The hippest installment so far in the Brazilika series – a mad mix of musical styles from Finders Keepers mainman Andy Votel – all in a freaky, funky, fuzzy blend of sounds! The tracks here are much grittier than the work we're used to hearing from the Far Out label – as Votel's dug through the 60s and 70s vaults of RGE/Som Livre Records to come up with rare Brazilian rock, funk, and other heavy styles from back in the day! As with Votel's reissues on Finders Keepers, there's a sound here that's informed by beathead record collecting – a love of older grooves directed by current musical developments – all with a definite ear for the wilder side of the sound spectrum. Most tracks have a pretty heavy groove – and the styles run from psychedelic rock through Tropicalia-inspired tunes, to post-bossa, Bahian sounds, and more. Titles include "Funga Funga" by Trio Soneca, "Careta" by Betinho, "Modulo Lunar" by Os Brazoes, "Terra Livre" by Abilio Manoel, "Os Bichos" by Trio Soneca, "De Vera" by Novos Baianos, "Ciladas" by Pery Ribeiro, "Se Voce Pensa" by Moraes Moreira, "Flores Belas" by Tim Maia, "1974" by Gerson Conrad & Zeze Motta, "Gamboa" by Brazilian Octopus, "Deixe Entrar Um Pouco D'Agua No Quintal" by Os Mutantes, "Periscopio" by Azimuth, and "Gotham City" by Os Brazoes. CD

Amazing work from a young Chico Buarque – a record that seems to draw on all the best elements of 60s Brazilian pop, and forge them into a sound that's all its own! At one level, there's a post-bossa style of larger arrangements here that recalls the work of Edu Lobo – handled by Maestro Gaya in a mode that recalls some of the best bits of the time on the Elenco or Forma labels. But at another level, there's also a personal and slightly folksy style that reminds us of the initial power of Geraldo Vandre – a sound that's clearly present in Buarque's work, and which stands in a direct line to the best strengths of the emerging Tropicalia generation. The set's filled with classics that include "Carolina", "Roda Viva", "O Velho", "Ate Pensei", "Sem Fantasia", and "Desencontro" – and a few tracks feature Chico in duets with either Toquinho, Cristina, or MPB4! LP, Vinyl record album

An early record that really links Chico Buarque to the European scene – an audience that would keep Chico's music strong for many years, and with a reach that went far beyond some of his contemporaries! The set was recorded in Italy, but with all the charm and sparkle of his classic Brazilian recordings – and Chico sings in Italian, doing versions of some of his best early songs – all in a lively mode, inflected with samba and post-bossa grooves, and some of the best young songwriting of his youthful years. There's a slightly different vibe here than some of his other early records – but the overall sound is every bit as appealing – and titles include "La TV", "La Banda", "Juca", "Ole Ola", "Far Niente", "Maddalena E Andata Via", and "C'E Piu Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

A Brazilian singer with a hell of a voice – the lovely Helena De Lima, whose vocal range really fits the lush moods of the tunes on the set! Things are in a more melancholy look than you'd guess from Helena's look on the cover – a nice sort of blueness that's never too overdone, and which has a good balance between the lead vocals and the woodwinds and strings used in the backings. Arrangements are by Ruben Pocho Peren – an overlooked sophisticated talent – and titles include "So So So", "Fio De Cancao", "Flor Da Noite", "Cravo Vermelho", "Balada De Saudade", "Vai", "Pierrot", "Por Onde Eu Vou", and "Boa Noite Rio". LP, Vinyl record album

A live and lively little bossa vocal set – recorded at the Cangaceiro nightclub, with backing by a really great small combo! The style here is similar to other live bossa jazz sets from the time – such as Elis Regina's classic with the Zimbo Trio – and although Helena's vocal style is a bit full and sometimes emotive, the spontaneous nature of the performance really helps keep things lean and clean! The combo here is named after the club – and features Raul Mascarenhas on piano and supposedly Rildo Hora on a bit of harmonica – although he doesn't seem to appear on the record as much as the cover might indicate. Titles include "Oitavo Botequim", "Penumbra", "Ponto E Chuva", "Aconteceu", "Desilusao", "Verdade Da Vida", and 2 longer "Pot-Pourri" tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of sad-tinged bossa tunes sung by the enigmatic Ana Lucia – a really great vocalist who gets superb backings here from Oscar Castro Neves and the Zimbo Trio! The style of the album is slightly more emotive than the usual bossa album of the time – with a dreamy approach to the vocals that reminds us of some of our favorite French or Italian singers of the early 60s, all nicely juxtaposed with a mixture of jazz and string arrangements from Castro-Neves, and produced with a light and floating finish. There's kind of a watery brilliance to the whole thing that really matches the look of the cover – and titles include "Amei Tanto", "Andam Dizendo", "Acalanto", "Derradeira Primavera", "Valsa De Euridice", "Homem De Verdade", and "Tem Do". CD

