Always-lovely work from Sabrina Malheiros – serving up a sublime blend of Brazilian roots and soulful overtones – a style that's easily made her one of the best artists on the Far Out label over the years! Sabrina's got a family lineage that traces back to Azymuth – and the music here has the similar blend of fusion instrumentation, earthy Brazilian percussion, and soaring American soul that you'll find in the best classics by that group – all with the added special spark that comes from her sweet vocals too! Production and arrangements are by Daniel Venom Maunick, who brings in a slight dose of Incognito soul too – really making for a record that's quite possibly the best we've heard from Sabrina so far – and that's saying a heck of a lot. Titles include "Lirio De Venus", "Bobeira", "Opara", "Candeia", "Fragil", "Can't Hide Love", "Primeira", and "Paranoia". CD

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

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

One of the more obscure Brazilian harmony bossa albums of the 60s – yet a set that we'd put right up there next to our favorite work from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – and maybe some of the even groovier acts recording down in Brazil! Mario Castro Neves is best known as a piano player and arranger – and he brings a jazzy vibe to this set, working with a core trio that features Normando on drums and Novelli on bass – while also opening the door to work from female singers Thais and Biba, who soar together in a breezy duet mode – very Brasil 66, but leaner and groovier too – with some scatting qualities that also show an influence from European jazz! There's a sparkling sound here that's strongly influenced by bossa, but which also has some sunnier 60s touches too – and Mario's arranging skills are at an all-time high on the lightly dancing rhythms of the tunes. Titles include "Candomble", "Nana", "E Nada Mais", "Keep Talking", "Once More", "Ta Por Fora", and "Morte De Um Deus De Sal". CD

One of the more obscure Brazilian harmony bossa albums of the 60s – yet a set that we'd put right up there next to our favorite work from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – and maybe some of the even groovier acts recording down in Brazil! Mario Castro Neves is best known as a piano player and arranger – and he brings a jazzy vibe to this set, working with a core trio that features Normando on drums and Novelli on bass – while also opening the door to work from female singers Thais and Biba, who soar together in a breezy duet mode – very Brasil 66, but leaner and groovier too – with some scatting qualities that also show an influence from European jazz! There's a sparkling sound here that's strongly influenced by bossa, but which also has some sunnier 60s touches too – and Mario's arranging skills are at an all-time high on the lightly dancing rhythms of the tunes. Titles include "Candomble", "Nana", "E Nada Mais", "Keep Talking", "Once More", "Ta Por Fora", and "Morte De Um Deus De Sal". LP, Vinyl record album

Light and lively work from the great Gal Costa – a set that's light years away from her Tropicalia experiments of a decade before, but which is equally beautiful in its own sort of way! First off, Gal's vocals are amazing – more expressive and dynamic than in the early days – with a range of different emotions that comes off wonderfully, and without some of the heaviness of some of her contemporaries – such as Maria Bethania. The arrangements, while not entirely tropical, mix together jazz choro modes with more contemporary touches – providing a surprisingly strong, sparkling backdrop for the lyrics! The album features a nice remake of "India", plus the tracks "Forca Estranha", "Olha", "Meu Nome E Gal", "Balance", and "Samba Rasgado". LP, Vinyl record album

A live bit of bossa vocals from Lennie Dale – recording here with some cooking accompaniment from the Bossa Tres trio! The format is very spontaneous and relaxed – similar to an American live jazz vocal date of the time, but with a bossa groove instead – one that's a perfectly showcase for Dale's lively vocals and strong sense of showmanship – singing here in both English and Portuguese! Luis Carlos Vinhas' piano playing sparkles throughout, and although recorded in a club, the set has all the crystal clarity you'd expect from the Elenco studio sides of the time. Many tunes are done in pot-pourri fashion – shifting easily between themes of a few different tunes – and titles include "No Dollar Bills", "Day In Day Out", "Old Devil Moon", "O Samba Da Minha Terra", "Improvisacao Bossa Tres", "Bim Bom", and "Samba Do Aviao". CD

An incredible batch of Brazilian fusion – cut by keyboardist Manfredo Fest, and one of the few records he ever waxed in the US during the 70s! The record mixes Fest's soaring Brazilian groove with a tight soulful set of arrangements by Jerry Peters – a bit club-oriented, with a similar sound to some of the other records on the Tabu label at the time, but always sensitive to Fest's playing and writing – especially his Brazilian roots! The record features wonderful vocals by Roberta Davis – a very soulful singer who had a hip wordless style that was similar to Tania Maria's at the time – breezy, scatting, and very nice. Her work really makes the record sparkle, working perfectly with Fest's jazzy electric keyboards in a perfect way! Titles include "Jungle Kitten", "Koko & Leeroe", "Arigo", and "Who Needs It". LP, Vinyl record album

