A great return for the legendary Tom Ze – an artist who'd been brought back to prominence via the efforts of a Luaka Bop compilation – then given this great chance to record for the label on his own! The set's a great return to form for Ze – who sprung from this moment into a renewed period of creative energy – really drawing on his crucial years of groundbreaking sounds in Brazil during the Tropicalia generation, and especially the 70s – when Tom had really moved off into a realm of his own. Most tracks are relatively short, and pretty enigmatic – a flurry of the sounds and verbal experiments that always made Ze so great! Titles include "Jingle Do Disco", "Cortina 3", "Amar", "Ogodo, Ano 2000", "Feira De Santana", "Fliperama", and "Tatuaramba". LP, Vinyl record album

Massively heavy sounds from A Bolha – a Brazilian group who were previously known as The Bubbles, and backed up Gal Costa during the Tropicalia years – but who work here in a fuzzy, bassy groove that's totally great – definitely an heir to the headier sounds of the UK scene at the start of the 70s! The guitars are definitely in full force here, but the basslines drive things along strongly too – echoing some of the Peruvian sounds of the time, but with a bit more Brazilian sophistication – and definitely a musical echo of lessons learned during Tropicalia, even though the set's a fully instrumental one. Organ also figures in the mix too – and titles include "Bye My Friend", "Razao De Existir", "Um Passo A Frente", "A Esfera", and "Neste Rock Forever". CD is beautifully done – with full notes in the great Lion tradition – and bonus tracks that include "Sem Nada" and "18.30 Parte 1". (Rock, Brazil) CD

Brilliant work from one of our favorite Brazilian artists ever – a singer who only seems to get better with age, and who's working here with some beautiful help from Dori Caymmi! Caymmi plays guitar and sings on a good portion of the album with Joyce – helping to flesh out the overall sound and give it a bit more depth – taking Joyce's already-wonderful mix of breezy vocals, bossa rhythms, and light guitar, and inflecting it with a strong sense of history and tradition. With Dori on board, Joyce is actually freed from playing guitar on most of the record – a feature that seems to bring even more force to her vocals – and as usual, husband Tutty Moreno is in the group, providing some lightly dancing rhythms on the drum kit! Titles include "Mercador De Siri", "Rio Bahia", "Jogo De Cintura", "Saudade Da Bahia", "Demoro", "Pra Que Chorar", "Joaozinho Boa Pinta", and "Flor Da Bahia". CD

Fantastic futuristic fusion from Alex Malheiros – best known as the bassist in Azymuth, but equally great here on his own – and in a completely different sort of way! The set's got heavy contributions from keyboardist Daniel Maunick, of Incognito fame – but the record's definitely got that well-crafted blend of jazz funk and Brazilian rhythms you'd know from Alex's legacy, but maybe tuned a bit more towards a 21st Century sort of groove – the right London touches in all the right places, in the best tradition of the Far Out label! Sabrina Malheiros sings on a few cuts, but most numbers are instrumental – and titles include "Retrato", "The Razor's Edge", "Telegramas Para Arp", "O Temporal", "Kuarup", "Alto Verao", and "Requiem For A Storm". CD

A mindblowing record from the great Ed Motta – a set that continues all the warmer, English language elements of his recent albums – but one that also seems to have Ed hitting a new sort of sophistication too! The sound is incredible – almost out-AORing all the global AOR references that Motta's given us in both his own music, and some of the great collections he's done over the years – but there's also more of a special small combo vibe, with some instrumentation on the record that seems even more compelling than usual – and which includes some great guitar moments from Ed, in addition to Fender Rhodes. Take it from us, the whole thing is superb – as appealing to fans of the older soul tradition that Motta inherited in his youth, as it is to people who love jazzy vocals, and even those elite few of us who think that Steely Dan were one of the highest points in 20th Century music. (Ed's with us on that one, by the way!) Titles include "Lost Connection To Prague", "Novice Never Noticed", "The Required Dress Code", "X1 In Test", "The Tiki's Broken There", "Shoulder Pads", and "Your Satisfaction Is Mine". Great bonus tracks here – "Sweetest Berry (alt version organ)", "Sweetest Berry (alt version piano solo)", "Novice Never Noticed (alt solo)", "X1 In Test (alt take 2)", "The Tiki's Broken There (alt take)", and "Your Satisfaction Is Mine (inst version)". (Neo Soul, Brazil) CD

