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Two post-CTI gems from Deodato – back to back on a single CD! Whirlwinds is sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! Artistry is a live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin".

Early bossa magic from Deodato – cut years before his electric fusion albums in the 70s! This little gem shows Deodato to be quite the arranger – working in a small combo mode that mixes percussion, guitars, and horns with his own sweet piano and organ licks – grooving in a gentler, sparer sort of way than on his albums with the Os Catedraticos ensemble – and going for a really warm and wonderful sound! The album's got a feel that's different than a lot of other bossa albums from the time – at one level, a bit more sophisticated on the rhythms, but at another level, done with a style that's cleaner and more down to earth than the larger backings on other Brazilian sides. Tracks include "Samblues", "Nuvens", "Encanto Triste", "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce", and "Deus Brasileiro".

The legendary meeting of the two biggest Brazilian keyboard talents of the 70s – Joao Donato and Eumir Deodato – coming together in beautifully funky formation! The sound is a great blend of the moody electric work of Donato's classic Quem E Quem album, and some of the fuller, funkier grooves on Deodato's work for CTI – served up here in a double-keyboard blend with help from a host of great guest musicians! Other players include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Romeo Penque on flute, Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica, and Michael Gibson on guitar – plus plenty of percussion from Airto and Ray Barretto, who both join in to round out this all star session. Tracks are nicely long, and very jamming at times – and titles include the funky "Whistle Stop", plus "Where's JD", "Capricorn", "Nightripper", and "Batuque".

A live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin".

Funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". Plus, this CD reissue features 3 bonus tracks – "Venus", "Do It Again", and "Latin Flute"!

Funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin".

Key proof that Deodato kept on making great records after leaving CTI Records – and in a way, the kind of set that allowed him a bit more freedom to grow than some of his contemporaries! The vibe here is a bit tighter than before, but in a way that makes many numbers even funkier – played by small combos on all tunes, with players that include Hubert Laws, Steve Gadd, John Tropea, and other early 70s fusion heavyweights – all jamming with Deodato's great work on electric piano and clavinet! There's a great variety of material here, but as usual with D, even familiar tunes get really transformed – in this case into soulful fusion numbers with a sound that we never would have expected! Titles include "Caravan", "Funk Yourself", "Crabwalk", "First Cuckoo", and versions of Marcos Valle's "Adam's Hotel" and Led Zep's "Black Dog"!

A side from Deodato's soul-based years with a nice little R&B-inspired groove! Happy Hour was done at a time when Deodato was really getting into a lot of modern soul production and arranging work with other groups – and here, he tries his hand wonderfully at the style himself – transforming his 70s jazz funk groove into a tightly snapping 80s soul approach! Most tracks on the set feature vocals – by singers who include Kelly Barretto, Eban Kelly, and Candi Staton – but the instrumentation behind them is still plenty jazzy too, thanks to some nice work by Deodato on Fender Rhodes, mini moog, Arp, and other keyboards. Titles include "I Never Get Enough", "Keep On Movin", "Happy Hour", "Just This One Night", "Tears Of A Clown", "Sweet Magic", and "Keep It In The Family".

A million-seller, but also a record that no home should be without – and easily one of THE greatest keyboard albums of the 70s! The album's the one that features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole".

An excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as slick and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and all tracks are long and complicated. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana" and "Branches".

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".

Great keyboard funk from Deodato – one of his excellent mid 70s sessions for MCA, all of which are sometimes eclipsed by his CTI work, but still equally groovy! As with most of the other MCA records, the songs here are shorter than before – but in a way that allows for even more punch in the groove – especially on the bottom end of the tracks, which hit hard in a space that's somewhere between 70s soundtrack funk and more conventional fusion. The style's not nearly as slick as some of D's contemporaries were going at the time – and there's a nice range of material here that really makes for a complex vibe! Titles include "Theme From Star Trek", "Peter Gunn", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Black Widow", "Amani", "Juanita", and "Univac Loves You".

A million-seller, but also a record that no home should be without – and easily one of THE greatest keyboard albums of the 70s! The album's the one that features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". This CTI Records 40th Anniversary edition was remastered using the original analog tapes.

