Winter Morning Walks is the first partnership between Schneider and Upshaw, bringing together two preeminent figures in jazz and classical music. Schneider has been commissioned to compose for jazz orchestras and artists all over the world, has won two GRAMMY Awards and has been nominated for several more. Writing for TIME Magazine, Terry Teachout said, "To call Schneider the most important woman in jazz is missing the point two ways. She's a major composer-period." Upshaw was also deemed "one of the most consequential performers of our time" by the LA TIMES, is a multiple GRAMMY winner and MacArthur Fellow, and has performed at the Metropolitan Opera over 300 times. In 2004 Schneider pioneered the fan-funding model by becoming the first artist to sign with ArtistShare® to release 'Concert In The Garden,' the first web-exclusive recording to win a GRAMMY.
Paulo Diniz knew success in the '70s with compositions and interpretations soaked with the freewheeling spirit of those times, a mixture of post-1968 protest with the joyous character of Bahian music. "Quero Voltar Pra Bahia" ("I Wanna Go Back to Bahia"), a nostalgic tribute to Caetano Veloso who was exiled in London at the time, was recorded by several other interpreters, including Fagner. Diniz also had his "Símbolo de Paz" recorded by Elizeth Cardoso; "Pingos de Amor" by several interpreters, including Araketu, Kid Abelha, Neguinho da Beija-Flor and Sula Miranda; "Chega" by Simone; "Um Chope Pra Distrair" by Emílio Santiago; and "Canseira" by Clara Nunes.