A stunning live recording from Elis Regina – one of the last few records she cut during her short time on this planet – and one of the best as well! The album's got a jazzy fire that's missing from some of Regina's other material of the time – and Elis sings with a group that includes a stellar guest performance by Hermeto Pascoal on a number of tracks, and runs through a lively set of tracks that includes a bunch of excellent groovers – upbeat numbers that almost get a bit funky at times. A highlight of the album is the long cut "Cobra Criada", which builds slowly into a complex funky line, with Elis scatting madly over the top. Other goodies include "Asa Branca", "Cai Dentro", "Garota De Ipanema", and a great remake of "Upa Neguinho", with nice messed-up arrangements. LP, Vinyl record album

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

Funky soul from the great Marcos Valle – a great blend of mellow grooves and upbeat tunes recorded at the same time Valle was working in the US with Leon Ware! The style here is very similar to Ware's 2 albums for Elektra – both of which feature work from Valle, and include tunes that are also done here in Portuguese versions! Marcos makes a real departure from some of his earlier work here, and emerges as a surprisingly great soul star with plenty of talents for penning two-step tunes and keyboard-heavy tracks that glisten with a sweet California groove. A few tracks recall some of Valle's Odeon work – like the baroque instrumental "Camina Grande" – but we're most partial to the soul tracks that dominate the record, and which include "Bicho No Cio", "Pecados De Amor","Garimpando" and "A Paraiba Nao e Chicago". LP, Vinyl record album