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

A much-needed look at one of our favorite instruments ever – the irreplaceable Fender Rhodes keyboard! The Rhodes has a sound that's unlike anything else – and has become a favorite of musicians over decades of use – as you'll hear in the film's interviews with Deodato, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Patrice Rushen, Ramsey Lewis, Dave Grusin, Rodney Franklin, Joe Sample, Jerry Peters, Les McCann, Maurice White, Ronnie Foster, D'Angelo, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and other jazz and soul legends – an incredibly large roster for a project like this! The film was partially put together by Gerald McCauley – a keyboardist himself – and it shows a love and respect of the Rhodes that really comes through. Almost 2 hours long, in color, with a special "Rhodes Scholars" feature.

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz, which helps to transform some of the album's very surprising song choices – and a depth and sensitivity that goes way past the usual female soul modes of the time. Donny Hathaway handled half the arrangements for the record – a perfect choice for Flack – and Deodato handles the other, with some large arrangements that still have just the right sort of gentleness to go with her voice. Titles include a version of "Reverend Lee", penned by Eugene Daniels – and the great "Gone Away", written by Curtis Mayfield, Leroy Hutson, and Hathaway – plus the tracks "Just Like A Woman", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Business Goes On As Usual", and "Until It's Time For You To Go".

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz, which helps to transform some of the album's very surprising song choices – and a depth and sensitivity that goes way past the usual female soul modes of the time. Donny Hathaway handled half the arrangements for the record – a perfect choice for Flack – and Deodato handles the other, with some large arrangements that still have just the right sort of gentleness to go with her voice. Titles include a version of "Reverend Lee", penned by Eugene Daniels – and the great "Gone Away", written by Curtis Mayfield, Leroy Hutson, and Hathaway – plus the tracks "Just Like A Woman", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Business Goes On As Usual", and "Until It's Time For You To Go".

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?".

An expanded version of this classic – with 5 more bonus tracks, 4 of which were arranged by Ennio Morricone! The core album is incredible 70s work from the lovely Astrud Gilberto – a rare effort for the CTI label that has her teaming up with arranger Eumir Deodato and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine – all in a groove that's totally different than most of her earlier work! Astrud's breathy vocals are still wonderfully intact – but they're given a more spacious approach in the arrangements – strings mixes with rolling basslines, soaring keyboards, and stone cold tenor from Stanley – in a groove that's simply wonderful, and which takes off in a whole new direction than before! Other players include Airto, Sivuca, Hubert Laws, and Dom Um Romao – and tracks include classic versions of "Ponteio", "Vera Cruz", and "Zazueira" that are all some of the most grooving takes on the tunes ever – plus "Historia De Amor", "Where There's A Heartache", "Brazilian Tapestry", and "Wanting Things". Bonus tracks include "If Not For You", "Acercendome A Ti", "Argomenti", "En Tu Piel", and "Un Donna Che Ti Ama".

Classic work from Gwen Guthrie – a tight batch of keyboard-heavy cuts that sparkles with a strong 80s groove! Deodato's at the helm on production, and he clearly helps direct the sound of the set – giving it some of the sharpness and focus of his other 80s soul productions – and a heavy dose of keyboards that gets back to his own work in the 70s. Gwen's vocals are still the main attraction here, though, and they sound especially great on some of the mellower-thumping tunes with a midtempo groove! Titles include "I Gotta Have You", "Love In Moderation", "Just For You", "Thrill Me", "Feel It No More", "Oh Donny No", and "Put Love In Control".

A rare groover from the team of Ray Brown and Quincy Jones – a smoking little set that completely revises the music for The Adventurers! The original score for the film featured tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, played by Deodato – a great combination at the time, but completely different than the heavy funk laid out here by Ray and Quincy! The pair really cook things up strongly here – hitting some of the best funky vibes you'd hear on Quincy Jones scores from the late 60s and early 70s – or some of Ray Brown's funkiest jazz sessions of the time. Brown leads the band, and the set's produced by Quincy – who also arranged some tracks – with help from JJ Johnson, Tom Scott, and Jimmy Jones too. Titles include "Fat Cat Strut", "Polo Pony", "El Lobo's Marc", "Wishful Thinking", "Love Theme From The Adventurers", and "Go Down Dying".

