Brazil — All Formats  

Breezy bossa nova – Hollywood 60s style! The album's one of the best cut for Capitol by guitarist Laurindo Almeida – and has a sweet groovy little style that features Laurindo's lovely guitar work over some lightly dancing small combo backings that include flute, harmonica, organ, percussion, and even a bit of whistling on a few tracks! The vibe's very much in the best Verve/Impulse takes on the bossa – done with a clear California influence, which keeps things cool and breezy – and which also pushes Almeida past his sometimes-staid style on guitar. Two cuts also feature some great vocals by Irene Kral – and titles include "Twilight In Rio", "Old Guitaron", "Sarah's Samba", "Izabella", "Winter Moon", "Girl From Ipanema", and "Choro For People In Love".

Bossa guitar, dreamy orchestrations, and a wonderful American take on the Brazilian sound of the 60s – served up with sparkling Capitol Records production in a set that's easily one of the greatest by guitarist Laurindo Almeida! Almeida's guitar is matched here with some lightly jazzy backings from Lex De Azevedo – slightly pop, but always groovy – and with a gentle sound that matches bossa roots with some of the more complicated modes from 60s soundtrack years – served up in sweeping strings, moody woodwinds, and some nicely isolated notes from Almedia's acoustic guitar. Titles include "A Man & A Woman", done very nicely, plus "Mas Que Nada", "Soft Mood", "Bluesette", "Call Me", and "Going Out Of My Head".

Warmly mellow grooves from Azymuth – a set that nicely lives up to the "Flame" in the title – and which shows the strengths the trio picked up during their years in the US! The sound here is round and soulful – a great fusion of the group's roots in the 70s Brazilian fusion scene, and some of the smoother styles of the California one – never in a way that's too soft or commercial. As usual, there's a heavy emphasis on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who also sings a bit in a wordless, scatting sort of way. Flora Purim joins in on vocals on the cut "The Textile Factory" – and other titles include "Tamal Vista Boulevard", "Rapa Poeira", and "Flame (O Amor E Chama)".

A brilliant mix of live funk and lead MC work from Bnegao – and just the sort of unique criss-crossing of styles we'd never see up here in the US! The album's not really a hip hop record – despite the lead raps of Bnegao – and instead, it's kind of a funk record with spoken lyrics over the top – loads of tight drums, heavy horns, and riffing guitar – all topped with lyrics that are almost called/shouted over the top – a bit like Soil & Pimp Sessions from Japan, but with a distinctly Brazilian vibe overall. There's a great sort of warmth to the record, and the production really does a lot with the live instrumentation – giving it even more spark than you might expect. Titles include "Recao", "Vamoi", "Essa E Pra Tocar No Baile", "Subconsciente", "Bass Do Tambo", "Sintoniza La", "O Mundo", and "Proceder/Caminhar".

A rare early album by the legend Brazilian guitar genius – still bossa, but also recorded in the US – which gives the album a stronger jazz feel at times! The core focus here is still on Bonfa's lively guitar solos – but the presence of added jazz musicians make for a set that's a bit fuller and richer than some of the more solo-styled album from Luiz – not exactly Verve bossa, but somewhere close – and a wonderful record that manages to capture the best side of Bonfa's lyrical genius – thanks to a mix of original sambas and bossa tunes, plus Bonfa-ized versions of some American standards. Titles include "Brasilia", "Island Of Trinidade", "Blue Madrid", "Old Times", "Indian Dance", "Marajo", and "Arabesque".

A groovy bossa gem from the glory days of A&M Records – an ultra-hip group recorded with production by Sergio Mendes! The feel here is a lot like that of Brasil 66 – bossa rhythms, sunny CA instrumentation, and lovely female vocals – in this case sung singularly, by the lovely Gracinha Leporace – aka Mrs Mendes! Instrumentation is arguably even better than on Brasil 66 records – with wonderfully groovy organ lines from Manfredo Fest, who plays Lowrey organ instead of the usual Hammond. A really essential slice of bossa nova – and a record we'd never part with! Filled with wonderful tunes that include "Gentle Rain", "Up Up & Away", "Wave", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Cacao do Sal", "Veleiro", "Saiupa", and "Nana".

