One of the funkiest albums Sergio Mendes ever recorded – a monster of a record that's filled with enough dancefloor groovers to have had a big impact on the soul market in the US! There's still elements of the older Mendes modes – especially in the way the vocals float nicely through the mix – but the overall groove is polished 70s soul, with plenty of jazzy touches – similar to the modern soul generation coming up on labels like Capitol or Elektra at the time. The group delivers a landmark version of Stevie Wonder's "The Real Thing" – a killer stepper that's kept the album alive for years – and other tracks include "Why", "Love City", "Mozambique", "Love Me Tomorrow", "P-Ka-Boo", and "Peninsula". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great little sets on the Abril Cultural label – featuring a record of classic work by the artist, plus a full booklet of amazing photos and helpful writings in Portuguese. This one's got a color photo of Gil playing with Os Mutantes on TV, a haunting photo from exile in London, and lots of other nice shots. On the record, you'll get Gil singing "Expresso 2222", "Procissao", "Geleia Geral", "Aquele Abraco", "Bat Macumba", and "Domingo No Parque" – plus you'll also get Gil compositions by other artists, like "Lugar Comum" by Joao Donato, "Baba Alapala" by Zeze Motta, "Soy Loco Por Ti America" by Caetano Veloso, "Copo Vazio" by Chico Buarque, and "Meio De Camp" by Elis Regina. LP, Vinyl record album

There's few singers lovelier than Astrud Gilberto – and this "great women" set is a perfect introduction to her music – a package filled with the key cuts she recorded for Verve Records during the big bossa nova boom of the 60s – a movement that lifted Astrud from obscurity into the realm of undeniably classic singers! The set features some of Gilberto's original recordings with tenorist Stan Getz, and others on her own – with backings from arrangers Don Sebesky, Claus Ogerman, Gil Evans, and Marty Paich – and one tune done with Brazilian organist Walter Wanderley too! Titles include "Agua De Beber", "Take Me To Aruanda", "O Morro", "Berimbau", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "How Insensitive", "Girl From Ipanema", "Fly Me To The Moon", "So Nice", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Once I Loved", "Corcovado", and "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce". LP, Vinyl record album