A later album by Joao – but a really lovely live performance that sparkles with the warmth and intimacy of his earlier studio albums! The album's got a total of 13 tracks, all recorded at the Montreux jazz festival in 1985 – with no backing for Joao's voice other than his light lively acoustic guitar, which holds up extremely well over the nearly 70-minute long performance. Titles include "Estate", "Menino Do Rio", "Adeus America", "Rosa Morena", "Sandalia De Prata", and "Sem Compromiso". CD

One of the grooviest records cut by this incredibly groovy combo! The Gimmicks are a sweet pop harmony combo from Sweden – in a style that's a lot like Brasil 66 or Bossa Rio – and like the work of those two in the early 70s, this 1972 set shows The Gimmicks expanding their sound a lot, picking up influences from 70s LA pop, electric samba from Brazil, and some of the hipper styles of European pop-oriented grooves. The record's got a sparkling electric sound and some really wonderful harmonies – and tracks include "Que Maravilha", "Once I Loved", "Somewhere In The Hills", "Colours Of Love", "It's Too Late Baby", "Ye Me Le", "Pais Tropical", and "Stone Slipper Cindy". (Vocalists, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful work from Joyce – a set that's as lovely as its name, and which contains a wonderful array of work from the less-collected years of her career! Most other Joyce collections focus on her older sides for EMI Brasil, but this set seems to offer more recent recordings – all done in a spare, but lively style that mixes acoustic guitar with earthy percussion, occasional jazz solos, and Joyce's always-warm vocals! Notes are all in Japanese, so the origin of the tracks is a bit obscure – but the album's got a magic power that sparkles only in Joyce's best work, and really presents her at the top of her unique style. Titles include "Sao Salvador", "O Chines E A Bicicleta", "Waters Of March", "Tenderly", "Estrada Do Sol", "Menini Das Laranjas", "Samba Da Zona", "Essa Mulher", and "Receita De Samba". CD

Pure brilliance from the lovely Joyce – an album that sparkles wonderfully throughout – in just the way we love from her older classics! The passage of years hasn't dimmed her beauty at all – and both Joyce's vocals and acoustic guitar work are sublime – lively, but in a really subtle way – with plenty of jazz inflections, and a mix of bossa roots that goes way beyond just about any other artist who tries to work in territory like this! Even after decades of recording, Joyce has this really unique, really sublime approach to her music that makes her records unlike anyone else's – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Puro Ouro", "Estado De Graca", "Aquelas Cancoes Em Mim", "Claude Et Maurice", "Quero Ouvir Joao", and "Tudo". CD

An amazing little record – a 70s session that we'd easily rank right up there with the best recordings ever from Joyce, but one that's only being issued here for the first time ever! The sound is brilliant – that beautiful mix of strong and sweet that you'll always find when Joyce is at her best – and the set features equally wonderful contributions from Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Mauricio Maestro on bass, vocals, and guitar! All sounds are acoustic, but have this otherworldly feel – that buoyant, sparkling sort of quality on Joyce classics like Feminina or Agua E Luz – the there's a driving sense of rhythm that really moves the whole album – taking it far past what you might expect from the spare instrumentation. Tremendous stuff throughout, and a musical discovery that has us falling in love with the music of Joyce all over again! Titles include "Clareana", "Metralhadeira", "Nacional Kid", "Tudo Bonito", "Memorias Do Porvir", "Visoes Do Amanhecer", "Chegada", and "Banana". CD

