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A 60s bossa classic from Johnny Alf – a set that really showcases the bluer side of bossa at the time! The set's got a rich, sophisticated sort of sound – right up there with the best Elenco or Forma vocal sessions of the 60s, thanks to orchestrations by Jose Briamonte, which move along with this really dark undercurrent. Alf's vocals and piano contrast nicely, with these oddly-turning notes that are really unique – a distinct approach that made Johnny one of the most standout talents of this new generation. This album's easily one of his greatest efforts – and titles include "Gismi", "Kao Xango", "Cancao Pra Disfacar", "Ceu Alegre", "Eu So Sei", and "Bossa So". CD features the bonus track "Eu E A Brisa".

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa".

The landmark first album from Os Ipanemas – a runaway set of smoking bossa jazz – and a record that really helped set a whole new tone for the genre! The group here is a cooking quintet of Brazilian all-stars – including Astor Silva on trombone, Wilson Das Neves on percussion, Neco on guitar, and Rubens Bassini on drums and percussion – a great lineup that comes together perfectly – in a blend that has raw Brazilian percussion mixed with tighter jazz elements – a mode the bridges two sides of Brazil in the 60s, in a really great way! And although the group have come back to fame in recent years, this initial set may well be our favorite by them – filled with great cuts that include "Nana", "Clouds", "Zulus", "Congo", "Java", and a great cover of "Berimbau".

One of the greatest steel band records ever – and a hip hop sample classic from way back! Sure, there were other hip steel bands back in the 70s – but nobody else ever got as far as 20th Century – ending up on a major label, cutting some key funky covers, and crossing over with their massive "Heaven & Hell" – a cut that was DJ Red Alert's theme song in the old days! The group have a wonderful sound – mixing familiar steel band modes with bits of American funk – and creating a unique hybrid that's way more than just reworked covers, or simple copycat styles. In addition to the classic "Heaven & Hell", the set also features versions of "Love's Theme", "Shaft", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", and "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" – plus the cuts "Lazy Days", "Endless Vibrations", "No 1", "Never Keep Secrets", "We've Got To Work Together", and "Dance Away". CD also features a bonus 7" edit of "Heaven & Hell".

70s psychedelia from the northeastern state of Pernambuco, Brazil – incredible stuff that combines rawly percussive tropical sounds with a world of psychedelic creativity and possibilities – one of the best compilations ever put together by Mr Bongo! Lula Cortes was a pivotal figure in the scene and he's pretty well represented here, including his influential recordings with Ze Remalho. Even more exciting, though, is the stuff we've never been fortunate enough to hear before now – and there's a pretty good deal of it! The fusion of global psych and folk sounds into a distinctly Brazilian sound is nothing short of amazing – regional and traditional percussion underneath sitars, lutes, keyboards and more. It features songs by the great Lula Cortes & Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo & Alceu Valenca, Marconi Notaro, Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol and The Gentleman. 19 tracks in all: "Sorriso Delvagem" by The Gentlemen, "O Tempo" and "Desespero" by Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol, "Antropologica", "Maracatu" and "Fidelidade" by Marconi Notaro, "Mister Misterio", "Virgem Virginia" and more by Geraldo Azevedo & Alceu Valenca, "Bailado Das Muscarias" and "Maracas De Fogo" by Lula Cortes & Ze Ramalho, "Noite Preta" by Lula Cortes and more.