The lovely Quarteto Em Cy sing the work of Dorival Caymmi, Edu Lobo, and Antonio Carlos Jobim – plus additional contributions from junior members of their families! The style is that warm four-part harmony that the group first forged back in the bossa years – updated here a bit with some slightly modern production and instrumentation, but kept relatively spare and simple throughout – never too overdone, and always with a strong focus on the vocals. Paulo Jobim and his father help a bit on the arrangements here – and titles include "Maria E Dia", "Milagre", "Desenredo", "Caminhos Cruzados", "Tataravo", "Borzeguim", "Preconceito", and "Vento Bravo" – always a great track, but especially great in this version! LP, Vinyl record album

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Rosana Toledo's got some mighty hefty hair on the front cover – but the album is much less stiff and formal – as the singer really taps into her emotive depths throughout – showing us that although life goes on, as promised by the title, it's not without its melancholy moments! Arrangements are relatively full, with light percussion underneath larger orchestrations – all handled by Maestro Nelsinho, on titles that include "Nao Me Diga Adeus", "Salve Ogum", "E A Vida Continua", "Porque Fui Te Encontrar", "Desolacao", "Pra Que Mentir", and "Feitio De Oracao". CD

An excellent session of rare bossa material, recorded at the legendary Paramount Theatre, the temple to bossa nova! The album features tracks by a number of different artists, handled with a lot more care and a lot better recording quality than other live bossa sessions – and the result is one of the best compilations from the old days that we can think of. Features an amazing version of "Nana" by The Zimbo Trio, with a great funky bass breakdown in the middle – and other great tracks include "Vivo Sonhando" by Wanda De Sah, "Antes E Depois" by Oscar Castro Neves, "Tem Do De Mim" by Quarteto Em Cy, and a great duet on "Terra De Ninguem" by Marcos Valle and Elis Regina! CD

A great compilation of rare bossa grooves – put together from the classic catalog of RGE Records in the 60s, featuring some rare gems from the classic days of the bossa nova! The package includes many wonderful numbers that haven't been reissued properly for years, and the selection of 9 tunes is a perfect look into the rich work of RGE from the 1960s. Titles include "Berimbau" by Oscar Castro Neves, "Maria Moita" by Nara Leao, "Chove Chuva" by Jorge Ben, "Tem Do" by Ana Lucia, "Consolacao" by Rosinha De Valencia, "Garota De Ipanema" by Zimbo Trio, "Onde Esta Voce" by Alaide Costa, and "Selecao De Sambas" by Paulinho Nogueira. CD

An excellent set of rare bossa tracks, all performed by artists related to the legendary scene that circled around the Paramount Theatre, one of Brazil's leading showcases for bossa material in the 60's! Includes versions of "Garota De Charme" and "Balanco Zona Sul" by Zimbo Trio, "Morrer De Amor" and "Onde Esta Voce" by Alaide Costa, "Dorme" and "Desencanto" by Yvette, "Diz" by Walter Santos, "Azul Triste" by the Oscar Castro Neves Noneto, and the groovy "Zero Hora" by Bossa Jazz Trio. LP, Vinyl record album

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Early work by Elizeth Cardoso – compiled from her 78 rpm recordings. CD