A really unique album from the legendary percussionist Nana Vasconcelos – one that continues the groundbreaking tradition of his 70s work, but with a very special style here! Some of the tracks use overdubs, so that Nana is mixing berimbau, percussion, voice, and other percussion instruments with a sonic complexity that lives up to the best tradition of ECM at the time – still rootsy, but really showing the modernist elements that lie in his music as well! Egberto Gismonti adds in guest guitar on one long track, and there's a bit of strings on the record too – but most of the energy comes from Nana himself. Titles include "O Berimbau", "Vozes", "Ondas", and "Dado". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Believe it or not, the title's a pretty good way to describe this modern Brazilian rock release – as the music's a mish mash of newer beats and grooves, grounded in a hip hop/dance tradition, mixed with samples of older Brazilian rock influences – including stuff by Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso. We like this one a lot better than we expected, and we hardly mind the modern elements, when we can get an occasional treat like a sample of "Bat Macumba", or a remake of "Maracatu Atomico". The latter track is included here in 4 different mixes, and other tracks include "Sangue De Bairro", "Mateus Enter", "O Cidado Do Mundo", "Maco", "Um Passeio No Mundo Livre", and "Baiao Ambiental". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic illustration of the live music tradition on Brazil – one that really arose on records during the 60s, and blossomed strongly on 70s records like this – which feel almost more like an event than a recorded document! The concert features a magnificent meeting of Chico Buarque and Maria Bethania – both very strong talents on their own, balanced in this really great way amidst larger backings from Maestro Gaya – duetting on tunes that really turn into something special from their performance – never a challenge of egos, but instead a wonderful folding of strong ideals. Terra Trio provide the rhythms – and most numbers are Buarque originals – with titles that include "Flor Da Idade", "Vai Levando", "Bem Querer", "Noite Dos Mascarados", "Tanto Mar", "Gota D'Agua", "Com Acucar E Com Afeto", and "Sem Fantasia". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic illustration of the live music tradition on Brazil – one that really arose on records during the 60s, and blossomed strongly on 70s records like this – which feel almost more like an event than a recorded document! The concert features a magnificent meeting of Chico Buarque and Maria Bethania – both very strong talents on their own, balanced in this really great way amidst larger backings from Maestro Gaya – duetting on tunes that really turn into something special from their performance – never a challenge of egos, but instead a wonderful folding of strong ideals. Terra Trio provide the rhythms – and most numbers are Buarque originals – with titles that include "Flor Da Idade", "Vai Levando", "Bem Querer", "Noite Dos Mascarados", "Tanto Mar", "Gota D'Agua", "Com Acucar E Com Afeto", and "Sem Fantasia". CD

A wonderful release on the Trama label – very much in the tradition of Trama's blending of new and old Brazilian styles! Jair is a wonderful singer – with a warm soulful voice that's instantly captivating, and which sounds even better set in the album's well-crafted arrangements. There's bits of jazz and electronics flowing through the mix, but the overall presentation leaves Jair plenty of room to take the lead, interacting magically with guitar and keyboards, and sounding better and better with each new song! Titles include "Bom Dia Anjo", "Dor De Ressaca", "Frio Pra Bem Longe", "Uma Outra Beleza", "Ficar No Escuro", "Local Proibido", "Falso Amor", and "Sou Teu Nego". CD

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

A really unique album from the legendary percussionist Nana Vasconcelos – one that continues the groundbreaking tradition of his 70s work, but with a very special style here! Some of the tracks use overdubs, so that Nana is mixing berimbau, percussion, voice, and other percussion instruments with a sonic complexity that lives up to the best tradition of ECM at the time – still rootsy, but really showing the modernist elements that lie in his music as well! Egberto Gismonti adds in guest guitar on one long track, and there's a bit of strings on the record too – but most of the energy comes from Nana himself. Titles include "O Berimbau", "Vozes", "Ondas", and "Dado". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set of Brazilian-styled cuts – presented here in the long-overdue 6th volume of this legendary series! Decades back, the Glucklich series taught us plenty about Brazilian grooves – especially the sort that weren't always recorded in Brazil, and were sometimes lost to the sands of time – especially as a few of these cuts appeared only on CD back in the day! And in the best Glucklich tradition, there's a few more contemporary cuts nestled in with the classics – making for a hell of of a set list that really lives up to the genius spirit of the series – on titles that include "Brasil Nativo" by Marcia Maria, "Brother Samba" by Midnight Gigolos, "Pe No Chao" by Grupo Ebano, "Come With Me To Rio" by Jon Lucien, "The Mystery Of Man (Truccy rmx)" by Sonzeira, "Mr Jenkins" by Guillermo Reuter, "Sob A Luz Do Sol" by A Bossa Eletrica, "Offering" by Jean Mar Jafet, "Hallo Hoppel" by Wutrio, "Aderico" by The Matheus Combo, and "Sambomambo" by Christian Knobel. (Funky Compilations, Brazil) CD

