in both style and presentation.
The São Paulo stage found Milton in his prime – his unique voice and tremendous falsetto support the range of expression common to his songs, from ‘Nos Dois’ (Us Two), a tender ballad featuring Wayne Shorter’s soprano saxophone, to the more powerful statements found in the opening track and classics like ‘Lagrima Do Sul’.
The stellar group joining Nascimento on this date represented a change forward, too, with Luiz Avellar’s keyboards and guitarist Ricardo Silveira helping to change the musical dynamic from Milton’s ‘Clube Da Esquina’ years, and Mazola returns as the producer to guide a maturing pop style that would help to define his recordings during the 80’s.
While it’s true that Milton Nascimento’s career can be defined by wide swings between highs and lows, his recording from this period are among his very best and this CD –now two decades old – remains as one of our favorites.