The poet and the guitarist get together for a set of tracks with Marilia Medalha on vocals, and some nice lively backing by a larger group. The sound is mostly bossa, with light airy vocals, driving samba percussion, and nice lines on acoustic guitar. Tracks include "Samba De Gesse", "Tarde Em Itapoan", "Como Dizia O Poeta", "Samba De Rosa", "O Grande Apelo", "Mais Um Adeus", and "Tomara". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning early bossa session by Wanda Sa – the singer who recorded for Capitol in the US under the name Wanda De Sah – but who sounds even better here in her native Brazil! Roberto Menescal put the session together, and it's filled with all of the inventive twists and turns of his own 60s work on Elenco – bits of organ, piano, flute, and percussion all sliding around magically underneath the vocals – played by a variety of groups led by Menescal, Tenorio Jr, Luiz Carlos Vinhas, and Deodato! But even more than the instrumentation, Wanda's vocals are really the star of the set – a bit breathy and nicely restrained – almost like Nara Leao in her youth, and perfectly recorded in the best RGE tradition! Titles include "Adriana", "Tristeza De Nos Dois", "Vagamente", "Vivo Sonhando", "Encontro", "Inutil Paisagem", and "E Vem O Sol". LP, Vinyl record album

Later release from Elza Soares, although the music here is plenty classic all the way through, and very much in the rootsy samba modes she was serving up in the 70s! Instrumentation is mostly acoustic at the core – lots of lively percussion and guitar, mixed with some occasional contemporary touches on a few numbers, jazzing things up with a bit warmth, and some light touches of strings that serve well to underscore the maturity that Elza brings to the lyrics. Titles include "Plenitude", "Doce Acalanto", "Amor Sublime", "Nesse Trem", "Coisas Da Gente", and "Ansia Louca". LP, Vinyl record album

The American issue of the third Zimbo Trio album from Brazil – presented here with the misleading "restrained" in the title – as the record is filled with bossa grooves! The album's third in a line of legendary bossa albums recorded by the Zimbo Trio in the 60s – and a set that's slightly more lyrical and contemplative than the first two! The record's still filled with plenty of full-on bossa groovers, but it's also got a nicely more spacious sense of sound overall – a quality that almost echoes some of the pianistic conceptions of Luiz Eca, as well as the drum and bass work of his partners in the Tamba Trio – but without the vocals, of course! There's a great sense of sensitivity here, without ever sounding too sleepy – and titles include "Samba Do Veloso", "Agua De Beber", "Pra Viver Feliz", "Favela", "Bocoxe", and "Kao, Xango". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut of a legend – Chico Buarque's first album for RGE, and a groundbreaking batch of tunes that helped shape the sound of popular music in Brazil for years to come! Buarque predates the Tropicalia era, but is working here in a style that clearly allowed for their later impact – a mode that draws on styles from bossa, folklore, and samba – but which somehow manages to rise into a groove that's all its own. Buarque's genius can immediately be summed up in classics on the set – like "Pedro Pedreiro", "A Rita", "Tem Mais Samba", "A Banda", and "Ole Ola" – all wonderful numbers that make the album an essential one in any collection! Amazing package, too – comes in a hardcover book-style jacket, with a bonus 42 page book that also includes full color images, with lots of vintage photos, plus notes on the record in Portuguese! The whole thing's sort of an update of the old Abril Cultural style of the 70s – brought into the CD generation. CD

One of the more obscure 60s albums from this lovely Brazilian singer – with backings by Orquesta RGE, on titles that include "Pela Rua", "Recado", "Manha De Carnaval", "So Deus", "O Que E Que Falta", "Hino Ao Amor", and "Castigo". LP, Vinyl record album

In the years before the emergence of MPB giants like Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, Geraldo Vandre was a huge talent that promised to break big – a young vibrant singer who pushed past the romantic stylings of other vocalists, a free thinker who embraced new styles but didn't succumb to the copycat rock of the "Jovem Guarda", and a new force in music who made it seem dangerous and exciting again. Most of his best work's been out of print since the years it came out, which is why we're super-pleased to have this set of 14 tracks from the mid 60s – featuring work that Vandre recorded for Continental, RGE, and BMG, work that we almost never see on vinyl. Titles include "Ladainha", "Vou Caminhando", "Asa Branca", "Disparada", "Hora De Lutar", "Despedida De Maria", "Dia Da Festa", and "Pra Nao Dizer Que Nao Falei Das Flores". CD