A stunning tribute to the music of Jorge Ben – a host of classic covers from the 60s and 70s, all of which share Jorge's love for an upbeat, soulful groove! The set's exploding with life and energy – that new sort of groove that Ben first unleashed on Brazilian music in the 60s, which was quickly taken up by most of his contemporaries – as you'll hear on the wonderful tunes in this set! There's a ridiculous amount of music on the collection – over two dozen tunes, a number of which we'd never heard before – and although Jorge doesn't sing on any of them, the vocalists are all clearly inspired by his sense of warmth and soul. Every cut's a groover – and titles include "Que Mandou" by Osmar Milito, "Zazueira" by Wilson Simonal, "Pulo Pulo" by Elza Soares, "Se Voce Quiser Mas Sem Bronquear" by Doris Monteiro, "Tenha Fe Pois Amanha Um Lindo Dia Vai Nascer" by Salinas, "La Vem Salgueiro" by Os Originais Do Samba, "Carolina Carol Bela" by Os Brazoes, "Speed" by Sonia Santos, "Rei Do Maracatu" by Cyro Aguiar, "Cosa Nostra" by Os Mutreteiros Grilados, "Fio Maravilha" by Marijo, "Pais Tropical" by Wilson Simonal, and "Mas Que Nada" by Elza Soares.

A legendary lost album from Brazilian songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho – recorded in Brazil in the mid 70s – blending avant psychedelia, rugged acoustic rhythms, and an enormous free spirit with delicate melodic touches and lilting jazzy elements! As is the case with the work of the best, most adventurous Brazilian artists of the time, it's a difficult sound to describe. It's a very atmospheric blend – sung and chanted vocals are no more or less important than any of the other elements – which include classical acoustic and fuzzy electric guitar, piano, organ, flute, sax and a range of percussion. It's free and psychedelic, but just reigned in enough to keep it tense and exciting. Pure greatness – hopefully bound to achieve some long overdue recognition! Tracks include "Trilha De Sume", "Culto A Terra", "Bailado Das Muscarias", "Nao Existe Molhado Igua; Ao Pranto", "Raga Dos Raios", "Nas Paredes Da Pedra Encantada", "Regato Da Montanha", Trilha De Sume" and more! New reissue version has way better sound than before – and reproduces all the cool graphics of the original cover.

A great little Brazilian group from the 70s – one who continues the harmony styles of Sergio Mendes in the 60s, but takes the music into some groovy new directions! The sounds here are more samba than bossa – with guitar and percussion dancing nicely together in the rhythms as group members sing sweetly over the top – and both piano and keyboards adding in some nicely jazzy inflections to the groove, often with the more sophisticated phrasings you might expect in some of the EMI/Odeon work from earlier in the decade. Sivuca joins the group on both accordion and moog (!) – and the whole thing's got a sweetly-grooving style that's totally great! Titles include "Estatutos De Gafiera", "Loteca", "Amor Em Jacuma", " Iboru Iboya", "Beijo Baiano", "O Trem Atrazou", "Asa Branca", and "Fogo Pago".

A non-stop funky party from CK Mann – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The album's got an unusual approach – in that the first side is presented as a single long track – billed as a "medley" number, but wrapped together in a way that still seems to preserve each individual moment of music within – a shifting array of styles that runs from highlife to funkier African rhythms! The cut is a massive fourteen minute number that's worth the price of admission alone – then rolls into some great shorter tracks on the second half – arranged by Ebo Taylor with the same hip criss-crossing of modes you'd find in his own 70s work. Titles include "Asafo Beesuon Medley", "Beebi A Odo Wo", "Yebeyi Wo Aye", and "Do Me Ma Mondo Wo Bi". CD features lots of bonus tracks, too – titles itnat include "Efi Na Matase", "Se Menya Wo A", "Fawakoma Ma Me", "Araba Lucy", and "Medzi Makoma Ma Wo".

Wicked jazzy bossa from 60s Brazil – a crackling early classic from pianist Dom Salvador! The group here is super-tight – a tremendous triangle of piano, bass, and drums – all grooving at equal pace, with a great deal of energy – and given a heck of a lot of soul from Dom's bold lines on the piano! There's a slight lyrical vibe at points, too – making for music that's mighty sweet, and very seductive – and the whole thing's right up there with some of the best bossa trio dates of the time. Trio features bass by Edson Lobo and drums by Victor Manga – and titles include "Arrastao", "Promessa", "Pro Batera", "Santarem", and "Tematrio".

