Brazil — All Formats  

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". This is the Verve master edition with 20-bit remastering, bonus track, new liner notes, photographs, cover art & more.

A pair of bossa classics – back to back on a single CD! The first Jazz Samba set is one of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". Jazz Samba Encore is hardly an "encore" of the first Stan Getz Jazz Samba album – as this set's got a slightly different feel, and lots of great elements that make it really unique! This time around, Brazilian musician Luiz Bonfa is on guitar – already a skilled proponent of the bossa by the time of the record, and arguably one of the few who really got it going back home in Rio. Stan's tenor sounds wonderful – as carefully and soufully blown as on the first set, but also with some new colors and tones too. Bonfa's wife Maria Toledo sings a bit on the record – hinting at Stan's work to come with Astrud Gilberto (this album was cut right before the Getz/Gilberto collaboration) – and the record also features added work on piano and guitar from the great Antonio Carlos Jobim – more than enough proof that the album's got a pure bossa pedigree! Titles include "Menina Flor", "Ebony Samba", "Saudade Vem Correndo", "Sambalero", "Samba De Duas Notas", and "Mania De Maria".

The historic meeting of Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist Joao Gilberto, with the surprisingly popular inclusion of Joao's then-wife Astrud. The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English! Includes the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". Getz is impeccable, as he is on most of his bossa recordings, and Joao gives some of the best performances of his career.

A very different record than the first collaboration between Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – but that's also one of the things that makes it great! The album's more of a split LP than a shared one – as side one features a live performance from the great mid 60s Stan Getz quartet that featured Gary Burton on vibes – a wonderfully cool combo that was very under-documented on record, and which makes a key appearance here. The combination of Burton's vibes and Stan's tenor is pure genius – a sound that's got all the subtle hues and cool colors of the Getz bossa recordings, but which is quite different overall. Stan's tone is amazing on these tunes – and titles include "Here's That Rainy Day", "Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face", "Grandfather's Waltz", and "Stan's Blues". Side two features Joao Gilberto without Stan – playing in a very groovy trio that's more straight bossa than most of his other US recordings – cool small combo grooving that's totally great! The lineup features Gilberto on guitar and vocals, Keeter Betts on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sweetly grooving mode on titles that include "Samba De Minha Terra", "Meditation", "Bim Bom", "Rosa Moreno", and "O Pato". CD also features 5 bonus tracks with vocals from Astrud Gilberto – "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Only Trust Your Heart", "Corcovado", "Garota De Ipanema", and "Eu E Voce" – all from the Getz Au Go Go album.

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!

Wonderful work from Portuguese singer Maria Joao – a vocalist who's worked mostly in Europe, but who's also made some great contributions to the world of Brazilian music over the years! The backings here are more adventurous than some of Joao's straighter jazz sessions – with large orchestrations by Mario Laginha, performed by the NDR Radio Philharmonic – often with a mix of modern tones alongside the warmer elements we always expect from Maria's music. The blend is sublime – and Joao's voice is even more pretty and fragile than we remember it – and it floats over the top of these arrangements in a beautiful way. Titles include a nice remake of "Asa Branca", plus Edu Lobo's "Beatriz", and the originals "Filhotes", "Viarias Dancas", "Chao", and "Uma Casa Com Gente".

A killer set of grooves recorded live by this legendary Brazilian guitarist – and a record of his that we've always sold extremely well over the years! The setting is a stripped down stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival – where Sete grooves in an open-ended fashion with only bass and drums behind him. The best track on here is "Soul Samba", a nice little groover with good drumming by Paulinho (Magalhaes) – and the LP also features an extended medley of tracks from Black Orpheus, plus an original called "Flamenco". Nice and jazzy, with a good tight bossa groove.