An incredible little record with a sound that's unlike anything else we've ever heard before – a set that mixes jazzy inflections on vibes, organ, guitar, percussion, and flute – the last of which is played here by a young Hermeto Pascoal! The set was done after Pascoal's work in Quarteto Novo but before some of his more complicated jazz albums of the 70s – and it's got a style that mixes his own love of playful rhythms and complicated shadings with a lighter, freer approach to the music – one that's almost in line with some of the EMI/Odeon work of the time, but which comes off with a slightly different feel. The drums get quite funky at times, and the mix of instruments reminds us a fair bit of the legendary Aquarians album on Uni from the US – but with an influence that's more bossa-driven, in comparison to the Latin modes of that set. At times, there's a lightly dancing beauty to the record that's almost in soundtrack mode – but tunes are more focused overall, and clearly aware of their own instrumental power. Titles include "Gamboa", "Rhodosando", "Cancao Latina", "Summer Hill", "Pavane", "Chaye", "Gosto De Ser Como Sou", "Casa Forte", and "O Passaro".

Beautiful sounds from Vinicius Cantuaria – an artist who only seems to get better and better over time – working with a style that's deeply classic, yet has plenty of dark edges too! At first glance, you might be tempted to label the set as bossa – but although there's plenty of elements from the genre, Vinicius really has a way of serving things up with a slightly offbeat edge – adding in slight electric elements and darker, deeper sounds to his raspy vocals and acoustic guitar! There's often a lower level of sonic texture that really seems to shape the happenings upfront – even though things are relatively spare overall – and as with other efforts, this set features great work from guests – including Ryuichi Sakamoto and Norah Jones on piano, plus Bill Frisell on guitar. Titles include "Purus", "Moca Feia", "Humanos", "This Time", "Pe Na Estrada", "Indio De Apartamento", and "Quem Sou Eu".

A really dreamy little set from this hip Brazilian combo – a set that's got a bossa feel overall, but which also seems to draw a bit from folkloric roots too! The instrumentation is nice and warm – a great 60s blend of light percussion, acoustic guitar, and nice bits of jazzy flute and vibes – all really sparkling nicely with the group's blend of male and female vocals – sometimes singing solo, but often coming together in these harmonies that are mighty nice! There's echoes here of some of the other bossa harmony groups – like Tamba Trio or Os Cariocas – but the approach is pretty fresh, too – given all the nice little touches the group uses to make the music here their own. Titles include "Pouca Duracao", "Amor E Ilusao", "Onibus Colegial", "E Assim Foi O Nosso Amor", and "Mandrake".

Sublime work from Alaide Costa – a beautifully mature album from the late 80s, and one that has her working with a host of great guest help from the Milton Nascimento camp, and the jazzier side of the MPB spectrum! In addition to vocals from Milton on one cut, the set also features appearances by Rique Pantoja on keyboards, Gilson Peranzzeta on piano, Wagner Tiso on piano, Ivan Lins on vocals, Cristovao Bastos on piano, Paulinho Da Viola on vocals, Sebastiao Tapajos on guitar, and Toninho Horta on vocals and arrangements! The music is spare, but has this depth that works perfect with Alaide's rich vocals – often just a few instruments echoing out alongside Costa's lead, with the balance between fullnest and restraint that you'd find in the best recordings by Nascimento or Lins. Titles include "Absinto", "Amiga De Verdade", "Quem Sabe", "Estrada Do Sertao", "Cinema Antigo", "Mais Que A Paixao", and "Morrer De Amor". CD features two bonus tracks – "Dois Coracoes" and "Teu Simples Nao".

One of her better albums of bossa nova stuff, given a bit of a 70's twist, and with the kind of percussive edge that you might expect from a title like "A Bahia". Mike Ribas arranged, and with performance by Sebastio Tapajos and Pedro Dos Santos. Tracks include "Ossain", "Carinoso", "Joao Valentao", "Que Locura", and "De Donde Vienes".