A great later album from the Juicy duo – very much in the tightly grooving mode of their debut, thanks to continued production work by Deodato! The style's smooth, focused, and sharp-edged – but all without sounding too chart-oriented or clunky – and although the beats are electric, and supported with plenty of keyboards, there's a nice sense of warmth to the record overall – a key hallmark of Deodato's sensitivity in the studio. All tracks are originals by the Juicy team of Jerry and Katreese Barnes, and guests on the record include Chaka Khan and Bernard Wright. Titles include "Make You Mine", "All Work No Play", "Show & Tell", "After Loving You", "Private Party", "Serious", and "Midnight Love". CD features bonus tracks – "All Work No Play (all work mix)", "All Work No Play (all play mix)", and "All Work No Play (going left)".

Tight 80s soul from Kleeer – one of the group's standout classics, and a set that's produced with kind of a jazzy finish by Deodato, who also plays some nice keyboards on the record! The Kleeer sound is at its height here – tight, warm, and filled with great harmonies on the vocals – which are then underpinned by a lot of keyboards and bass pedal work, yet in a way that never overwhelms the vocals. The balance is beautiful – at a level that few other groups ever seemed to reach – and there's plenty of hooks that keep things catchy throughout. Titles include "Go For It", "Intimate Connections", "Next Time It's For Real", "Tonight", "Do You Want To", and "Break".

A huge crossover hit for the group – but a pretty tasty dancefloor single as well! Deodato's producing track here – and it's got a nicely compressed sound that pops along the bassline and catchy hook wonderfully!

Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight".

A funky later classic from Kool & The Gang – not as hard and heavy as their early work, but still plenty darn great! And while "Ladies Night" is a well-known hit, there's always great bits on the track that we always fall in love with again – like the tightly compressed horns, and the slightly spacey keys! Produced by Deodato too!

A smashing 2CD set – one that features two very compelling albums from the lovely Maysa! First up is a self-titled album from 1964 – one of Maysa's first efforts ever, and done in the sweet style of the legendary Elenco label! The set's a live one, and features light bossa arrangements by Eumir Deodato – played by a combo that includes Deodato himself on organ and piano, plus vibes by the engimatic Ugo! Maysa's vocal tone still has some of the drama of later years, but the bossa arrangements really give the whole thing a lighter, livelier feel – one that we really love! Titles include "Demais", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Dindi", "Bouquet De Izabel", "Fim De Noite", and "Bom De Tristeza". Ando So Numa Multidao De Amores is a great one from 1970 – a record that features some great arrangements by Luiz Eca and Roberto Menescal, both of whom give the album a gentle glide that offsets the emotive quality of Maysa's vocals nicely. Titles include "Que Eu Canse E Descanse", "As Praias Desertas", "Quando Chegares", "Bonita", "Suas Maos", "Eu", "Assim Na Terra Como No Ceu", "Molambo", and "Yo Sin Ti". Plus, the CD also features a number of bonus tracks too – including "Historia De Amor", "Homem De Bem", "Depois De Tanto Tempo", "Tema De Simone", and "Nosso Caminho".

A groundbreaking piano trio from the end of the 60s – headed up by Brazilian jazz legend Gilson Peranzetta! Gilson's work has graced countless recent bossa revival sessions, as well as important 70s MPB albums – but this set was recorded back in 1969, when Peranzetta was a pianist trying to break out of the bossa stereotypes of the 60s generation. In doing so, he still used lots of the older trappings of bossa combo albums – sweet rhythms, gentle grooves, and lots of space for keyboard interplay – but he also worked in some more sophisticated arrangements, performed by additional horns on a number of tunes, working in small combo space the same kind of magic that Eumir Deodato would normally craft with a larger orchestra. The results are magically airy and appealing – and the set's a mix of original tunes and groovy covers, with titles that include "Samarina", "Manha Branca", "Afro", "Amazonas", "Watch What Happens", "Zond 5", "Sabia", and "Ela Vem De Volta".

