One of Flora Purim's 70s classics – an album recorded with that soaring breezy vocal style that she virtually invented – heard here before it got too old, and too copied by other singers! The set's a live one, filled with lots of energy – and recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Fest. Players include David Amaro on guitar, Pat Rebillot and Wagner Tiso on electric piano and organ, Ron Carter on bass, Roberta Silva on drums, Airto on a range of percussion – and guest vocals and a bit of guitar from Milton Nascimento on one track! Airto, Nascimento, and Tiso arranged the set – and tracks include "O Cantador", "Bridge", "500 Miles High", "Cravo E Canela", "Baia", "Uri", and "Jive Talk". CD

One of Flora Purim's 70s classics – an album recorded with that soaring breezy vocal style that she virtually invented – heard here before it got too old, and too copied by other singers! The set's a live one, filled with lots of energy – and recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Fest. Players include David Amaro on guitar, Pat Rebillot and Wagner Tiso on electric piano and organ, Ron Carter on bass, Roberta Silva on drums, Airto on a range of percussion – and guest vocals and a bit of guitar from Milton Nascimento on one track! Airto, Nascimento, and Tiso arranged the set – and tracks include "O Cantador", "Bridge", "500 Miles High", "Cravo E Canela", "Baia", "Uri", and "Jive Talk". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early work from Azymuth – one of the albums that the group recorded when they were really starting to take off on the global scene – burning strong with a soulful fusion vibe, lots of Brazilian rhythm currents, and always hitting all the right notes in their music! The sound here is still relatively spare, and sublimely reliant on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who plays Fender Rhodes, organ, and percussion on the set. Ivan Conti handles the main percussion, though – a great mix of tight work on the drum kit and rootsier, Airto-like elements that are totally great – and the whole thing's driven along nicely by bass and guitar from Alex Malheiros – a perfectly fused lineup that really hits their own groove on the set. Guests include Aleuda on percussion and vocals, Gordinho on surdo, and Doto on repinique – and titles include "Papasong", "Outubro", "Maracana", "Un Amigo", "Carta Pro Airto", and "Dear Limmertz". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best American recordings of Brazilian keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami – even better than his work of the time with Azymuth! The set's got a freer feel than some of the Azymuth sides – allowing Bertrami the sort of freedom he rarely expressed so strongly (at least not until some of his recent albums for the Far Out label.) Tunes dance along on a mix of Brazilian rhythms and west coast fusion – all the while featuring some killer organ and electric piano from Jose, plus drums by Robertinho Silva, sax and flute from Jose Carlos, guitar from Helio Demiro, and guest vocals on one track by Aleuda. Titles include "Partido Alto #2", "Sheds & Weeds", "Parati", "Shot On Goal", and "Bye Bye Brazil". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection that Milestone issued in 1973 that includes tracks from three of Byrd's early 60s Bossa Nova records – Latin Impressions, Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros and Once More/Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova. Byrd and his unamplified guitar are joined by Keter Betts on bass and Bill Reichenbach on drums and Latin percussion; other players are also featured. The tracks are mainly composed by the big names of Bossa Nova – Jobim, Powell, Caymmi, Lyra – but there are several Byrd originals as well such as "Azul Tiple", "Bogota", "Mexican Song No 2", and "Amor Flamengo". CD also includes the album Once More! Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova, a lovely little record from the man who helped Stan Getz find his bossa – and a set that's done with just a bit more backing than usual from Byrd for the time! The album makes nice use of additional percussion, vibes, cello, and a bit of flugelhorn to back up Byrd's work on acoustic guitar – never in a way that dominates too strongly, with just enough added sound to color in the grooves with a slightly deeper tone. Titles include "Presente De Natal", "Three Note Samba", "Limehouse Blues", "Cancao De Nimar Para Carol", "Chega De Saudade", and "Anna". (Jazz, Brazil) CD