Classic trio material from one of Brazil's greatest pianists ever! Dom Salvador was a heck of a player back in the 60s – working in a tight trio format that was certainly part of the bossa combo sound of his day, yet also heavily influenced by American soul jazz artists of the same era. Here, he's working in an early trio with Edison Machado on drums – switching effortlessly between piano and organ as the rhythm section spins out lush, lyrical lines with more than a bit of soul in the mix. Many of the tracks on the album are quite obscure, making for a fresh little set that goes way past the usual piano trio side from 60s Brazil! Titles include "Indio Perdido", "Samborio", "Um Sonho Azul", "Balanco Do Mar Onda Quebrando", "Fred's Ahead", "Sonho De Carnaval", "Iluminando O Vazio", "A Cancao Do Amor Que Nasceu", and "Eu Compro Essa Mulher".

Beautiful work from the great Ebo Taylor – long tracks filled with the kind of grooves that have made him a funky favorite over the years – and which have kept him going strong into the 21st Century! There's a really unique feel to this record – lots of jazzy inflections that go way beyond some of the standard riffing of Afro Funk – underscored by this positive energy that's a bit hard to describe, but which comes through right away on first listen – almost some of the righteousness of the American spiritual underground, but definitely more Afro-styled overall. Instrumentation features some great tenor, alto, and flute – and guitars and keyboards are handled by Ebo himself. Titles include "You Need Love", "Love & Death", "What Is Life", and "Victory".

Ebo Taylor at his finest – stepping out here in a wicked set of work from the 70s – filled with upbeat rhythms, sweet instrumental touches, and a heck of a lot of soul! There's a bubbling undercurrent in the rhythms that's almost Caribbean at times, yet the overall groove is a lot sharper too – a warm blend of percussion, guitar, and some mighty sweet keyboards – often peppered with bits of saxophone lines, and topped with lyrics that move nicely along with the groove. Rhythms are mostly in a midtempo mode – a few steps mellower than traditional Afro Funk – which furthers the unique feel of the record, and seems to only deepen Ebo Taylor's soulful intentions! Titles include "Heaven", "Ohye Atar Gyan", "Bra", "Saana", and "Amponsah".

Kick ass early work from the great Tom Ze – recorded in the beginning of the Tropicalia years, but with a style that shows Ze sitting on the fence between rock/pop and some of his madder later work! The style's still pretty hard to describe, and listening to the music, you can hear how much of an influence Ze must have had on the styles of Caetano Veloso and Os Mutantes – whose work from 1969 is echoed in many of the songs on the album. There's lots of weird organ, arranged in kind of a swirling psychedelic way that reminds us of songs from the early Mutantes album, or from the Tropicalia Ou Panis et Circensis album from 1968. Ze wrote all the tracks, and titles include "Sabor De Burrice", "Camelo", "Gloria", "Curso Intesivo De Boas Maneiras", "Parque Industrial", and "Profissao De Ladrao". A great cover, and a rare rare relic!

A treasure trove of Brazilian music – presented at a jaw-droppingly low price! The 8CD set brings together all eight volumes of the legendary Brazilian Beats series from Mr Bongo – a nearly decade-old collection of the best in Brazilian grooves – ranging from 60s bossa to 70s samba soul, to some hip contemporary tracks that draw plenty of inspiration from the originals! The scope of music here is amazing – over 120 tracks in all, and one of the best introductions to Brazilian grooves you could ever hope to find – especially at a price this nice. Each individual album is presented in an LP-styled sleeve, with full cover images of the originals – and the package also features a booklet detailing the track-by-track list of titles in the set. We're scratching our heads as to how they can offer these gems so cheaply – but we're also jumping at the chance to get this music while the deal lasts!