The best work so far from Rosalia De Souza – a session that features production and guitar from bossa legend Roberto Menescal, and a sound that's deeper and even more classic than any of Rosalia's other work! Most of the instrumentation here is in an older acoustic mode – piano, percussion, and horns arranged by Menescal with that beautifully lighter than air style that he first pioneered in the 60s – an approach that lets Rosalia's vocals drift along on wonderfully gentle rhythms, and dominate the record even more than before. Given that the set's on Schema, there's still a nicely rhythmic component to most numbers – but overall, the record's a bold step forward even for the label – similar to the all-acoustic move made by Nicola Conte in his own recordings! Marcos Valle joins in on vocals on "Que Bandeira", and other tunes include "Onde Anda O Meu Amor", "Voz Da Lapa", "Jogo De Roda", "Rio De Janeiro", "Mar Amar", "Um Novo Dia", and "Vivo Sonhando".

A great guitar session from late 60s Brazil – bossa at its core, but with some other groovy touches too! Guitarist Heraldo Do Monte plays light acoustic, in a style that's right up there with Luiz Bonfa or Baden Powell – but the overall setting of the album also gives a nod towards some of the more advanced changes going on in Brazilian instrumental music at the time – the first inkling of some of the Blue Brazil touches from EMI/Odeon, with a deeper sophistication in some of the arrangements than just straight bossa. A few moments are straight ahead, mixed with others that have a nice degree of darkness – and titles include "Teletema", "My Cherie Amour", "Recit De Cassard", "Que Maravilha", "Casa Forte", and "Moanin".

A really warm and wonderful little record – one that features the collaborative talents of these four bossa nova giants, all coming together in a really relaxed, intimate setting! Although most of these artists didn't work together in the 60s, they all share a very similar spirit, and come together beautifully here – all four working together on the first and last track in the set, then splitting apart to work in smaller duos, and each take a track or two on their own. Instrumentation is mostly small combo, and warmly jazzy – and Valle, Lyra, Menescal, and Donato all handle the arrangements too – furthering the collaborative spirit of the set. Titles include "Balansamba", "Ate Quem Sabe", "Tereza Da Praia", "Ate O Fim", "Bewitched", "Sextante", "Gente", "Vagamente", "De Um Jeito Diferente", and "Ciume".

Breezy bossa from late 70s Paris – a rare European session from Rio ex-patriots Erica Norimar and Chiquinho Timoteo! The record's got a warmly jazzy glow that takes full advantage of the vocals of both artists – trading them back and forth on the more lively tunes, in a way that's clearly inspired by the older Brasil 66 style of the 60s, but reworked here into a slightly hipper 70s sound. Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, with a lot of percussion and guitar that give the tracks a samba-styled groove – but a few tracks also feature a bit of keyboards, plus some occasional sax, flute, and trumpet. Titles include "Forro", "Dodo", "Hein", "Nega De Obaluae", "Gota D'Agua", "A Filha Da Chiquita Bacana", "De Frente Pro Crime", "Kid Cavaquinho", "Ligia", and "Vatapa".

Breezy bossa from late 70s Paris – a rare European session from Rio ex-patriots Erica Norimar and Chiquinho Timoteo! The record's got a warmly jazzy glow that takes full advantage of the vocals of both artists – trading them back and forth on the more lively tunes, in a way that's clearly inspired by the older Brasil 66 style of the 60s, but reworked here into a slightly hipper 70s sound. Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, with a lot of percussion and guitar that give the tracks a samba-styled groove – but a few tracks also feature a bit of keyboards, plus some occasional sax, flute, and trumpet. Titles include "Forro", "Dodo", "Hein", "Nega De Obaluae", "Gota D'Agua", "A Filha Da Chiquita Bacana", "De Frente Pro Crime", "Kid Cavaquinho", "Ligia", and "Vatapa".

Sweet 70s grooving from Brazilian singer Eva – a bit of soul, a bit of easy, all styled together nicely by orchestrations from the magical maestro Gaya! Gaya's work here is similar to his best backings for other artists in the Blue Brazil generation – a mix of American pop, post-bossa instrumentation, and in this case, some very slight electric touches – kind of hipping up the tunes a bit with some nice keyboards! The album's got a really nice version of "Moon River" that skips along at a nice pace – plus some great originals that offer a strong update to the sound of other Brazilian pop/post-bossa singers, like Doris Monteiro or Claudette Soares. Titles include "O Homem Do Tempo", "Vinte Leguas", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Olha Eu Aqui Oh Oh Oh", "Talisma", and Sonho Lindo".