A groundbreaking piano trio from the end of the 60s – headed up by Brazilian jazz legend Gilson Peranzetta! Gilson's work has graced countless recent bossa revival sessions, as well as important 70s MPB albums – but this set was recorded back in 1969, when Peranzetta was a pianist trying to break out of the bossa stereotypes of the 60s generation. In doing so, he still used lots of the older trappings of bossa combo albums – sweet rhythms, gentle grooves, and lots of space for keyboard interplay – but he also worked in some more sophisticated arrangements, performed by additional horns on a number of tunes, working in small combo space the same kind of magic that Eumir Deodato would normally craft with a larger orchestra. The results are magically airy and appealing – and the set's a mix of original tunes and groovy covers, with titles that include "Samarina", "Manha Branca", "Afro", "Amazonas", "Watch What Happens", "Zond 5", "Sabia", and "Ela Vem De Volta".

The first album from guitarist John Tropea – ace 70s session guitarist, but a surprisingly great leader and arranger in his own right too! Tropea's working here in a vibe that's clearly influence by the CTI sound – smooth but funky fusion – laid down in prime studio conditions, but still nicely soulful throughout, and without any of the BS that crept into other overly-jamming or too-slick records from the time. Guitar's the lead solo instrument on the set, but the album has a lot of other strong work by players that Deodato, Steve Gadd, Rick Marotta, and Rubens Bassini – making for a very tight set that's stood up wonderfully through the years. Titles include "The Bratt", "Tambourine", "7th Heaven", "The Jingle", "Just Blue", "Muff", and "Dreams".

One of the sweetest fusion sets ever recorded from guitarist Phil Upchurch – a set that's less trippy than his earlier albums, but one that more than makes up for that with a tightly soulful groove! Production is by John Tropea and George Benson – and you can definitely hear their touches here – giving Upchurch a strong sense of focus, yet still allowing plenty of room for those cool sounds and odd lines on his guitar. Arrangements are great throughout – partly handled by Leon Pendarvis, who also plays keyboards on the record with Richard Tee – and augmented by string and flute backings from Deodato. Titles include a great take on "Strawberry Letter 23" – plus "Free", "Good Times", "Church Street Station", "It's Almost Five", "Foolin Around", and "Cyrenna".

One of the sweetest fusion sets ever recorded from guitarist Phil Upchurch – a set that's less trippy than his earlier albums, but one that more than makes up for that with a tightly soulful groove! Production is by John Tropea and George Benson – and you can definitely hear their touches here – giving Upchurch a strong sense of focus, yet still allowing plenty of room for those cool sounds and odd lines on his guitar. Arrangements are great throughout – partly handled by Leon Pendarvis, who also plays keyboards on the record with Richard Tee – and augmented by string and flute backings from Deodato. Titles include a great take on "Strawberry Letter 23" – plus "Free", "Good Times", "Church Street Station", "It's Almost Five", "Foolin Around", and "Cyrenna".

Way more than just an introduction – and instead, an amazing collection of bossa nova gems – 48 tracks pulled from the vaults of the legendary EMI/Odeon label – home to some of the best bossa work ever recorded in Brazil! The package is a treasure through and through – filled with key classics, overlooked gems, and the kind of weird and wonderful bossa numbers that never made it here to the US – but which have made digging for Brazilian records a favorite pastime of ours for decades. Most tracks here are from the 60s, and the set runs from straight bossa numbers to others that use bossa as a starting point, then take off into great new territory. Titles include "Ao Amigo Tom" by Doris Monteiro, "A Resposta" by Marcos Valle, "Voce" by Milton Banana Trio, "Deixa Eu Dizer" by Claudia, "A Ra" by Joao Donato, "Eh Mundo Bom Tai" by Johnny Alf, "Agua De Beber" by Neco, "Onde Anda O Meu Amor" by Bossa Tres, "Fotografia" by Sylvia Telles, "Por Causa De Voce" by Marisa, "Outra Vez" by Elizeth Cardoso, "Inutil Paisagem" by Dick Farney, "Ho Ba La La" by Norma Benguell, "Estamos Ai" by Leny Andrade, "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" by Eumir Deodato, and "Misturada" by Quarteto Novo.