An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle". CD

A killer collection of rare bossa nova from the 60s – all put together by Nicola Conte, whose work on the Schema label has done a lot to continue the tradition of the classics! Here, though, Nicola's set loose on the RGE label, and other indies from 60s Brazil – super-rare records that almost never made it to our neck of the woods back in the day, and which always had a super-sharp sound that was even harder and groovier than American work on labels like Verve and Capitol! The cuts here are all wonderful – many of them new to our ears, and filled with great vocals, driving percussion, and plenty of jazzy touches. Titles include "Fora De Hora" by Dalmo Castello, "Voce Que Nao Vem" by O Triangulo, "Sem Fim" by Marisa Baroso, "Chegar De Brigar" by Henrique Benny, "Macumba" by Claudia, "Copa 70" Brasil 40 Graus, "Litoral" by Werther, "Tema Em Do" by Bossa Trio, "Canto Do Quilombo" by Luiz Carlos Sa, "Faz De Conta" by Aizita, "Tokyo Blues" by Octons, and "Samba De Negro" by Carlos Sodre. (Funky Compilations, Brazil) CD

A later album from Antonio Carlos E Jocafi – but one that still holds onto the lively samba roots of their best older sides! The instrumentation is a mix of acoustic and electric elements – but usually falls more towards the former – and arrangements are by Cesar Machado, who changes things up a bit throughout the set, shifting styles to fit the musical voice of each individual tune. Titles include "Olho D'Agua", "Teresa Batista", "Dona Flor E Seus Dois Maridos", "Capitaes De Areia", "Conversa P'Ra Boi Dormir", and "Jesuino Galo Doido". CD

A stunner of a record from the mighty Jorge Ben – and a record that catapulted the Brazilian singer to international fame at the time! Ben had already been making magic for almost a decade down in Brazil – and his compositions and grooves left an undeniable impact on the scene in the post-bossa years – but this album has Jorge really emerging as the global soul star he was destined to be – from his powerful stare on the cover, right down to the grit in the grooves! The sound here is a refinement of the samba soul mode that Ben had been brewing up from the late 60s onward – a skittish mix of older samba elements, American soul, and some slight fuller production that really comes into its own here – mixing all the acoustic elements at the core with just a slight electric flourish, but never losing its edge in the process – all to provide Jorge with a sublime backdrop for his really amazing vocals. The set's a monument in funky Brazilian soul – and it includes the huge hit "Taj Mahal", which still sounds great, even after all these years – plus loads of other gems that include "O Circo Chegou", "Domingo 23", "Fio Maravilha", "Paz E Arroz", "Morre O Burro Fico O Homem", and "Que Nega E Essa". A gem all the way through – and a record we'd never part with! CD

A stunner of a record from the mighty Jorge Ben – and a record that catapulted the Brazilian singer to international fame at the time! Ben had already been making magic for almost a decade down in Brazil – and his compositions and grooves left an undeniable impact on the scene in the post-bossa years – but this album has Jorge really emerging as the global soul star he was destined to be – from his powerful stare on the cover, right down to the grit in the grooves! The sound here is a refinement of the samba soul mode that Ben had been brewing up from the late 60s onward – a skittish mix of older samba elements, American soul, and some slight fuller production that really comes into its own here – mixing all the acoustic elements at the core with just a slight electric flourish, but never losing its edge in the process – all to provide Jorge with a sublime backdrop for his really amazing vocals. The set's a monument in funky Brazilian soul – and it includes the huge hit "Taj Mahal", which still sounds great, even after all these years – plus loads of other gems that include "O Circo Chegou", "Domingo 23", "Fio Maravilha", "Paz E Arroz", "Morre O Burro Fico O Homem", and "Que Nega E Essa". A gem all the way through – and a record we'd never part with! CD