An incredible batch of Brazilian fusion – cut by keyboardist Manfredo Fest, and one of the few records he ever waxed in the US during the 70s! The record mixes Fest's soaring Brazilian groove with a tight soulful set of arrangements by Jerry Peters – a bit club-oriented, with a similar sound to some of the other records on the Tabu label at the time, but always sensitive to Fest's playing and writing – especially his Brazilian roots! The record features wonderful vocals by Roberta Davis – a very soulful singer who had a hip wordless style that was similar to Tania Maria's at the time – breezy, scatting, and very nice. Her work really makes the record sparkle, working perfectly with Fest's jazzy electric keyboards in a perfect way! Titles include "Jungle Kitten", "Koko & Leeroe", "Arigo", and "Who Needs It".

One of the grooviest albums ever from pianist Clare Fischer – and one of the few to really get at the bossa nova spirit that's only hinted at in some of his other work! Clare's bossa touches had a great effect on other artists in the 60s – most notably Cal Tjader – but here, he's on his own and at the head of the pack – working in sweet small combo formation with some really great rhythms! Fischer plays both piano and organ – the latter of which is totally great, and which almost adds a Walter Wanderley charm to the set – and other players include the great Dennis Budimir on guitar, Bob West on bass, and Colin Bailey on drums. The track list is a mix of tracks by Jobim and Fischer – and titles include "Ornithardy", "One Note Samba", "Carnavel", "Pensativa", and "Quiet Nights".

One of the best of the Stan Getz bossa nova sessions – and a record that features the great Laurindo Almeida on guitar – playing with more virtuosity than either Charlie Byrd or Joao Gilberto did on their collaborations with Getz! The record's got a driving rhythm section, with lots of long tracks, and nice laid-back solos by both Getz and Almeida – who's getting in some of his few jazz licks of the 60s here, working in a groove similar to that of his earlier sides with Bud Shank, but which sounds almost even better in the languid company of Getz. Cuts include "Outra Vez", "Winter Moon", "Maracatu-Too", and "Samba Da Sahra". Very nice!

One of the most heavenly albums ever recorded – a sublime post-60s session by Joao Gilberto, one with even more fluid grace than his original bossa nova classics! The setting here is extremely spare – Joao on vocals and acoustic guitar, backed by only a slight bit of percussion – and recorded with an sound that's incredibly clear and incredibly precise – so that each gentle note, each slight rasp of the guitar comes through beautifully – as do Joao's breathily personal vocals! There's a sense of poise and presence here that Gilberto hardly matched again – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given how great most of his other records already are. The whole thing's tremendous – a true treasure, and easily one of the top classics in Brazilian music from the 70s. Titles include a landmark version of "Aguas De Marco", plus "Undiu", "Falsa Baiana", "Avarandado", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Izaura", "E Preciso Perdoar", "Valsa", and "Eu Vim Da Bahia".

Strange and wonderful work from one of our favorite Brazilian artists – and a set that's put together with all the best complications of Egberto Gismonti's early years! The record is one of Gismonti's last true works of genius – and it hearkens back to the sound and style used on some of his earlier EMI albums, with interweaving guitar, piano, strings, and odd assorted sounds, all coming together in an incredibly hard to describe melange – but one that's filled with emotion, soul, and rich imagination! A few tracks have a nice jazzy groove, and others have a darkly serious edge – and together, they take the whole thing way past the simpler sound of his later ECM recordings. Titles include "Ta Boa Santa?", "Palhaco", "Magico", "Karate", and "Equilibrista". Fantastic!