One of our favorite albums ever from Walter Wanderley – a set that's much more complicated than his earlier trio records for Verve – and which really expands the sound with a host of added elements! Wanderley's core organ bossa groove is amplified wonderfully here with the addition of guitar, vibes, horns, and other elements – all of which help to change the rhythms and move the groove way past just simple stock bossa. Walter plays a bit of electric piano too – hinting at work on later albums – and other players include Jerome Richardson on flute, Bobby Rosengarden on vibes, John Pizzarelli on guitar, and even a bit of vocals from Marge Dodson. There's a wonderful variety of tunes on the set – including Joao Donato's "Amazonas", Baden Powell's "Canto De Ossanha", and Bob Crewe's "Music To Watch Girls By" – plus other gems like "Sensuous", "Sambao", "Arrinho Atoa", "Kee Ka Roo", and "The Bobo".

An album that not only broke the bossa big in the US – but a set that also really helped transform the sound of the organ in jazz! Not only is the record a key meeting of bossa rhythms and jazz organ – transplanted hugely to the US after a big initial Wanderley run in 60s Brazil – but the set also features some of the cleanest organ lines to ever hit these shores – a big difference from the heavier flutter that some of the US organists were using a few years before, and a sharp shift towards cleaner keyboard sounds for the rest of the decade. Instrumentation's nice and spare – mostly bass and percussion, plus a bi tof flute and guitar – and titles include the massive hit "Summer Samba", plus "Rain", "Beach Samba", "Song Of The Jet", "Cried, Cried", and "Girl From Ipanema".

Fantastic! Normally this sort of "big pop star-meets-big pop star" album is nothing to write home about – but this killer double-length set by Gilberto Gil and Jorge Ben features both artists at the top of their form, playing in stripped-down styles that sum up their best work of the 70s. A highlight of the set is a 14 minute reading of Ben's famous "Taj Mahal" track, done in a sparer studio setting than the original, with a haunting groove, and great vocals by both singers. Other tracks include "Sarro", "Quem Mandou", "Nega", and "Meu Glorioso Sao Cristvao". Great stuff, and very long, too!

One of Astrud Gilberto's greatest albums of the 60s – a classic session produced for Verve by Creed Taylor, and featuring sweet gentle arrangements from Marty Paich, co-arranged with Antonio Carlos Jobim, who also plays guitar on the session next to the piano of Joao Donato! That's a mouthful of heavy-hitters, we know – but the result is a totally great session that has Astrud's light and gentle vocals drifting over some of the most magical bossa backings you'll ever hear. The whole thing's great, stuffed with bossa classics done in English – and titles include "Once I Loved", "Aqua De Beber", "O Morro", "Dindi", "Dreamer", and "Photograph".

One of Astrud Gilberto's greatest albums of the 60s – a classic session produced for Verve by Creed Taylor, and featuring sweet gentle arrangements from Marty Paich, co-arranged with Antonio Carlos Jobim, who also plays guitar on the session next to the piano of Joao Donato! That's a mouthful of heavy-hitters, we know – but the result is a totally great session that has Astrud's light and gentle vocals drifting over some of the most magical bossa backings you'll ever hear. The whole thing's great, stuffed with bossa classics done in English – and titles include "Once I Loved", "Aqua De Beber", "O Morro", "Dindi", "Dreamer", and "Photograph".

A rare 80s set from Astrud Gilberto – cut at a time when she was hardly doing any new recording at all! As you'll guess from the title, the album has Gilberto teaming up with German groovemaker James Last – who handles all the orchestrations for the record, and shows a surprising sensitivity towards Astrud's bossa styles in his music. Last can sometimes be a bit over the top, but he's quite subtle here – leaving lots of room for Gilberto's sweetly sensitive vocals, and the music of her core combo, which features Romero Lubambo on guitar and Dudu Da Fonseca on percussion. Paulo Jobim guests on vocals and guitar on a few tracks – and titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Champagne & Caviar", "Samba Do Soho", and "Saci".

One of Astrud Gilberto's greatest albums – and quite possibly our personal favorite! The record features beautifully understated arrangements by Joao Donato, Don Sebesky, and Claus Ogerman – and the instrumentation is a haunting mix of bossa rhythms with darker orchestrations that bring out an emotional side of Astrud that you don't always get on other LPs. The track list is excellent, and includes some of her best tracks for Verve, like "Non Stop To Brazil", "Fly Me To The Moon", "O Ganso", and "Aruanda". Not to be passed up, and one that we never tire of listening to!

