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Native Dancer is the fifteenth album by Wayne Shorter. It is a collaboration with Brazilian musician Milton Nascimento, featuring some of his most acclaimed compositions, including “Ponta de Areia” and “Miracle of The Fishes”. It is notable for including jazz rock and funk elements in addition to regional rhythms and Brazilian influence, in an attempt to create a “world” music accessible from many perspectives. Many American musicians were influenced by this album, including Esperanza Spalding and Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire, who covered “Ponta de Areia” on their hit 1977 album All ‘n All. The Penguin Guide to Jazz, while praising Shorter’s tenor work, calls it “a bland samba setting which does more to highlight Nascimento’s vague and uncommitted vocal delivery than the leader’s saxophone playing (https://goo.gl/sm8TdM).

AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson:
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 (https://www.allmusic.com/album/native-dancer-mw0000655009).

Track listing:
“Ponta de Areia” (Milton Nascimento) – 5:18
“Beauty and the Beast” (Wayne Shorter) – 5:04
“Tarde” (Fernando Brant, Nascimento) – 5:49
“Miracle of the Fishes” (Brant, Nascimento) – 4:48
“Diana” (Shorter) – 3:04
“From the Lonely Afternoons” (Brant, Nascimento) – 3:15
“Ana Maria” (Shorter) – 5:10
“Lilia” (Nascimento) – 7:03
“Joanna’s Theme” (Herbie Hancock) – 4:17

Personnel:
Wayne Shorter – soprano and tenor saxophone
Milton Nascimento – guitar, vocals
David Amaro – guitar
Jay Graydon – guitar
Herbie Hancock – piano, keyboards
Wagner Tiso – organ, piano
Dave McDaniel – bass
Roberto Silva – drums
Airto Moreira – percussion

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Released: September 12, 1974
Recorded: 1974
Los Angeles, CA
Length: 41:41
Label: Columbia
Producer: Jim Price, Nedra Neal