A well-done collection of grooves from the legendary CTI Records – home to some of the most important jazz funk of the 70s! The set does a good job of getting past the familiar hits from the label, and moves into territory that showed the complexity of the grooves being laid down – a depth that's sometimes overlooked, given the success of CTI. The nicely-priced set features 10 tracks in all – including "Hard To Face The Music" by Idris Muhammad, "September 13" by Deodato, "Canned Funk" by Joe Farrell, "Rock Steady" by Johnny Hammond, "I'm Not So Sure" by Milt Jackson, "Hurtin House" by Esther Phillips, "Sugar Free" by Hank Crawford, "Shoogie Wanna Boogie" by Dave Matthews, "I Remember Wes" by George Benson, and "Storm" by Stanley Turrentine.

A blistering set of bossa-tinged jazz – truly the cream of the crop of the Brazilian scene from the 60s and early 70s! The package is great both as an introduction to bossa jazz, and as a capper if you've ever heard any of the genre – an essential collection that not only features key tracks, but some rare gems as well – beautifully packaged, and remastered with sound that's way better than any of your old scratchy records! The approach here is wonderful – quick-stepping rhythms, soaring instrumentation, and a way of putting together a groove that's quite different than American or European jazz at the time – even during those eras when bossa was having a strong influence upon those scenes. And sure, in later years, some Brazilian-inspired projects from other territories could sometimes be a bit weak – but these cuts are the originals, and are filled with life, imagination, and originality that oozes forth from the very first note! 2CD package is beautifully put together, with a nice booklet too – and titles include "Birimbau" by Dom Um Romaeo, "Xibaba" by Airto, "San Salvador" by Tamba 4, "A3" by Som Imaginario, "Solo" by Meirelles E Os Copa 5, "Improviso Negro" by Sambalanco Trio, "Vento Bravo" by Edu Lobo, "Batucada" by Luis Carlos Vinhas, "Consolacao" by Tenorio Jr, "Like A Rainy Night" by Salinas, "Zazueira" by Balanco Trio, "Das Tardes Mas Sos" by Paulo Moura, "Bebe" by Eumir Deodato, and "Patumbalacunde" by Joao Donato.

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".

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

Great songs, great vocals, great instrumentation, and another late 70s classic from Michael Franks – one of the few mainstream masters of understatement in his generation! As on all his best albums, the style here is a subtle blend of jazz and pop with a bit of a Brazilian inspiration – kind of a more mainstream take on styles that Bob Dorough and Blossom Dearie had first put forth, with all the sort of hip songwriting that sort of reference might imply. Deodato's at the helm of the arrangements here – keeping things lean and clean, and using key contributions from players like Leon Pendarvis, John Tropea, Steve Gadd, and Bud Shank to flesh out the jazzier side of Franks' sound. Titles include "Wrestle A Live Nude Girl", "In Search Of The Perfect Shampoo", "Vivaldi's Song", "Dear Little Nightingale", "When The Cookie Jar Is Empty", "A Robinsong", and "Meet Me In The Deerpark".

A breezy bossa classic from Jobim – recorded in LA, in case you couldn't tell from the cover image that has ol' AC standing with his guitar in a Pacific sunset! The sound's got a nice easy finish – with arrangements by Deodato and Maestro Gaya that are very much in the spirit of Jobim's work for larger ensembles – and the album features darkly sophisticated versions of bossa classics like "Preciso Aprender A Ser So", "Berimbau", "Samba Torto", "Chuva", and "Imagem". Nice stuff, and with a bit more punch than the "love and strings" title might imply!

One of Antonio Carlos Jobim's greatest records – and a perfect blend of his subtle bossa genius with the moody electric sound of CTI! Jobim plays electric and acoustic piano, guitar, and sings a bit – and Deodato handled the arrangements with a breezy brilliance that matches all the magic of Jobim's wonderful compositions, but gives them a slightly more fluid feel too – in a way that's somewhat more sophisticated than the sound of Jobim's previous CTI outings – Tide and Wave. Other players on the album include Joe Farrell on soprano sax, Hubert Laws on flute, and Airto on percussion – and there's a great mix of Brazilian and American styles on the set – electric, sinister, breezy, and always wonderful! Includes the titles "Sabia", "God & The Devil In The Land Of The Sun", "Children's Games", "Stone Flower", "Brazil", "Tereza My Love", and "Choro".

