Brazil — All Formats  

An album that bristles with soul and life from the very first note – one of a great run of 70s samba sets recorded by Xango Da Mangueira – all of them pretty darn great! This one's got all the right elements firmly in place – immediately catchy rhythms served up by simple percussion lines, slight instrumental touches on flute and guitar, and vocals from Xango that really hold our interest – far past the boundaries of language! Xango sings lead on all numbers, but often gets some help on the choruses – which really seems to further the joyous spirit of the music. Titles include "O Menina", "Brincadeira Tem Hora", "Piso Na Barra Da Saia", "Caviar De Pobre", "Carolina Meu Bem", "No Tempo Dos Mil Reis", and "Pau De Ibrauna".

A record that acts just like its title – as the set really helps focus the brilliance of Paulinho Da Viola into bright rays of color – showing different tones and feelings with each new tune on the set! By that, we don't mean that the album's schizophrenic – just that it's got a range that goes beyond the more familiar samba of Paulinho's roots – into territory that reaches right up there with the best of the MPB generation – and almost makes Paulinho into a genre unto himself! The arrangements have a nice sense of variety, but are never too commercial – and the samba roots are always firmly intact – on titles that include "Cisma", "Quem Sabe", "Mais Que A Lei Da Gravidade", "Cade A Razao", "Retiro", and "O Tempo Nao Apagou".

Nearly 3 albums' worth of music from the legendary Tamba Trio – one of the grooviest groups in the 60s bossa years in Brazil! The trio are quite unique – in that they not only play upbeat bossa rhythms, but also harmonize along with their grooves – in a soaringly sublime quality that really electrifies the tunes! Most of their lyrics are jazzy and somewhat scatted – kind of an added layer of music on top of the core jamming of piano, bass, and drums – and the production on these key 60s sides really helps their sound hit just the right level – a heavenly sound that's occasionally augmented by added percussion, flute, or guitar. The CD is one of the best introductions to their work we've ever seen – as it features material from the 60s albums Tempo, Tamba Trio, and Avanco, plus the rare Brasil Saluda A Mexico single – a whopping 26 tracks in all, with titles that include "Reza", "Tamba", "Batida Diferente", "Influencia Do Jazz", "Nos E O Mar", "O Amor Que Acabou", "Tristeza De Nos Dois", "Negro", "Rio", "Yansa", "Moto Continuo", "Barumba", "Danielle", "Pregao", "Boranda", "Consolacion", and "Morte De Um Deus De Sal".

One of Joao Gilberto's first-ever albums – filled with incredibly beautiful bossa material that captures the vocals and guitar of Gilberto at their fragile early best – backed by sublime arrangements from Antonio Carlos Jobim and Walter Wanderley! The setting is perfect, and the sound is amazing – that incredible stripped-down breathy quality that made Joao a legend right out of the box – which so many others tried to copy over the years, but never got this right. A beautiful relic from the past – with a lovely image of Joao's young face on the cover – and titles that include "O Barquinho", "O Amor Em Paz", "Voce e Eu", "Coisa Mas Linda", and "Presente De Natal". CD features bonus tracks by some of Gilberto's contemporaries – including "O Barquinho" by Maysa, "Coisa Mais Linda" by Carlos Lyra, "Manha De Carnaval" by Sylvia Telles, "Bim Bom" by Oscar Castro Neves, and "O Samba Da Minha Terra" by Lucio Alves.

A contemporary set, but one that's unlike any other recent Brazilian recording we can think of – given the very unique vibe that Mauricio Maestro is going for! You might know Mauricio from his mid 70s work with Joyce on Visions Of Dawn – and although this set is a recent recording, it has a same sort of classic feel overall. The sound here has deep rhythms and folksy touches – a warm acoustic mode, but topped with some slight electricity and larger arrangements – a bit like some of the more creative sounds in the Brazilian underground during the post-Tropicalia years – yet with a richness that takes it much farther too! Maestro handled the arrangements, and he brings in a jazz-tinged quality that's not unlike the Milton Nascimento generation – yet the overall approach is earthier too, and vocals are handled by Mauricio, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and Kay Lyra – swirled up with a bit of light string backings that really help the record soar to the skies! We'd rank this one right up there with classics from the 70s by Joyce or Edu Lobo – but we also recognize that it's very much it's own record too. Titles include "Jungle Bells", "Agua Clara", "Canto Do Paje", "Todos Os Santos", "Ciclo Da Vida", "Ouvindo Estrelas", "Upside Down", and "Horizonte".

