Native Dancer represented Shorter's growing fascination with Portuguese and Brazilian culture following his marriage to his Portuguese wife Ana Maria in 1966. Subsequently, originals like ‘Feio’, ‘Surucucu’ and ‘Manolete’ paid homage to Portuguese/Brazilian culture and in 1970 he even recorded MiltonNascimento's ‘Vera Cruz’ on the Blue Note album Moto Grosso Feio in 1970. However, nothing quite prepared listeners for Native Dancer. By 1974 Shorter had become a fan of Nascimento's music and he and vocalist Flora Purim shared the airfare to bring the guitarist/vocalist plus two of his musicians – keyboardist Wagner Tiso and drummer Roberto Silva– to the US. After rehearsals with Purim in New York City, all three Brazilians joined Purim for an appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival where one of her best albums, 500 Miles High, was recorded. When they returned to the US, they went to Shorter's house in Malibu where they prepared for Native Dancer, recorded on 12 September 1974 with the addition of bassist Dave McDaniel (then with Joe Cocker), Jay Gordon (a pop songwriter, guitarist and producer), Dave Amaro (Flora Purim's guitarist) and percussionist Airto Moreira (Flora Purim's husband). The album was produced by Jim Price, a multi-instrumentalist who had worked with The Rolling Stones. Shorter wanted to give full reign to Nascimento's talent and it's his voice that opens the album with ‘Ponta de Areia’, a folkloric-like melody in 9/8. On ‘Lilia’ he uses wordless vocals while on ‘Tarde’, Nascimento's falsetto voice sounds like a continuation of Shorter's soprano sax solo. Shorter's three original compositions are treated instrumentally – ‘Diana’, written for the newborn baby of Flora and Airto, ‘Ana Maria’, a dedication to his wife, while ‘Beauty and the Beast’ prompts a funky response from Herbie Hancock's piano. On release, the record brought attention and acclaim to Nascimento helping define an approach to Brazilian music away from the bossa nova stylings of Tom Jobim or Joao Gilberto or the tropicalia style of Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. And while Nascimento's style was certainly influenced by jazz – which accounts for the close musical rapport Shorter struck up with him on this session, later appearing on several of Nascimento's recordings – the real significance of Native Dancer was in the creative way Shorter framed Brazilian music through the creative prism of his imagination that, in turn, subtly influenced vernacular Brazilian music itself. - Stuart Nicholson / jazzwise.com
Some jazz purists would say that Wayne Shorter went downhill in the 1970s, when he passionately embraced electric jazz-fusion and co-led the innovative Weather Report with Joe Zawinul. But remember: Those are the same people who also claim that Miles Davis' stunning Bitches Brew has no value, and that Chick Corea's visionary Return to Forever was a complete waste -- so it's hard to take their opinions seriously. The fact is that the '70s were a highly productive time for Shorter, and it wasn't until the '80s that the tenor and soprano saxophonist really declined creatively. One of Shorter's best-selling albums from the '70s was Native Dancer, a Brazilian-oriented jazz-fusion masterpiece that boasts Herbie Hancock on acoustic piano and electric keyboards, and employs such Brazilian talent as singer Milton Nascimento (a superstar in Brazil) and percussionist Airto Moreira. Everything on this melodic, consistently lyrical effort is a jewel, and that includes Hancock's "Joanna's Theme," as well as pieces by Nascimento ("From the Lonely Afternoons" and "Ponta de Areia") and by Shorter himself ("Ana Maria,""Beauty and the Beast" ). Native Dancer is clearly among Shorter's most essential albums. - Alex Henderson
The ultimate expression of Wayne Shorter’s desire to make a “Brasilian” record is Native Dancer. However it is further from being a “Brasilian” record than it is from being a “Wayne Shorter” record and might therefore qualify to be an iconic “Brasilian” record. The album features the great Brasilian composer and vocalist, Milton Nascimento. So towering is Mr. Nascimento’s personality here, as it is on his own records, that he might easily be said to be a co-star of this album as well. The two musicians weave a rich and extraordinary tapestry that melds the Jazz vernacular with the unique voice of Milton Nascimento. Many recordings – including ones where Antonio Carlos Jobim collaborated with Jazz musicians – have come before and since this 1974 recording but none quite have its dazzling compositions and musicianship.
Wayne Shorter also contributes three of the nine compositions (with five by Milton Nascimento and one by Herbie Hancock) and while it might very well be Mr. Nascimento’s writing that is featured, Mr. Shorter already cemented a reputation for being one of the most extraordinary composers in modern music. This was something that endeared his music to musicians from Art Blakey to John Coltrane and Miles Davis. It was also Mr. Coltrane who first recognised Wayne Shorter as one of the finest and most inspirational saxophonists in Jazz. This visionary recognition is borne out by the music on Native Dancer. Wayne Shorter’s facility with tone colours and textures whether he is playing soprano or tenor saxophone is legendary. His ability to extract the most beautiful timbres from his woodwinds is also legendary.
The centrepiece of the album is “Miracle of the Fishes” (“Milagre dos Peixes”) from a seminal album that Mr. Nascimento made in Brasil a year earlier. Like the other vocal charts on this album, this song features the high and lonesome falsetto of Mr. Nascimento. The Brasilian was famous for his voice and his music and performs beautifully here, recalling his historic performances as a member of Club da Esquina (The Corner Club), an artists’ collective that originated in the Brasilian state of Minas Gerais and became one of the most important Brasilian artistic movements along with the Tropicália movement started by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
This album was remastered for the digital CD format twenty years after it was first released and it continues to be one of the most sought after Wayne Shorter releases. Although the music of Milton Nascimento appears to be the focus of this album, Wayne Shorter’s music is also the key to the loveliness of this issue. - Raul Da Gama
Tracks
1. Ponta De Areia (M. Nascimento)
2. Beauty And The Beast (W. Shorter)
3. Tarde (M. Nascimento)
4. Miracle Of The Fishes (M. Nascimento)
5. Diana (W. Shorter)
6. From The Lonely Afternoons (M. Nascimento)
7. Ana Maria (W. Shorter)
8. Lilia (M. Nascimento)
9. Joanna's Theme (H. Hancock)
WAYNE SHORTERsoprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
HERBIE HANCOCK piano, keyboard
AIRTO MOREIRA percussion
MILTON NASCIMENTO vocals, guitar
DAVID AMARO guitar
JAY GRAYDON guitar
DAVE McDANIEL bass
ROBERTO SILVA drums
WAGNER TYSO organ, piano
Recorded September 12, 1975 at Village Recorders, Los Angeles, California
Columbia CBS - 80721