Incredible early work by Nara Leao – some of the most groundbreaking vocals of the bossa era! The arrangements are by Luiz Eca, pianist of the Tamba Trio – and backing is by a small group that includes Eca, Dori Caymmi, and other jazz-tinged players. The overall quality of the backings sounds a lot more like an album recorded five years after the mid 60s – and Nara's mix of bohemian hip and honest bossa sincerity really makes the tracks sparkle wonderfully. Titles include "Samba Da Legalidade", "Canto Livre", "Corisco", "Carcara", "Aleluia", "Incelenca", and "Suite Dos Pescadores". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal funk from the Brazilian scene of the 70s – one of those really rare, really one-of-a-kind albums – but one that also seems to perfectly sum up the sound of the times as well! Di Melo's a mighty funky cat – and works here with these bass-heavy arrangements from Geraldo Vespar – very groovy and filled with lots of influence from American soul of the time, yet delivered in a style that's decidedly Brazilian too! There's a sense of sparkle to the album that recalls the charm of Jorge Ben in his funkiest modes – but Vespar also brings in some nicely jazzy flourishes too – especially on the keyboards and horn passages, which really go past the usual EMI/Odeon modes of the time. The whole thing's great – a soulful treasure all the way through – and titles include the funky classic "A Vida Em Seus Metodos Diz Calma", plus "Kilario", "Aceito Tudo", "Pernalonga", "Jodao", "Alma Gemea", "Se O Mundo Acabasse Em Mel", and "Minha Estrela". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent instrumental work from Sergio – less in the bossa mode of his other instrumentals from the 60s, recorded with a sweet electric piano groove, and some dreamy 60's arrangements by Dave Grusin! "Comin Home Baby" is as great as any version of the tune – spanking and sparkling with a driving groove underneath! (Funky 45's, Brazil) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A new record by the legendary Sergio Mendes – bursting into the 21st century on a catchy wave of Will I Am production – reworking gems from the Brazilian songbook and more with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, India Arie, Black Thought, Chali 2Na, Marcelo D2, John Legend and others! Will I Am has been annoying hip hop purists for years thanks to the relentless candy-coated pop gloss of recent Black Eyed Peas records – but he brings an intelligent, reverent and educated approach to the Brazilian keys legend Sergio Mendes – whose familiar grooves are a lovely accomplice to the sparkling hip hop/pop background. The guest stars seem to be here out of genuine love of the music – and provide far more graceful appearances than we would have expected! A very sweet surprise with bright, warm, and lovely moments – almost good enough for us to forgive Will I Am for "My Humps"! Tracks include "Mas Que Nada" feat Black Eyed Peas, "Berimbau/Consolacao" feat Stevie Wonder & Gracinha Leporace, "That Heat" feat Erykah Badu & Will I Am, "Let Me" feat Jill Scott & Will I Am, "Please Baby Don't" feat John Legend, "Samba Da Bencao" feat Marcelo D2, "Yes, Yes, Y'All" feat Black Thought, Chali 2Na & others and much more! CD

Warmly mellow work from Marisa Monte – a record that's issued in conjunction with her samba-styled Universo Ao Meu Redor album, but which has a sound that's much more in keeping with her Memorias Cronicas E Declaracoes set from a few years back! The backings here are often mellow and laidback – bits of keyboards and guitar that snake lazily alongside Monte's beautiful vocals – which themselves sparkle and glow with qualities that are far better than we remember from before. Production here is nicely subdued and almost invisible at times – but there's clearly enough magic going on in the studio to make Marisa sound this great, especially in comparison to most of her earlier work. Titles include "Levante", "Aquela", "Garanio", "Quem Foi", "Infinito Particular", "Vilarejo", "Ate Parece", and "Pernambucobucolismo". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session by Vinicius – featuring a 1970 recording in Buenos Aires – with Maria Creuza and Toquinho. Creuza was at her best during the early 70s – and working here with the classic bossa team of poet Vinicius De Moraes and guitarist Toquinho, she really sparkles with a sound that's some of her best singing on record. The trio sing separately or together from track to track – and the set includes a lot of great work that's in the Black Orpheus or Afro Sambas mode. Titles include "Canto De Osshana", "A Felicidade", "Tomara", "Canto De Osshana", "Minha Namorada", "Valsa Da Tunisia", "Lamento No Morro", and a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Irene"! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session by Vinicius – featuring a 1970 recording in Buenos Aires – with Maria Creuza and Toquinho. Creuzza was at her best during the early 70s – and working here with the classic bossa team of poet Vinicius De Moraes and guitarist Toquinho, she really sparkles with a sound that's some of her best singing on record. The trio sing separately or together from track to track – and the set includes a lot of great work that's in the Black Orpheus or Afro Sambas mode. Titles include "Canto De Osshana", "A Felicidade", "Tomara", "Canto De Osshana", "Minha Namorada", "Valsa Da Tunisia", "Lamento No Morro", and a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Irene"! LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful later work from Brazilian guitar legend Baden Powell – an artist whose sound just deepened and got more complex as the years went on! Here, Baden's just playing solo, but with a vibrancy that's amazing – fingers moving across the strings of the guitar in this amazing way, spinning out rhythm and melody at once – and often topped with some vocals by Powell himself – a light-voiced singer with a sound that adds this special sort of personal sparkle to the music! There's plenty of jazz influence at work here, and Baden's got a strong sense of improvisation as well – on titles that include "Odeon", "Vento Vadio", "Garota De Ipanema", "Para Nao Sofrer", "Tributo Ao Meira", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Samba Do Aviao", "Bolina De Papel/A Premiera Vez", and "Interrogando". CD