Doug Richards arranging songs by Antonio Carlos Jobim for a large jazz orchestra – with vocals from Laura Ann Singh. (Jazz, Brazil) CD

A set that's mostly solo from guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento – yet one that's not like the solo Brazilian guitar records from years back, as Fabiano handles a range of different instruments, often overlaying them during the course of a performance – so that he works here with a wonderful array of sounds, tones, and colors, spun out in a really beautiful way! The guitarist's previous records have always had a careful sense of sound – but here, his ear for performance and recording has really taken off – with a sonic depth that's almost at an ECM level at times, but a lot warmer too – as Fabiano serves up sounds on 6, 7, and 10 string guitars – plus E baritone guitar, Oktav guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, and pedals. There's some very slight guest work on the set – drums on one track, percussion on another, and bass on a third – but almost all the sounds come from Fabiano, on titles that include "Bari", "Abertura", "Paperstrings", "Agua De Estrellas", "Meianoite", "Reflections", and "Coisa 2". CD

A really beautiful early album from Baden Powell, and a really unique one as well – as the set features some guest work from harmonica player Mauricio Einhorn – a very jazzy talent who was a bit like the Toots Thielemans of Brazil at the time! The combination of harmonica and acoustic guitar is great – and production is handled by Roberto Quartin – the sonic maestro who really manages to bring a lot out of this very special meeting of talents. The small combo features bass from Edison Lobo and drums from Chico Batera – and titles include "A Chuva", "Pro Forma", "Tempo Feliz", "Deixa", and "Apelo". CD

A record that's incredibly hard to pin down – and we mean that in the best way possible – a really explosive blend of jazz elements, contemporary rhythms, and all these other wonderful sounds and styles – a globe's worth of music that somehow was created in just a tiny bedroom studio! There's a richness here that's really uncommon for such a production – a quality that instead makes you feel as if some larger ensemble were working out new musical ideas in collaboration – not just a single artist with an uncanny ear for just the right saxophone elements, keyboard moments, and surprising sonic touches. These aren't "jazz loops" or some sort of silly, facile approach to music – and instead, Vasconcelos Sentimento has all the sophistication and depth to make the record well worthy of inclusion in the mighty catalog of the Far Out label. Titles include "Movimento", "Burkina", "Lucca", "Batebate", "Geraldo", "Quebra Coco", "Atraso Granular", and "Tender Strings". CD

Blue-tinged work from Egberto Gismonti – a set that's got an even mellower feel than usual, with lots of very spacious sounds in the mix! Gismonti plays piano, flute, and guitar – mostly the latter, with an acoustic quality that comes into nice play with the ECM style of production – almost abstracting the organic elements into new sonic territory. Other players include Jacques Morelenbaum on cello and bottle, Zeca Assumpcao on bass and rainwood, and Nando Carneiro on synth and additional guitar. All titles are original Gismonto compositions – and titles include "Carmem", "Bianca", "Lundu 2", "Forro", "Alegrinho 2", and "Natura Festa Do Interior". CD