One of the grooviest records ever from the lovely Astrud Gilberto – a session that beautifully mixes her usual bossa nova with bits of Sunshine Pop and other hip late 60s grooves – all in a mode that really takes off a lot more than other Gilberto albums on Verve! The style here is really wonderful – upbeat, soaring, and joyous on most of the best numbers – a real transformation of Astrud's usual groove, and a great departure from too familiar bossa nova material. The record's been a little bit lost to the shifting sands of time – possibly because it's not as iconic as it might be – but we totally love it, and really consider it one of Gilberto's best moments ever in the studio. Arrangements are by Albert Gorgoni – and titles include a fantastic long jamming version of the track "Beginnings" that sounds completely different from the Chicago hit, and which is a stunning dancefloor groover! The album also includes an English version of "Canto De Osshana" called "Let's Go", plus a groovy uptempo version of the Bee Gee's "Holiday", and the great cut "Love Is Stronger Than We" from the soundtrack to A Man & A Woman. Other tracks include "Think Of Rain", "A Million Miles Away Behind The Door", "Don't Leave Me Baby", and "Summer Sweet (part 1, part 2 to be continued)". CD

One of Flora Purim's most ambitious albums of the 70s – recorded with larger backings than usual, and some occasional additional vocal help from Urszula Dudziak and Googie Coppola! The "encounter" of the title is a reference to the added players on the set – as Flora's groove is expanded by a host of well-chosen players – some familiar from other Purim records, some making a strong initial appearance here. George Duke plays a host of keyboards on the set, and other musicians include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hermeto Pascoal on keyboards and vocals, Ron Carter on acoustic bass, Alphonso Johnson on electric bass, Ngugu Chancler on drums, Raul De Souza on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, and of course the ever-present Airto on percussion! Flora's vocals are as lovely as ever, and if anything seem to reach even farther to the heavens in a setting like this. Titles include "Windows", "Black Narcissus", "Dedicated To Bruce", "Tomara", and "Latinas". CD

One of Flora Purim's most ambitious albums of the 70s – recorded with larger backings than usual, and some occasional additional vocal help from Urszula Dudziak and Googie Coppola! The "encounter" of the title is a reference to the added players on the set – as Flora's groove is expanded by a host of well-chosen players – some familiar from other Purim records, some making a strong initial appearance here. George Duke plays a host of keyboards on the set, and other musicians include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hermeto Pascoal on keyboards and vocals, Ron Carter on acoustic bass, Alphonso Johnson on electric bass, Ngugu Chancler on drums, Raul De Souza on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, and of course the ever-present Airto on percussion! Flora's vocals are as lovely as ever, and if anything seem to reach even farther to the heavens in a setting like this. Titles include "Windows", "Black Narcissus", "Dedicated To Bruce", "Tomara", and "Latinas". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron Carter, George Duke, Egberto Gismonti, Alphonso Johnson, Robertinho Silva, Hermeto Pascoal, and Ndugu Leon Chancler. Pascoal's reed work is a very nice treat, especially over the warm keyboards of George Duke. Purim's voice is as wonderful as ever, and the album's got lots of nice numbers, like "Ina's Song", "Andei (I Walked)", "Time's Lie", and "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Flora Purim – one of the wonderful west coast bits of Braziliana recorded in the Fantasy Records studios during the mid 70s! The record's a perfect example of the greatness that arose when Brazil's best talents had the chance to work with some of America's best jazz and fusion players – a sublime fusion of talents that resulted in a groove that would dominate the west coast scene for most of the 70s. In this case, Flora's backed by a great group that includes Hadley Caliman, Oscar Castro-Neves, Carlos Santana, Ron Carter, George Duke, Earl Klugh, and Airto – and the set includes a great choice of breezy numbers, perfect for Flora's vocals, like "Vera Cruz", "Silver Sword", "Casa Forte", "Mountain Train", and "Search For Peace". CD

Excellent work from Flora Purim – one of the wonderful west coast bits of Braziliana recorded in the Fantasy Records studios during the mid 70s! The record's a perfect example of the greatness that arose when Brazil's best talents had the chance to work with some of America's best jazz and fusion players – a sublime fusion of talents that resulted in a groove that would dominate the west coast scene for most of the 70s. In this case, Flora's backed by a great group that includes Hadley Caliman, Oscar Castro-Neves, Carlos Santana, Ron Carter, George Duke, Earl Klugh, and Airto – and the set includes a great choice of breezy numbers, perfect for Flora's vocals, like "Vera Cruz", "Silver Sword", "Casa Forte", "Mountain Train", and "Search For Peace". LP, Vinyl record album