A wonderful collection of modern Brazilian grooves lifted from the legendary Far Out label! The set is much more than a regular compilation – as it's now the only place you can get some of the out-of-print singles on the label, plus a few rare mixes that aren't available elsewhere! The groove is nice and smooth, with a good mix of Brazilian roots and modern production, all with the high quality you've come to expect from Far Out. Includes the stellar groover "Ponteio", done here in an excellent remake by Da Lata – plus the tracks "Consteleacao" by Tutty Moreno, "Canto De Libertacao" by Aricia Mess, "Amazon Adventure (Jazzanova rmx)" by Azymuth, "Freio Aerodynamico" by Marcos Valle, "Times Before (Ape rmx)" by Azymuth, "Quem Com Quem" by Azymuth & Marcos Valle, "Os Escravos Do Jo (Jos Slaves)" by Friends From Rio 2, and "Soberana" by Wilson Das Neves. CD

A wonderful mix of 70s jazz styles and South American roots – all brought together in a very compelling way for this Argentine session! The music is often modal, and highly rhythmic – led by piano from Matias Pizarro, who also vocalizes a bit – and featuring tenor, guitar, bass, drums, and lots of extra percussion – which really enforces the groove on most of the record! Pizarro's style is sometimes warmly lyrical, a bit like Steve Kuhn at the time – and his blending of wordless vocals in a few spots recalls some of our favorite Brazilian fusion of the period, even though the album's mostly acoustic. Titles include "Pelo De Rata", "Anamlor", "Perro Que Ladra No Meurde", "Do Y Sol", and "Secuencia". (Jazz, Brazil) CD

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