Blu-spec CD of the Month - "Wayne Shorter: Native Dancer"

Blu-spec CD of the Month
Wayne Shorter: "Native Dancer" (Columbia/Sony) 1975/2013

Rating: ***** (musical performance & sonic quality)

Produced by Jim Price
Recorded September, 1974 @ Village Recorders (Los Angeles)
Engineered by Robert Fraboni (assisted by Joe Tuzen)
Photos: Kenneth McGowan
Featuring: Wayne Shorter (soprano & tenor saxophones), Milton Nascimento (acoustic guitar, vocals on "Ponta de Areia," "Tarde," "Miracle of the Fishes," "From The Lonely Afternoons" and "Lilia"), Herbie Hancock (acoustic & electric pianos), Wagner Tiso (electric piano, organ), Dave McDaniel (electric bass), Robertinho Silva (drums), Airto Moreira (percussion), Jay Graydon (electric bass & electric guitar), David Amaro (acoustic & electric guitars)

In a few words: Wayne Shorter's best solo album ever, including the best five tracks ever recorded by Milton Nascimento in the USA (although Milton's self-titled debut LP for A&M, recorded in Malibu in 1976 with Shorter, Hancock, Airto, Robertinho, Hugo Fattoruso, Raul de Souza, Novelli, Toninho Horta and Maria de Fatima Fattoruso is splendid too). Besides Milton's tunes, the session also includes three beautiful compositions by Shorter: the etheral ballad "Diana" (dedicated to Airto & Flora Purim's daughter, later covered on VSOP's "Tempest on The Colosseum") and two themes that became contemporary jazz classics: "Beauty and The Beast" and "Ana Maria" (a quasi-bossa dedicated to Shorter's Portuguse wife). The date closes with a Herbie Hancock ballad, "Joanna's Theme." Timeless. PS: David Amaro, if you read this, I would like to sign you for my JSR label. Just drop me a note and we'll do an album.