A beautiful set from the mighty Egberto Gismonti – as up-close and personal as you'd guess from the image on the cover! The set's a bit less wild than some of Egberto's 70s material, yet it's still a lot fuller and more jazz-based than any of his recordings for ECM too – lots of right Brazilian jazz lines, soaring out with complicated rhythms, and a really free, soulful spirit in the solos! Egberto plays a fair bit of acoustic piano, and a bit of keyboards as well – and the album also features saxes and flute from Mauro Senise, bass from Zeca Assumpcao, and drums and percussion from the enigmatic Nene. Titles include the great cut "Loro", with a tight snapping snare, throbbing electric bass, and hard reeds all the way through – plus "Don Quixote", "Passarinho", "Em Familia", and "Sanfona".

An amazing moment from the Brazilian music scene of the 70s – an album that's both extremely personal for each of the artists involved, yet also a wonderful collaboration between a host of up-and-coming talents! There's a relaxed, intimate feel to the whole thing that's mighty nice – almost an echo of the album's back cover photo, which shows the four key players posed inside a tiny water closet – and the overall approach is quite similar to the best Milton Nascimento/Minas Geraes work of the time – no surprise, as there's a fair bit of ties here to that scene too! Each of the four artists gets to sing lead at some point – stepping out on songs that are their own, yet which are also unified in sound, given shared musicians and spirit, too. Guests include Lo Borges, Nelson Angelo, Wagner Tiso, Tenorio Jr, and Nana Caymmi – who each leave their musical mark – and title sinclude "Caso Voce Queira Saber", "Belo Horror", "Manuel O Audaz", "Viva Eu", "Ponta Negra", and "Luiza".

An excellent concept for a bossa album from the 60s – a set that mixes together a bunch of different great guitarists – all with some light and lovely rhythm backings that really hit a groove! Jack Marshall put the set together – and in addition to his own guitar, the record features work from Howard Roberts, Bob Bain, Tommy Tedesco, Laurindo Almeida, and Rosinha De Valenca – all of whom would be plenty great on their own, but who really sound special here together on the set! Backings have a bit of that bounce you'd hear on some of Howard Roberts' albums for Capitol at the same time – and no surprise, Roberts is really the main soloist on the date. Titles include "Girl From Ipanema", "Manha De Carnival", "Meditacao", "Here Lies Love", "Ho-Ba-La-La", "Bim-Bom", "Desafinado", "Corcovado", "One Note Samba", "These Are The Ways Of Love", and "O Barquinho".

A nice one from Jorge! The record's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got a groove that's somewhere between "Taj Mahal" and "Africa Brasil". Jorge's guitar work is nice and tight, and his vocals are, as always, extremely captivating. The tracks are short, choppy, and soulful in a beautiful way. Titles include "Cuidado Com O Bulldog", "Zagueiro", "Para Ouvir No Radio (Luciana)", "Jorge De Capadocia", "Dumingaz", and "Jesualda".

Excellent 70s electric album by Joao Donato, with a funky samba groove that sets it apart from the earlier Quem E Quem, recorded around the same time. Joao handled all the arrangements, and played some nice electric keyboards – and the rest of the instrumentation includes flute, sax, and percussion, plus drums by Wilson Das Neves. Features the funky classic "Bananeira", plus "Patumbalacunde", "Lugar Comum", "Tudo Tem", and "Naturalmente".

Gal Costa runs through a set of Dorival Caymmi's classics, with a good set of 70's arrangements, and some excellent accompaniment by Joao Donato, Roberto Menescal, and Antonio Adolpho. Donato also did a number of the arrangements, and the tracks include "Sao Salvador", "Vatapa", "Nem Eu", "O Vento", and "Pescaria".

A sublime little set – quite possibly the greatest album ever from Brazilian keyboardist Manfredo Fest! Manfredo first cut his teeth on the bossa scene of the 60s – but by the time of this rare indie session, he'd moved up to the US – and was working with sweet keyboards to really electrify his groove! The record's a wonderful blend of 70s Brazilian fusion modes and just a dash of American soul – and in addition to Manfredo's wonderful work on Fender Rhodes, the set also has these brilliant vocals from Roberta Davis – a singer who works wordlessly, using her voice as an instrument in this really cool way – sliding along with the grooves, and making the album sound unlike anything else we can think of. The overall feel is a bit like Joao Donato's excellent Quem E Quem album – and titles include "Jungle Cat", "Facing East", "Who Needs It", and "Brazilian Dorian Dream".