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". CD

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". CD

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jorge Ben's greatest albums – a groundbreaking blend of samba and soul that forever went onto transform the face of Brazilian music! The record works off the groove set down by Jorge's earlier hit "Mas Que Nada" (which appears on another LP), and takes the blend of bossa, samba, and jazz, and infuses it with a sense of folksy soul delivered by Jorge's raspy vocals and acoustic guitar work. The combination of styles works perfectly – and every track on the album sparkles with a sense of excitement and new musical discovery that will probably blow away most of the recent records you've bought for your collection! Titles include "Nena Nana", "Espero Por Voce", "Nao Desanima, Joao", "Carnaval Triste", "Gimbo", "Capoeira", and "Anjo Azul". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of an amazing legacy in Brazilian music – and a record that really lives up to its title! Jorge Ben completely reinvents the samba here – and comes up with his own new groove in the process – by blending sharp acoustic guitar lines with rootsy percussion – all at a level that's far more rhythmic than the used of the instrument in bossa nova. There's definitely a bossa element – but Joao's singing is a lot more soulful, as is the overall performance – and the styles started here not only launched Ben's career, but also had a huge influence on generations of musicians to come! Titles include the sublime original version of "Mas Que Nada" - plus "Tim Dom Dom", "Chove Chuva", "A Tamba", "Balanca Pema", and "Rosa Menina Rosa". Great stuff, and essential all the way through – we promise! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early album from Jorge Ben – and one that's also a bit obscure, given that it was one of the few that he didn't cut for Philips Records during the first decade of his career! The album's one of Jorge's most upbeat, most lively – with the kind of ebullient mix of samba and soul influences that he brought to his first big hits – but recorded here in a way that's maybe even more frenetic, especially when piano lines spin out quickly next to his incredible vocals – with a style that's almost soul jazz at times! The whole thing's wonderful – a record that matches, if not tops any of his other 60s albums – and titles include the killer "A Jovem Samba" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Nascimento De Um Principe Africando", "Menina Gata Augusta", "Si Wanda", "Rosa Mas Que Nada", "Amor De Carnaval", and "Todo Colorida". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest albums we've ever heard from Erlon Chaves – a Brazilian arranger who got his start in the bossa generation, later did some more traditional music – but here explodes with this great fusion of European and Brazilian soundtrack styles! The record's credited to the Orquesta St Moritz – most likely a studio group with a European name, for good pedigree – but there's a huge amount of sounds here that rival some of the best modes coming from the EMI/Odeon label at the start of the 70s – particularly the mix of samba and bossa elements with larger funky arrangements, then given a more sophisticated twist – as you'd find in the music of Marcos Valle! Most of these tunes are instrumental, and there's some really wonderful organ work on a number of the titles – on tracks that include "Procura Se Uma Virgem", "Grilo", "Uma Velha Bossa", "Ba Oba Oba", "Vamos Nos", "O Anjo E O Diabo", and "Tema De Amor". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Airto – recorded after his 70s years on bigger labels, but a set that almost tops all of them in the end! There's a wonderful mix going on here – a blend of rootsy and electric, and Latin and Brazilian – the former clearly from the placement of the record on New York's Montuno label – an imprint that did plenty of great sessions filled with Latin jazz! The shift makes for a fresh one for Airto – still plenty of room to show off his famous percussion impulses, yet in a slightly different way – often grooving in a Latin fusion mode that's a nice maturation from the CTI years. The set's filled with all-star players – including Jorge Dalto on electric piano, Raul De Souza on trombone, Joe Farrell on flute, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Oscar Castro Neves on keyboards, guitar, and cavaquinho – and the lovely Flora's also on board to sing a bit on the set. Titles include the extended jammer "Tombo", plus "Aqui Se Pede", "Jump", "The Return", "Sin Salida", and "Anatelio". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Airto records ever – a really overlooked record cut for the mostly-Latin Montuno label in the 80s! The album's quite spare, and almost more in a Latin mode at times – given the harder percussion on the set, and the firey recording style given to the set by Montuno – but it also echoes some of the great spare styles that Airto used in his first American recordings, too – the sessions he cut for Cobblestone/Buddah right at the start of the 70s. Airto plays a range of percussion instruments, and Flora's on the set adding in some vocals – and the record also features great keyboards from Jorge Dalto, whose sound really ties thigns together nicely. Includes the classic "Samba De Flora", plus "Yahna Amina", "El Fiasco", "Dedos", "La Puerta", "Parana", and "Latin Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

CTI Records meets that Brazilian fusion sound of the 70s – served up here on two classic albums! Fingers is one of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real! Deodato In Concert is an excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight 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 those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. 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", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! CD