A beautiful set of symphonic tracks based around the work of Antonio Carlos Jobim – work that stretches back to the 50s, up through 60s bossa nova, and even includes some of Jobim's more complicated orchestrations from the 70s! The music is done in the arch-baroque style of other titles on the Biscoito Fino label – with a full symphony orchestra, smaller instrumental groupings, and even some strong vocal performances that drift in and out of the music. The set features re-interpretations of original arrangements by Jobim, Nelson Riddle, Deodato, Claus Ogerman, and others – and was put together by Paulo Jobim. Titles include "Lenda", "Macumba", "O Homem", "Saudade Do Brasil", "Matita Pere", "Chora Coracao", "Bangzalia", "Garota De Ipanema", and "Gabriela". Very nicely done 2CD set!

A super-huge album for Kool & The Gang – the set that features their massive hit "Celebration", a cut that became an instant party classic, and which is probably still earning them a fortune in royalties year after year from wedding bands alone! Believe it or not, the album was arranged, conducted, and produced by Deodato – who was making a great move at the time to get into more straight soul work from his roots in bossa and his 70s run in jazz funk. And in a way, it's Deodato's ear for a great warm groove that really seems to make the set sparkle – giving it a strong soul sound, even with tighter production – still somewhat down to earth, despite its hit status. Apart from "Celebration", other tracks include "Jones Vs Jones", "Love Festival", "Love Affair", "Night People", and "Morning Star".

An amazing leap forward for the incredible Walter Wanderley – a record that has him mixing his earlier bossa groove with the wider vision of late 60s A&M/CTI – supported by an amazing cast of American and Brazilian artists! The vibe is wonderful from the very first note – a refinement of bossa with the more sophisticated scoring touches of CTI – arrangements from both Deodato and Don Sebesky, working wonderfully to support Wanderley's lead keyboard lines on organ and electric harpsichord! The record's arguably more sophisticated than most work of this nature coming from Brazil at the same time – and with classic production by Creed Taylor, the sound is sublime through and through! A few tracks feature a slight bit of vocals – from Milton Nascimento, Anamaria Valle, and others – and instrumentalists helping on the session include Hubert Laws on flute and Marvin Stamm on flugelhorn. Titles include great versions of "Open Your Arms", "When It Was Done", "Reach Out For Me", "Ponteio", "Surfboard", "Baiao Da Garoa", "Capoeira", and "Ole Ole Ola".

One of the more far-reaching compilations in the Jazz Club series – reggae covers by jazz mainstays and more from late 60s onward, with a focus on great stuff from the 70s! All of the material was culled from the vast Universal vaults – and it's a pretty sweet set of jazzy reggae and reggae jazz, from artists as diverse as Ernest Ranglin, Bernard Pretty Purdie, The Skatalites, Bill Fraser, Deodato and Medeski, Martin & Wood! 14 tracks in all: "54-46 – (Was My Number)" by Ernest Ranglin, "Jammin'" by Monty Alexander, "I Can See Clearly Now" by Junior Mance, "Natty Never Get Weary" by Dean Fraser, "Rock Fort Rock" by Skatalites, "Montego Bay" by Pretty Purdie, "I Shot The Sheriff" by Deodato, "Walking On Sunshine" by Bill Summers, "Pressure Drop" by Brass Fraser and more.

A stellar collection of far reaching 70s funk – bridging schools of funk brilliantly – from fusiony grooves, to disco, to rawly raucous, and smoothed out and soulful – a mix of famous material that crossed over with others that are best known to crate diggers! The set's in the German Jazz Club series – and includes great stuff from Deaodato, Pleasure, Rose Royce, Betty Davis, Parliament, Rick James, The Bar-Kays, Ohio Players, Southside Movement and many more. 18 tracks in all: "Funk Yourself" by Deodato, "Let's Dance" by Pleasure, "Supernatural Feeling" by Blackbyrds, "Unfunky UFO" by Parliament, "This Is It" by Betty Davis, "Blow Your Head" by Fred Wesley & The JBs, "Shake Your Rump To The Funk" by Bar-Kays, "Funk Talk" by Southside Movement and more.

