Just a very short one to keep things moving. It'll have to be brief anyway, because i'm far from clued up on this guy's back story. Most importantly, he's an icon of Brazilian music, Elis Regina having once claimed that "If God were to sing, it would be with the voice of Milton". He doesn't quite fit under the umbrella of Tropicalia (he emerged just after the likes of Caetano Veloso and Os Mutantes), but anyone with a passing interest in that movement will find Nascimento's work similarly captivating.
I've only managed to hear two albums so far (his back catalogue is pretty extensive), but they're both astonishing in their different ways. His 1969 debut, 'Courage', blends his folk, jazz and bossa nova background with lush orchestration to melodious, frequently dazzling effect - its opener 'Bridges (Travessia)' is deeply moving. The other record i own is his exquisite collaboration with Lo Borges, the first 'Clube Da Esquina' album from 1972. Here, the influence of western pop is more pronounced (Beatles, Beach Boys, progressive rock even), maybe making it the best starting point. As diverse as the music may be, the standard of the songwriting never slips.
I'll leave it nice and brief and let these HughTube samples speak for themselves. It would be more than a little misguided to let the language barrier stop you from exploring Milton - i intend to dig a bit deeper myself anyway!
Stripped-down version of the wondrous 'Travessia', originally on Courage.
'O Trem Azul', from Clube Da Esquina.
Opening track from Clube Da Esquina, 'Tudo O Que Voce Podia Ser'.
The joyous 'San Vicente', again from Clube Da Esquina.
The proggier end of the album, represented by 'Trem De Doido'.
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