A stunning set of Brazilian-styled cuts – presented here in the long-overdue 6th volume of this legendary series! Decades back, the Glucklich series taught us plenty about Brazilian grooves – especially the sort that weren't always recorded in Brazil, and were sometimes lost to the sands of time – especially as a few of these cuts appeared only on CD back in the day! And in the best Glucklich tradition, there's a few more contemporary cuts nestled in with the classics – making for a hell of of a set list that really lives up to the genius spirit of the series – on titles that include "Brasil Nativo" by Marcia Maria, "Brother Samba" by Midnight Gigolos, "Pe No Chao" by Grupo Ebano, "Come With Me To Rio" by Jon Lucien, "The Mystery Of Man (Truccy rmx)" by Sonzeira, "Mr Jenkins" by Guillermo Reuter, "Sob A Luz Do Sol" by A Bossa Eletrica, "Offering" by Jean Mar Jafet, "Hallo Hoppel" by Wutrio, "Aderico" by The Matheus Combo, and "Sambomambo" by Christian Knobel. (Funky Compilations, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely later work from Nana Caymmi – just the sort of record that makes her a perfect heir to her family's strong musical tradition! The arrangements are full, but the feeling is close-up and personal – that sense of intimacy that Nana always brings to her best work – in ways that are never in the too romantic or soppy styles that you might get from less-skilled singers. Best of all, there's a slight rasp to her vocals that really comes through well – cutting through the backings and bringing us even closer together. Titles include "Doralinda", "Cantiga", "Ate O Redentor", "Resposta Ao Tempo", "Meu Sonho", "Longe Dos Olhos", "Ate Pensei",a nd "A Cara Do Espelho". CD

Essential Brazilian rock from the 70s! Secos e Molhados were a post-Tropicalia group that drew on some of the work of Brazilian groups before them, and mixed it up with hard rock and glam styles that were coming from America and the UK. The leader of the group was singer Ney Matogrosso, who went onto become a bigger star in his own right – and their music has a haunting sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. Difficult to describe, but very compelling – and a key line in a Brazilian tradition that includes Os Mutantes and the early solo work of Rita Lee. This CD features 26 tracks from their only two albums – including "Tercer Mundo", "Prece Cosmica", "Rondo Do Capitao", "Sangue Latino", "O Vira", "Delirio", "O Hierofante", "Angustia", and "Primavera Nos Dentes". CD

A beautiful early album by Elizete Cardoso – arguably one of the first bossa nova records ever, and a set that features some great early tracks penned by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius De Moraes! The record is a haunting showcase for the genius of Jobim and Vinicius, and it includes early recordings of many many tracks that have now become bossa standards – like "Chega De Saudade", "Outra Vez", "Modinha", "Janelas Abertas", and "Cancao Do Amor Demais". The orchestrations are beautiful – arranged by Jobim, who also plays piano – and featuring a bit of guitar from Joao Gilberto, amidst flute, trombone, trumpet, and a bit of strings. Elizete's voice is richer and more emotional than that of most of the later bossa divas – and the record is a key link in a number of Brazilian musical traditions! CD

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

Mid 70s and mellow work from two legendary Brazilian vocalists – the great Dick Farney and the lovely Claudette Soares, singing here in a set of duets that include a number of classic Brazilian tunes set to lush arrangements. The sound is very classic – kind of a 70s take on an older era, with slight electric touches mixed with more traditional strings and piano – and titles include "Este Seu Olhar", "De Voce Eu Gosto", "Minha Namorada", "O Que E Amar", "Tudo Isto E Amor", "Fotografia", "O Nosso Olhar", and "Castigo". LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 70s and mellow work from two legendary Brazilian vocalists – the great Dick Farney and the lovely Claudette Soares, singing here in a set of duets that include a number of classic Brazilian tunes set to lush arrangements. The sound is very classic – kind of a 70s take on an older era, with slight electric touches mixed with more traditional strings and piano – and titles include "Nos", "Chuva", "Nick Bar", "Ela Foi Embora", "Tomara", "O Amor Em Paz", and "Apelo". LP, Vinyl record album