Sweet funky piano from the mighty Ray Bryant – one of his excellent albums for Atlantic Records, a label who really seemed to give him an extra push in the groove department! The record's got a nicely laidback sort of feel – core grooving from a trio that features Bryant on acoustic piano, Jimmy Johnson on drums, and Chuck Rainey on electric bass – the last of whom really makes things move along in a soul-stepping sort of way! The set also features a few bigger arrangements by Deodato and Arif Mardin – both of whom really get the spirit of the set – and Ray's got that floating keyboard feel firmly in place – with a heavy left hand on the rhythm, and a right hand that kicks and flicks the tunes all over the top, really making them dance with a lot of spirit. Titles include "Stick With It", "Hey Jude", "Let It Be", "Shake A Lady", "My Cherie Amour", and a great version of "Spinning Wheel".

One of the sweetest-grooving albums ever from Con Funk Shun – proof that the group was almost better when they tightened things up a bit! The set was produced by Deodato at the height of his hit-making soul powers – and it's got a sharpness that really helps bring the Con Funk Shun groove into focus – a style that's not nearly as commercial as Deodato's work with Kool & The Gang, but which shares a similar blend of jazz and modern soul elements! Most tracks groove nicely, even some of the mellower ones – and Deodato's got a perfect balance in the sound of the set – keyboards, beats, and bass all in the right places, with plenty of soulful vocals flowing warmly over the top. Titles include "Don't Let Your Love Grow Cold", "Hard Lovin", "If I'm Your Lover", "Can You Feel The Groove Tonight", "Indiscreet Sweet", and "Baby I'm Hooked".

One of Antonio Carlos Jobim's greatest records – and a perfect blend of his subtle bossa genius with the moody electric sound of CTI! Jobim plays electric and acoustic piano, guitar, and sings a bit – and Deodato handled the arrangements with a breezy brilliance that matches all the magic of Jobim's wonderful compositions, but gives them a slightly more fluid feel too – in a way that's somewhat more sophisticated than the sound of Jobim's previous CTI outings – Tide and Wave. Other players on the album include Joe Farrell on soprano sax, Hubert Laws on flute, and Airto on percussion – and there's a great mix of Brazilian and American styles on the set – electric, sinister, breezy, and always wonderful! Includes the titles "Sabia", "God & The Devil In The Land Of The Sun", "Children's Games", "Stone Flower", "Brazil", "Tereza My Love", and "Choro". Also comes with a bonus alternate of "Brazil".

Probably the biggest album ever from the brother/sister team of Katreese and Jerry Barnes – working here as Juicy, in a sweet smooth 80s groove style that's mighty nice! Deodato produced the album, and it's similar to some of the other soul material he was handling in the 80s – slick and sparkling, but with a sweet jazzy touch that keeps things a lot more real than on other soul albums from the time. The Barnes siblings handle all vocals and instruments – and the record has a sweet poppy duet style that's perhaps a bit dated, but also kind of due for a revival. Features the group's great slow jam hit "Sugar Free", with lots of excellent bass pedal jamming – plus "Stay With Me", "Slow Dancing", "It Takes Two", and "Nobody But You". CD features some nice 12" bonus tracks – including "Sugar Free (Deo/super dance mix)", "Nobody But You (Deo rmx)", "Bad Boy (dub)", "Sugar Free (Deo/radio rmx)", and "Nobody But You (Deo dub)".

An amazing album from Stanley Turrentine – quite different than most of his other sessions for CTI, but in a really great way! Stan's playing here with arrangements from Deodato – in a swirling, Brazilian jazz influenced mode that's similar to their work together with Astrud Gilberto on her CTI album – save for the fact that this set's all instrumental, with Turrentine's tenor in the frontline! The sound is wonderful – soaring, swirling, and plenty darn soulful when Stan's tenor comes into play – and in a way, the album's almost an instrumental companion to the Gilberto CTI album. Instrumentation includes some great keyboards from Deodato and Richard Tee – plus guitar from Eric Gale – and tracks include "Gibraltar", "Salt Song", "I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do", and "Storm". CD features the bonus track "Vera Cruz".

