Rick Rubin
In addition to being a podcast host, Frederick Jay “Rick” Rubin is an American record producer and former co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, he is the co-founder…
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A month ago at the Grammys, Alicia Keys gave a beautiful speech while accepting the Global Impact Award. Part of her speech was dedicated to the women producers who power the industry, women like Patrice Rushen, Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, and others.
This was top of mind for Justin Richmond when he sat down with esperanza spalding at the Blue Note club in New York, where she was in the middle of a residency. Not only because she just produced a gorgeous new collaborative album by the unheralded Brazilian genius, Milton Nascimento, naturally called “Milton + esperanza.” But she’s also self produced just about all of her own projects from the very beginning.
esperanza and Justin talk about why she’s been producing herself from the jump in this episode, what it’s been like working so closely with master mentors like Milton Nascimento, but also Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. And esperanza talks about the rocky beginning of her career.
Listen to the songs of Milton Nascimento as curated by esperanza spalding
Listen to Milton + esperanza’s collaborative album
Listen to a collection of songs by esperanza spalding
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The Hosts
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is co-founder of Pushkin Industries and host of the hit podcast Revisionist History. He is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of several New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping…
Justin Richmond
Justin Richmond is producer and co-host of the music podcast Broken Record with writer Malcolm Gladwell, New York Times editor Bruce Headlam, and music producer—and Def Jam co-founder—Rick Rubin. Justin…
Bruce Headlam
Bruce Headlam is one of the co-creators of the music podcast Broken Record. He worked at The New York Times for 19 years, including two years running the 50-person Video…
Leah Rose
Leah Rose is a senior producer and hosts episodes of Broken Record. A former music editor at XXL Magazine, she also served as an on-air personality for Eminem’s SiriusXM channel, Shade 45.…