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".

Charlie Byrd gets some top-shelf treatment here – in a wonderful album of tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, all recorded with full backing arrangements, and sound quality that's a lot better than some of Byrd's previous albums! The setting has Charlie's acoustic guitar right up front in the mix – mic'ed so close you can really hear his work on the strings – while light brass, woodwind, and string backings dance nicely, and more quietly, behind him. There's a very Verve-like approach to the whole record – obviously a market that Columbia were trying to reach with this one – and the album's easily one of Charlie's strongest for the label from the 60s. Arrangements are both by Byrd and Tom Newsom – and titles include "Dindi", "Jazz N Samba", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado", "Amor E Paz", "Samba Do Aviao" and "Amor E Paz".

Killer work by Astrud Gilberto – very different than her Verve sides of the 60s! The album was produced by Astrud, arranged by Deodato – and has that wonderful warm full jazz feel of her classic album on CTI, but also a bit more like some of the funky work of Jorge Ben at the time – choppy at the bottom, with a sound that's a bit samba, and a bit funky at times. Mike Longo and Deodato play keyboards on the session, giving it an electric groove that works perfectly with Astrud's soaring vocals – and the whole album really holds together wonderfully! There's a nice bit of funk on the cut "Take it Easy My Brother Charlie" – and other tracks include "Zigy Zigy Za", "Baiao", "Gingele", "Bridges", and "Where Have You Been?".

A lost bossa classic from Wanda De Sah – aka Wanda Sa, the wife of Edu Lobo, and a singer who worked with Sergio Mendes in his pre-Brasil 66 days! The album's got a wonderfully laidback feel – languid, yet jazzy, with the feel of some of Astrud Gilberto's best work on Verve, yet with vocals that are possibly better – thanks to Wanda's pedigree in Brazilian pop. Recordings were done in California, not Rio – and arrangements are handled by the great Jack Marshall – who's got a strong ear for keeping things interesting with a mix of strings, Latin rhythms, and Capitol pop shadings. Titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Ho Ba La La", "Sweet Happy Life", "The Dreamer", and a great version of "Aruanda".

An incredible album by the Tamba 4 – one of 2 albums the Brazilian bossa combo did in the US for A&M Records, during the brief time when they were expanded to a quartet from the original Tamba Trio lineup! The set is completely sublime – a wonderful mix of the group's trademark harmony vocals and crackling bossa rhythms, with the warmly flowing CTI production style of the time – not funky like the CTI sound of the 70s, but a bit more sophisticated than the style Creed Taylor had been using earlier at Verve. Tracks are short, breezy, and often very lively – bossa grooving warmed in the California sun – and titles include "Samba Blim", "Watch What Happens", "Pregao", "San Salvador", "Know It All", and "Palladium".

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by keyboardist Walter Wanderley – but a set that shows his sweet bossa talents already in full swing! The groove here is light an airy – recorded with a similar sense of space as his better-known sides for Verve, but done with a feel that's a bit less polished overall – one that has some rootsier samba percussion at the bottom of most tunes, dancing underneath sweetly gliding melodies on organ and electric guitar! A few tunes have a bit of chorus vocals, which only serve to warm up the sound even more – and titles include "Palhacada", "Boato", "Nao Sabemos", "Agua De Beber", "O Samba Brasileiro", and "Murmurio".

Bossa Nova singers from both sides of the equator – in a groovy collection of work recorded both in Brazil and the US! The set's a wonderfully done exploration of the true range of bossa talents in the 60s – and it features both stars from the Brazilian scene, plus other artists who managed to cross over to US audiences, and got a chance to record for labels like Verve and A&M – all presented without cliche, and without too many over-heard bossa standards – a really fresh set overall, and very much up to the high level we expect from the Jazzclub series! Titles include "Oba La La" by Jorge Ben, "Berimbau" by Nara Leao, "Mas Que Nada" by Luiz Henrique, "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" by Elis Regina, "Fim De Noite" by Chico Feitosa, "Samba Da Pergunta" by Marcia, "Agua De Beber" by Quarteto Em Cy & Tamba Trio, "O Barquinho" by Lucio Alves, "Bim Bom" by Astrud Gilberto, "Bloco Do Eu Sozinho" by Joyce, "Reza" by Elis Regina & Tamba Trio, "The Face I Love" by Marcos Valle, and "Voce" by Dick Farney & Norma Bengell.