A collection of tracks that Stanley Turrentine recorded for CTI during his best stretch of the 70s – when he was changing his style from more traditional soul jazz to the warm mellow sound that scored him some big hits during the decade. The set features an incredible reading of "Vera Cruz", done with Deodato on piano, and at a breakaway speed that's just great, and worth the price of the record alone. Other tracks feature piano by Harold Mabern or organ by Butch Cornell – and titles include "The Stretch", "Just As I Am", and "Pieces Of Dreams".

One of Antonio Carlos Jobim's greatest records – and a perfect blend of his subtle bossa genius with the moody electric sound of CTI! Jobim plays electric and acoustic piano, guitar, and sings a bit – and Deodato handled the arrangements with a breezy brilliance that matches all the magic of Jobim's wonderful compositions, but gives them a slightly more fluid feel too – in a way that's somewhat more sophisticated than the sound of Jobim's previous CTI outings – Tide and Wave. Other players on the album include Joe Farrell on soprano sax, Hubert Laws on flute, and Airto on percussion – and there's a great mix of Brazilian and American styles on the set – electric, sinister, breezy, and always wonderful! Includes the titles "Sabia", "God & The Devil In The Land Of The Sun", "Children's Games", "Stone Flower", "Brazil", "Tereza My Love", and "Choro".

Massive funk from CTI – some of the label's grooviest, jazziest, most soulful gems from the 70s – all hand-picked by the folks at Wax Poetics Japan! There's some familiar tracks here, and some lesser-known nuggets too – and the set is one of the grooviest CTI collections we've ever heard – filled with just the right sort of sounds to show the label's genius in its best light – including some tracks from related imprints Kudu and Salvation, too! Don't let the "dance" in the title put you off – because this isn't dance music, just tight funky jazz of the best 70s variety – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Baretta's Theme" by Ron Carter, "Macumba" by Lalo Schifrin, "Stanley's Tune" by Airto, "Star Borne" by Johnny Hammond, "Nights In White Satin" by Deodato, "Hard To Face The Music" by Idris Muhammad, "Corazon" by Hank Crawford, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by David Matthews, "Boy I Really Tied One On" by Esther Phillips, and "Sugar Free" by Hank Crawford.

Some of the best-remembered cuts from the legendary CTI Records of the 70s – all tracks that have been sampled over the years, thanks to their funky breaks and amazing grooves! CTI and Kudu have been reissued plenty in recent years, but we'll honestly say that this is one of the hippest sets we've ever heard from the label's mighty catalog – and it's got plenty of tracks that aren't that common on the reissue market – a really fresh look at CTI, one that goes way past the bigger hits of the 70s, with a focus on the label's grooves that are being dug strongly in the 21st Century! Titles include "That's All Right With Me" by Esther Phillips, "Canned Funk" by Joe Farrell, "September 13" by Deodato, "Power Of Soul" by Idris Muhammad, "I Had A Dream" by Hubert Laws, "Sister Sanctified" by Stanley Turrentine, "Ziggidy Zag" by Gabor Szabo, "People Make The World Go Round" by Freddie Hubbard, and "Wildflower" by Hank Crawford.

One of the sweetest fusion sets ever recorded from guitarist Phil Upchurch – a set that's less trippy than his earlier albums, but one that more than makes up for that with a tightly soulful groove! Production is by John Tropea and George Benson – and you can definitely hear their touches here – giving Upchurch a strong sense of focus, yet still allowing plenty of room for those cool sounds and odd lines on his guitar. Arrangements are great throughout – partly handled by Leon Pendarvis, who also plays keyboards on the record with Richard Tee – and augmented by string and flute backings from Deodato. Titles include a great take on "Strawberry Letter 23" – plus "Free", "Good Times", "Church Street Station", "It's Almost Five", "Foolin Around", and "Cyrenna".