A really rich new chapter in the music of Otto – an artist we've loved right from the start, but one who's blowing us away all over again with this sweet set! There's a fullness here we've never heard from Otto – not a sound that's slick, just an approach that's more thought out and fully-composed – with some classic elements on the backings that take us back to 60s sounds from Beatles to Motown at times – yet served up in ways that all still retain the freshness of Otto's earlier work. Other sounds are a bit more contemporary, yet still have this feeling of timelessness that really stands out – something we might never have said about Ottos' music before. The electronics are kept to a minimum, and tunes are straightforward and less abstract – in a way we never expected, and which shows Otto to really be a great songwriter after all these years. The set was done with heavy collaborations from producer Pupillo, who co-wrote most tracks – and also features assistance from Kassin and Catatau too. Titles include "The Moon 1111", "Dia Claro", "Ela Flava", "O Que Dira O Mundo", "DP", "Hideus", "Miss Apple E Ze Pilantra", and "Selvagens Olhos Nego".

Great work from Silverio Pessoa – an artist who's been working in the Brazilian indie scene for years, but whose music is easily right up there with some of the freshest bigger names too! If we had to pick a genre for Silverio's style, we'd probably pick rock – but like some of his best contemporaries, the idea of genre is a very tricky thing – as Pessoa slips around nicely between a range of different sounds – not just in the structure of his tunes, but in the way they're recorded – mixing up acoustic roots, contemporary phrasing, and some mighty fresh songwriting! Titles include "Rara Beleza", "O Povo Canta", "Baiao Desordeiro", "Rei Jose", "Toma", "Saia Azul", and "Ballet Dos Pirilampos".

Standout samba from Elza Soares – a cracker of an album from the mid 70s, and exactly the best sort of record to get you started appreciating her talents! Elza's got a great blend here – some of the soulful elements of her samba contemporaries, mixed with a bit of the fullness of Brazilian divas from years back – never as overblown as romantic pop, but filled with a great sense of feeling that really works nicely with the grooves! Instrumentation is tight, and right on the money – warmed up a bit by the production, which also deepens the soul – and titles included "Louvei Maria", "Partido Do Le Le Le", "Desabafo", "Bom Dia Portela", "Pranto Livre", "Nao E Hora De Tristeza", and "Giringonca". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "O Mundo Fantastico Do Uirapuru", "Salve A Mocidade", and "Festa Do Cirio De Nazare".

A warm and wonderful tribute to the late, great Elis Regina – a special live performance that features some of her best songs ever, performed by a host of artists – including key contemporaries of Regina, and some important younger singers influenced by her music! The musical setting is great – inflected with all the best jazzy elements to rival Regina's best modes from the 70s – tight, but never too commercial – and done in just the right way to remind us why these singers are so wonderful. Singers shift with each number, but the band stays the same – giving a nice unity to the album – and titles include "Cai Dentro" by Seu Jorge, "Nada Sera Como Antes" by Moska, "Upa Neguinho/Arrastao" by Jair Rodrigues, "Tatuagem" by Filipe Catto, "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" by Emilio Santiago, "Madalena" by Jair Oliveira, "Atras Da Porta" by Lenine, and "O Bebado E A Equilibrista" by Pedro Mariano.

A warm and wonderful tribute to the late, great Elis Regina – a special live performance that features some of her best songs ever, performed by a host of artists – including key contemporaries of Regina, and some important younger singers influenced by her music! The musical setting is great – inflected with all the best jazzy elements to rival Regina's best modes from the 70s – tight, but never too commercial – and done in just the right way to remind us why these singers are so wonderful. Singers shift with each number, but the band stays the same – giving a nice unity to the album – and titles include "Cai Dentro" by Seu Jorge, "Nada Sera Como Antes" by Moska, "Upa Neguinho/Arrastao" by Jair Rodrigues, "Tatuagem" by Filipe Catto, "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" by Emilio Santiago, "Madalena" by Jair Oliveira, "Atras Da Porta" by Lenine, and "O Bebado E A Equilibrista" by Pedro Mariano. DVD features two more tracks than the CD – including a version of "Redescobrir", sung by all the artists together!