A lost bossa classic from Wanda De Sah – aka Wanda Sa, the wife of Edu Lobo, and a singer who worked with Sergio Mendes in his pre-Brasil 66 days! The album's got a wonderfully laidback feel – languid, yet jazzy, with the feel of some of Astrud Gilberto's best work on Verve, yet with vocals that are possibly better – thanks to Wanda's pedigree in Brazilian pop. Recordings were done in California, not Rio – and arrangements are handled by the great Jack Marshall – who's got a strong ear for keeping things interesting with a mix of strings, Latin rhythms, and Capitol pop shadings. Titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Ho Ba La La", "Sweet Happy Life", "The Dreamer", and a great version of "Aruanda".

One of the grooviest Verve albums of all time – a rare American session from Brazilian legend Marcos Valle – and his only US album to feature vocals! The album's even dreamier than Valle's early bossa sides from Brazil – and the setting has some nice Verve-like touches from Deodato – who handled the arrangements, and brings a nicely airy, nicely jazzy style to the record. Most tunes are sung as duets with his lovely wife Anamaria – made famous by the album's landmark groover "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" – an English-language version of Valle's earlier "Os Grilos". Other titles are all great too – and sport English lyrics that hardly ever got much exposure. In addition to the great "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", other titles include "The Face I Love", "She Told Me She Told Me", "Pepino Beach", "Chup Chup I Got Away", and "Batucada".

One of our favorite Walter Wanderley albums ever – and a record that moves past the more familiar bossa trio style used on his hits for Verve, into groovier new territory with added players who include Dom Um Romao on drums and Marcos Valle on guitar! And not only is the lineup expanded, but the styles are too – as Wanderley moves away from the straighter bossa and samba jazz of his roots, into the world of more unusual, more complicated rhythms that were showing up in the Brazilian scene at the end of the 60s. Marcos Valle's contribution is felt strongly here – as the album includes a fantastic instrumental take on his classic "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" (aka "Os Grilos") – plus other Valle compositions that include "Ainda Mais Lindo", "Batucada", and "E Preciso Cantar". Other tracks include "Wave", "So What's New", and "O Barquinho".

Remixed cuts from Sergio Mendes' Bom Tempo album – a record that's already pretty strongly pointed at the dancefloor, making it a perfect fit for a project like this! Many of the tracks here are very heavily remixed – using only key hooks and vocal elements from the originals, much in the style of the Verve Remixed series – although a few of our favorite mixes here keep more of the core flavor intact, or even bring something new and rich to the table. Perhaps the best cut in this way, is the great Nicola Conte Zona Sul Version of "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" – which is a warm bossa number that could almost come from Conte's own Schema Records. The set also features some remixes of cuts that weren't even on the original Bom Tempo record – and tracks include "Pais Tropical (Roger Sanchez release yourself mix)", "Magalenha (Moto Bianco rmx)", "Orpheus (Funk Generation mix)", "Ye Me Le (Chuckle rmx)", "Maracatu Atomico (Paul Oakenfold club mix)", "You & I (Cutmore rmx)", "Mas Que Nada (Nervo rmx)", and "The Real Thing (Bimbo Jones rmx)".

One of Nascimento's strongest from the time – thanks largely to some guest work by Wayne Shorter, who's returning the favor, after Nascimento appeared on some of his best albums of the mid 70s. The sound is a driving update of Milton's sound of the late 70s – and titles include "Lagrima Do Sul", "Maria Maria", "A Barca Dos Amantes", "Tarde", "Pensamento", and "Nuvem Cigana".