A real departure for Marisa Monte – an album of samba tunes done in mostly traditional modes! The style here is often simple and classic – bits of guitar, percussion, cavaquinho, and slight use of keyboards to warm things up a bit – but mostly in a way that allows for the strongest focus on Marisa's vocals, and only a hint of the playfully modern touches of some of her other work. Guest stars include David Byrne, Paulinho Da Viola, Daniel Jobim, and others – but the real focus here is on Marisa, on titles that include "Universo Ao Meu Redor", "Statue Of Liberty", "Tres Letrinhas", "Perdoa Meu Amor", "Cantinho Escondido", "Vai Saber", "Para Mais Ninguem", and "Quatro Paredes". LP, Vinyl record album

A set of warm and jazzy instrumental tunes, with plenty of traces of more traditional Brazilian music – performed by the group No Em Pingo D'Agua, joined on this occasion by pianist Cristovao Bastos. The feel is light and free, with plenty of interplay between piano, guitar, and flute – and titles include "Amigo Bandolim", "Valsa Dos Peixes", "De Um No", "Merci Nanci", "De Soslaio", "Travessuras De Maira", and "Domingo Na Geral". CD

Pure genius – a lost Nara Leao album from the late 60s, and a key piece in the puzzle of late 60s Tropicalia – a set we'd place right next to equally important records by Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Os Mutantes! Although Leao always gets cited as one of the more revolutionary Brazilian artists, her best work is usually incredibly elusive – often obscured by some of her more traditional, or more bossa-oriented records. This one features the lady at her most experimental – singing in this dark mode with great arrangements from Rogerio Duprat – the backstage architect of so many other important Tropicalia albums of the time. The arrangements are wonderful – with a spooky baroque quality that will haunt you long after the Mutantes crazy guitars have died down – the more subtle side of the Brazilian palette during this revolutionary period, and work that arguably had a much longer-lasting effect. Titles include "Mulher", "Infelizmente", "Tema De Os Inconfidentes", "Anoiteceus", and "Quem E". CD

Less of a "best of" than some of the other titles in this series – but some fantastic rare work by this excellent tenor sax player! This 20 track set features 12 numbers from a fantastic album that Pixinguinha cut in 1968 with Clementina De Jesus and Joao Da Bahiana, a great little record that was sort of a traditionalist session with a bit of a modern feel. The other 8 tracks have "?" as the copyright date, but they sound to us like they were recorded slightly afterwards, as Pixinquinha's tenor is set in some driving modern samba arrangements – occasionally with a bit of organ. The inclusion of this rare material makes Pixinquinha's set one of the best in this "roots of samba" series – and it's also a wonderful complement to the 2CD retrospective of his work on BMG. Titles include "Samba Do Urubu", "Yao", "Cabide De Molambo", "A Tua Sina", "Batuque Na Cozinha", "Carinhoso", "Estacio, Mangueira", and "Samba Funebre". CD

Beautiful bossa work from Toco – a session recorded in Rio with production by S-Tone, and featuring some wonderful acoustic guitar from the legendary Roberto Menescal! Menescal's presence here really helps give the record a classic grounding – a sense of depth and history that surpasses even Toco's great debut – and which is made even better by the presence of Rosalia De Souza on guest vocals on a number of tracks! As with Rosalia's recent Rio sessions, there's a sound here that's warmer, jazzier, and even more traditionally bossa-based than previous Schema releases – with a bit less of a dancefloor focus in the rhythms, and a lot more live instrumentation! All numbers feature small combo backing, and titles include "Litoral", "Zum Zum", "Assuntos Banais", "Bom Motivo", "Samba Noir", "Barracao", "Voz Da Lapa", and "Contradicao", which features guest vocals from Coralie Clement! (New Grooves, Brazil) 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". CD

A slightly traditional set from Brazilian vocalist Gal Costa – but a great one too, and record that demonstrates a new sense of poise and grace in her vocals in recent years! The material here is mostly bossa – work that pre-dates Gal's initial time on record, but which is delivered here with a sensitivity that's wonderful – never too "easy", despite the familiarity of the tunes, and handled with just that right sense of contemplation and expression with which Jobim and others first penned the tunes. Backing is small combo jazz by a quartet with flute, guitar, bass, and drums – and although live, the sound is nicely close up and intimate – really fitting the mood of the songs. Titles include "Fotografia", "Nada Alem", "Corcovado", "Garota De Ipanema", "Wave", "Samba Do Aviao", "A Felicidade", "Triste", and "Ave Maria No Morro". CD