A hip Afro Funk combo from Brazil – and one who burn just as strongly as some of the other best groups on the global scene! The percussion here is especially great – super-tight, and wrapped up with these infectious basslines that already hook us in before the horns, guitar, and keyboards get going – a rhythmic intensity that really makes the whole album sparkle! Production is mighty nice too – never too clean or contemporary, yet also not going for a funk band style either – just right in the middle, in a way that sounds tremendous. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Eru", "Malunguinho", "Obatala", "Emi Yaba", and "Afrodisiaco".

A HUGE batch of samba-soul grooves from Seu Jorge! Jorge previously knocked around Brazil as a member of the late 90s pop group Farofa Carioca, but his first solo outing is a massive step forward into the upper echelon of the Brazilian scene! Like the best of his contemporaries, Jorge uses the rich history of samba and bossa as a springboard – but it's the pronounced contemporary qualities, such as production and mix work by Beastie Boy producer Mario Caldato – that push Carolina way over the top and make it much more than a genre exercise! The title track echoes the earlier work of Jorge Ben, who actually pens the reggae-inflected tune "Em Nagoya Eu Vi Eriko", and the tracks "Mangueira" and "O Samba Tai" have the classic samba groove and crisp background vocals that would sound right in place on Tom Ze's Se O Caso E Chorar. "Hagua" has a deep reggae thump, and nearly everything here has kind of a 70s soul feel thanks to some bright, almost Kool & The Gang-like horn arrangements! The group includes Azymuth drummer Mamao, Paulinho Black on bass, Banda Black Rio's William Magalhaes on keyboards, and Josimar Monteiro on violin. Another great new solo artist from Brazil, and one that we expect amazing things from in the years to come!

A one of a kind record that still sparkles as brightly today as it did back in the late 60s – an amazing collaboration between Brazilian vocalist Elis Regina and Scandinavian jazzman Toots Thielemans – done in a style that easily makes it one of the best records ever from both artists! Elis is at the height of her jazzy late 60s powers here – working in a soaring, breezy sort of style – but one with a lot more depth and soul than some of her contemporaries. She brings a great deal of feeling to the tunes, but always without doing too much – and this leaves plenty of space for Toots to add his touches – on harmonica, guitar, and even a bit of whistling – which really sits in nicely with the grooves. The production and overall sound is sublime – one of those never matched again sort of studio dates – and titles include great versions of "Canto De Ossanha", "Wave", "Voce", "Wilsamba", "Five For Elis", "Volta", and "O Sonho".

A great look at an under-acknowledged period of the career of Eumir Deodato – his mid 70s sides for MCA, recorded right after his better-known records for CTI! The vibe here is quite similar to the jazzy funk that Deodato laid down in the earlier part of the decade – a bit fuller at times, thanks to some added instrumentation, but still filled with amazing work on Fender Rhodes throughout – sweetly soaring keys that come off better than most of Deodato's contemporaries on the fusion scene. The set list here is totally great – and features most of the best tracks from Deodato's four albums for MCA – all distilled down into one great 14 track collection that's filled with wonderful keyboard grooves. Titles include "Amani", "Do It Again", "Moonlight Serenade", "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "Juanita", "Funk Yourself", "Adam's Hotel", "Black Widow", and "Super Strut".

Beautiful samba sides from Jackson Do Pandeiro – a selection of tunes recorded right at the end of the 50s, and filled with uptempo grooves throughout! The rhythms are lively, the instrumentation has a nice rough-edged feel, and Jackson's vocals come across with this raspy edge that almost marks him as a precursor of some of the more soul-based samba stars to come from Brazil in later years. Many numbers have larger horns and chorus vocals, yet still retain a very spontaneous feel – and the CD features 28 titles that include "Lagrima", "De Arare", "Chiclete Com Banana", "Forro Do Surubim", "Boa Noite", "Tum Tum Tum", "Quadro Negro", "Linda", "Cantiga Do Sapo", and "Naquela Base".