A rare bit of early bossa jazz from the US – an obscure 1959 session by Charlie Byrd, and one that predates most of his more famous work on Riverside, Columbia, and Verve! The session's a bit different than most of Charlie's lighter bossa recordings – in that it features his acoustic guitar work over bigger band backings from Woody Herman – done in modes that borrow a sense of sound and space from bossa nova, but which also share plenty of modern jazz touches as well. Arrangers for the record are Sid Feller and Ralph Burns – the latter of whom does a tremendous job with his 4-part "Summer Sequence" – a tone-based Kenton-esque suite that's a real standout part of the record, even if it's not as bossa-styled as some of the other work. Other tunes are all originals by Charlie – and include "Bamba Samba", "Love Song Ballad", "Prelude A Cha Cha", and "Original #2".

A bossa-styled set from singer Pat Thomas – one that boasts some especially nice backings from the great Lalo Schifrin! Lalo's using a fair bit of strings on the set, but he also keeps things lean too – a bit in the mode of his own bossa work for Verve during the time, although with Pat's vocals in the lead this time around! Thomas has a strong undercurrent of soul in her work – a much deeper vocal approach than you might hear from a more familiar bossa singer of the period, which is one of the things that really sets this album apart. Schifrin really seems to get this quality of Pat's, and he brings in a good sense of timing in rhythms to present Thomas at her best. Titles include "Recardo Bossa Nova", "Carnival", "To Welcome The Day", "Could Be", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Once Again".

Amazing work from a key force in jazz organ – not Jimmy Smith, not Jack McDuff, but Brazilian musician Walter Wanderley! Not long after American artists first started hitting the Hammond for groovy sounds in the 50s, Wanderley picked up the instrument down in Brazil – and fused a jazz organ approach with lots of lively samba rhythms – to created a style that went onto become the stuff of legend, thanks to later crossover classics on Verve! The sounds here are those from Walter's roots – four albums recorded for EMI/Odeon at the start of the 60s – most of which we've never even seen in the original – which makes this reissue package even more essential! Many tracks were recorded in the early bossa nova years, and there's definitely a bossa jazz vibe to most numbers here – especially given the tight percussion, and Wanderley's great way with an easygoing groove. 4CD package features rare albums Eu Voce E Walter Wanderley (1959), Feito Sob Medida (1959), Successos Dancantes Em Ritmo De Romance (1960), and Sucesso E Samba (1960) – all totally great all the way through, with original cover art too! (Note that there are some offbeat sound passages – mostly flaws in the original tapes that create occasional distortion at short points – which haven't been corrected by the remastering. But the set is fully licensed and legitimate.)

Early EMI/Odeon stunners from organ genius Walter Wanderley – all of them stunners from his better-known years at Verve! Even at this early date, Wanderley had an amazing way around the keyboard – a sweet jazzy groove that was perfect for the bossa rhythms that helped him get his start – and a great ear for a lean sound on the keys of the Hammond – a much cleaner approach that was being used by American jazzmen at the time – and which undoubtedly went on to influence their style once Wanderley's music started making it up to the US! Most titles here are groovers, but even the mellower moments are great too – with loads of excellent guitar and organ interplay – but in ways that are quite different from a Hammond combo up in the north at the time. The 4CD set features rare albums O Samba E Samba (1961), O Samba E Mais Samba (1962), Walter Wanderley E O Bolero (1962), and Samba No Esquema De Walter Wanderley (1963) – all beautifully remastered, with great sound and original cover art too! (Note that there are some offbeat sound passages – mostly flaws in the original tapes that create occasional distortion at short points – which haven't been corrected by the remastering. But the set is fully licensed and legitimate.)

Charlie Byrd gets some top-shelf treatment here – in a wonderful album of tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, all recorded with full backing arrangements, and sound quality that's a lot better than some of Byrd's previous albums! The setting has Charlie's acoustic guitar right up front in the mix – mic'ed so close you can really hear his work on the strings – while light brass, woodwind, and string backings dance nicely, and more quietly, behind him. There's a very Verve-like approach to the whole record – obviously a market that Columbia were trying to reach with this one – and the album's easily one of Charlie's strongest for the label from the 60s. Arrangements are both by Byrd and Tom Newsom – and titles include "Dindi", "Jazz N Samba", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado", "Amor E Paz", "Samba Do Aviao" and "Amor E Paz". CD also features a previously unreleased alternate take of "Engano"