Freaky funky sounds from The Gentlemen – a Brazilian combo from the early 70s, and one who work in a really dark mix of modes! At some level, the group feel a bit like some of the 60s Jovem Guarda groups – in that they have a bit of an influence from Anglo rock, particularly the more garagey variety. But they're also trippier too – and have that great post-Tropicalia Brazilian mode of reaching out for plenty of styles at once – to really mix things up in a freaky, fuzzy brew! Basslines are especially great – very pronounced, even on the mellower tracks – and there's some cool fuzz on the guitars to keep things from every sounding too clean or polished – particularly on some of the longer tracks, which feature great psych-styled jamming with the organ as well! Titles include "Vazio", "Sorriso Selvagem", "Vestido Branco", "Uma Voz Outra Voz", "O Embarque", "Eu Juro", "Isso E Amor", and "Agora Estou Livre".

Simply stunning compilation of the work of this fantastic Brazilian guitarist and vocalist, with 23 tracks of her best stuff ever, and put together in chronological order, and with excellent notes written by Joyce herself! Even if you've got any the Joyce Rare Tracks comp, you owe it to yourself to get this one, because it's got a fantastic selection of stuff, and the best mastering of any reissue that's been out to date. Plus, there's lots of stuff on here that still has never been reissued. Better than we even thought it would be!

A tripped-out set of acid folk guitar from Satwa – featuring Brazilian psychedelic folk genius Lula Cortes, in a feel that's very much like his own great work of the time! Satwa is one of the sweetest sets of psych folk jams we've heard in ages – with a mostly-instrumental, wholly mesmerizing sound spun by Lula on sitar and partner Lailson on 12 string guitar – a rich acoustic blend that's even deeper and more enigmatic than music of this type from the American scene! There's a bit of guest lead guitar on one track by Robertinho Do Recife – and titles include "Satwa", "Can I Be Satwa", "Alegro Piradissimo", "Lia A Rainha Da Noite", "Apacidonata", "Amigo", "Atom", "Blue Do Cachorro Muito Louco", "Valsa Dos Cogumelos", and "Alegria Do Povo".

20 super rare killer funk tracks! Like the first volume, not only are there hard to find songs from funky 45s on labels like Westbound and Twinight, but the nice folks at BGP have also included never before released tunes to get your mouth watering. Tracks include "Brand New Girl" by Billy Garner, "Jelly Roll" by Granby Street Development, "Put It Where You Want It" by Pee Wee Clayton, "What You See Is What You Get" by Brenda George, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback & the Schiller Street Gang, "Jaws" from Johnny Otis, "Freddy Wilson's "Promised Land", "Pass It On" by Pieces Of Peace, "I Need Money" by Ruth Davis, "Warm The Pot ('Til It's Good And Hot)" by Willard Buron & the Pacifiers, "Mr Big H" by Joe Houston, and "Funky Bongo" by Preston Epps.

A playful score by George Duning for Who's Got The Action? – an early 60s gambling farce starring Dean Martin and Lana Turner! Duning manages to cover quite a bit of stylistic territory here – from Dixieland, to Spanish dance to Japanese strings – and a whole lot of good-natured, sunny 60s cinema sounds full of romance and comedy. It all kicks off with the groovy strings, brass and bongos-flavored main titles theme, and it manages to get even groovier and more adventurous from there! Includes "Roza", "Good Morning, Mr. Flood", "Saturday Night", "Blue Eyes", "Japanese Record", "Clutch In Dutch", "The Culprit", "Empty Spaces", "Shaky Clutch/Bookie Blues", "Alibi/Bridal Brisket", "Bastille Day/Finale" and more! This great Kritzerland CD edition has some bonus tracks, too – including a a demo vocal version of "Who's Got The Action" with vocals and lyrics by Jack Brooks, plus "La Scala" and a couple of cinematic adaptations of Brahms and Beethoven.

Tightly grooving folk rock from Hunt & Turner – far less hippy dippy than so many groups of the ilk, and focusing an really tight, guitar & melody driven sound! The instrumentation really pulls you into the vibe, not to take away from the appeal of the vocal performances, but they really have a way with acoustic instrumentation that that's pretty sweet – plus some off kilter touches such as bongos that add to the charm. Titles include "Hold Me Know", "Silver Lady", "We Say We're Happy", "Mr Bojangles", "Older Now And Younger Then", "Morning For Eve" and "Rockfield Rag".