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A brilliant new vision for the legendary Banda Black Rio – the pioneering samba, soul and funk combo that broke so much ground in the 70s and remain vital to this day – led here by William Magalhaes, in a mode that celebrates decades of the best Brazilian music, while fearlessly moving it forward! William's father Oberdan Magalhaes was a driving force behind the original Banda Black Rio, and we couldn't really imagine a more appropriate new vision for the group than his son's. William wrote or co-wrote each track and he sings, plays keys and synth, guitar, bass, drums and more. The expansive group brings a depth of percussion, horns, strings and vocals – delivering timeless and dexterous jazzy Brazilian funk and dancefloor soul. The guest list includes classic and contemporary greats like Seu Jorge, Elza Soares, Marcio Local, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and others! Includes "Louis Lane" with Seu Jorge & Mano Brown, "Super Nova Samba Funk (9 No Samba)", "America Do Sul", "Isabela" feat Elza Soares and Cesar Camargo Mariano, "Samba Nova", "Quem Vem La" feat Marcio Local, "Deixa Estar" feat Aleh, "Lindos Olhos" feat Seu Jorge and Don Pixote, "Paname" feat Pyroman, "Final Feliz", "Irere" feat Gilberto Gil, "Aos Pes Do Redentor" feat Caetano Veloso and more. 16 tracks on the CD version. CD

Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past – not just the 70s, but also that late 90s/early 00s period when it seemed like all these new ideas were coming together in Brazilian music, with a way of pushing the best bits of the past forward into a restyled vision for the future! The instrumentation here mixes lots of acoustic touches on percussion and guitar with just the right use of electronics – delivered on a number of cuts by Batata Boy, who co-produced and arranged the album with Bruno. There's a few other singers along the way, too – and titles include a beautiful remake of Arthur Russell's "Love Comes Back", plus "Sonho", "Margem Do Ceu", "E So Voce Chegar", "Dizer Adeus", "New Hit", and "Te Amar Eterno". CD

Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past – not just the 70s, but also that late 90s/early 00s period when it seemed like all these new ideas were coming together in Brazilian music, with a way of pushing the best bits of the past forward into a restyled vision for the future! The instrumentation here mixes lots of acoustic touches on percussion and guitar with just the right use of electronics – delivered on a number of cuts by Batata Boy, who co-produced and arranged the album with Bruno. There's a few other singers along the way, too – and titles include a beautiful remake of Arthur Russell's "Love Comes Back", plus "Sonho", "Margem Do Ceu", "E So Voce Chegar", "Dizer Adeus", "New Hit", and "Te Amar Eterno". LP, Vinyl record album

Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past – not just the 70s, but also that late 90s/early 00s period when it seemed like all these new ideas were coming together in Brazilian music, with a way of pushing the best bits of the past forward into a restyled vision for the future! The instrumentation here mixes lots of acoustic touches on percussion and guitar with just the right use of electronics – delivered on a number of cuts by Batata Boy, who co-produced and arranged the album with Bruno. There's a few other singers along the way, too – and titles include a beautiful remake of Arthur Russell's "Love Comes Back", plus "Sonho", "Margem Do Ceu", "E So Voce Chegar", "Dizer Adeus", "New Hit", and "Te Amar Eterno". LP, Vinyl record album

Heady and heavy work from Billy Bond and La Pesada Del Rock & Roll – a guitar heavy group from Argentina, and one with plenty of blues rock overtones! The guitars are definitely turned up to 11 here – jamming with an intensity to match some of the best hard rock sides from Peru reissued by the Lazarus label in recent years – and like those sets, there's a sound here that's an intensification of earlier beat group modes – taken into much harder territory for the 70s. The production is great – earthy, trippy, and a little bit spooky – and the album's got an oddly unsettling feel, one that's familiar at first, but then increasingly estranged as the record moves on. Quite compelling, and with 16 tracks that include "Dueno De Tu Piel", "El Parque", "Buen Dia Senor Presidente", "Divertido Reventado", "Salgan Al Sol", "La Maquina", "Voy A Ver Un Amigo", "Para Que Nos Sirven", and "La Marcha De San Lorenzo". CD

A crowning classic from maestro Waltel Branco – a Brazilian talent who could be smooth and sophisticated, but also pretty darn funky too – especially on this famous album from this 70s! The set takes off in a large ensemble vein of Brazilian grooves from a few years before – kind of more of a kick to the Blue Brazil/Odeon generation, as Branco works with a large string and horn section, but also ensures lots of tightness in the rhythms, and sweet electric touches on keyboards. There's a bit of Brazilian percussion at times – which let you know you're not in familiar CTI territory – and as with so many other great Brazilian albums of the time, the production is superb – really different than on American records of this nature. Titles include "Lady Samba", "Jael", "Satiricon", "Walking", "Luar Do SErgao", "Petit Fils", and "Zoraia". LP, Vinyl record album