Beautiful work by one of the true geniuses of Brazilian music – an artist whose career started in the bossa nova generation, then stretched out with an amazing sense of scope and sound! All of Edu's early gems are here – in a set list that includes the classic "Upa Neguinho", plus recordings with Tamba Trio on "Reza", "Boranda", "Arrastao", and "Cancao Do Amanhecer" – and vocals by Joyce on "Rei Morto Rei Posto", Dori Caymmi on "Desenredo", and Maria Bethania on "Pra Dizer Adeus" – as well as the cuts "Memorias De Marta Sare", "Lero Lero", and "Quase Sempre". LP, Vinyl record album

An ambitious larger production from the team of Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque – the famous stage musical O Grande Circo Mistico, based on the poem by Jorge De Lima, and featuring a range of top-shelf performers that includes Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento, Jane Duboc, Zizi Possi, Simone, and Tim Maia! The work has a serious style that's in keeping with some of Lobo's more contemplative work of the 70s – but also has some of the more dynamic horn arrangements that were also showing up in his work. And as you'd guess from the title, there's a bit of a "circus" feel in the air – but one that's musically playful, and never too kitschy. Titles include "Meu Namorado", "Sobre Todas As Coisas", "Na Carreira", "O Circo Mistico", "A Bela E A Fera", "A Historia De Lily Braun", and "Beatriz". LP, Vinyl record album

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 incredible treasure of Brazilian music – an obscure but landmark set from the great Jose Mauro, and one of the few records ever issued on the legendary Quartin label! There's a soaring brilliance here that easily matches the best early 70s work from Milton Nascimento and Edu Lobo – with perhaps some of the more complicated styles that Marcos Valle was also bringing to his music at the time too – all wrapped up with just the right mix of full orchestrations, acoustic guitar, and lead vocals from Jose. Production is amazing – possibly one of the best studio efforts ever from Roberto Quartin – and although issued on a tiny label, the record stands head and shoulders with the giants of MPB in the early 70s. Titles include "Obnoxius", "Memoria", "Ponto De Chamada", "Talisma", "Apocalipse", "Ancoradouro", "As Aventuras Sentimentais De Espiroqueta Camargo", and "Tarde De Nupcias". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic bossa mixed with more ambitious touches for the 70s – easily one of the greatest records ever to come from the team of Vinicius and Toquinho! The record has vocals by both, often layered on top of each other with a wonderfully spacious feel that spreads out beautifully between the speakers – and instrumentation features Toquinho's acoustic guitar supported by fuller, jazzier backings from Francis Hime and Edu Lobo – both of whom hit that sublime blend of warmth and space that made their own early 70s Brazilian albums so great! Titles include "Carta Ao Tom 74", "Como E Duro Trabalhar", "Samba Da Volta", "Samba Pra Vinicus", "Samba Do Jato", and "Canto E Contraponto", with a guest performance by Quarteto Em Cy. LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funky fusion from Opa – a Brazilian-inspired set, and one with loads of great electric moments! Although originally from Uruguay, Opa are best known for their Brazilian-tinged albums on the soul/jazz Fantasy records label in Cali during the mid 70s – great placement, given that their sound is a bit like Azymuth – with a similar mix of South American roots and contemporary electric grooves! This album is actually their first – captured in America before their two classics on Fantasy – and featuring a sharp quartet that includes legendary pianist Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards – a great talent who'd already made jazz and bossa records in the 60s – working here with George Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums, percussion, and flute – plus Ringo Thielmann on bass. The core trio is also joined for this record by percussionist Pappo Atiles – and although there's some light vocal touches, they've got that breezy style that was often used in Brazilian jazz at the time – almost more instrumental than vocal. Titles include a great take on Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" – plus "Back Home (The Inner City)", "Brother Rada", "African Bird", "Goldenwings", "Brooklynville", and "One & One & One Is Two". (Jazz, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic big band work from Luiz Arruda Paes – one of Brazil's most captivating orchestra leaders in the 60s, and an artist who really kept pace with some of the changes going on in his country's music. This record is most famous for Paes' incredible reading of Edu Lobo's "Upa Neguinho", done in a rolling rumbling style that's been made famous as a jazz dance classic over the years. Lots of other stuff on the LP is every bit as great – and tunes include "Ole Ola", "Sonho De Um Carnaval", "A Banda", and "No Rancho Fundo". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A tremendous debut from Tunico – a record that seems certain to begin an amazing legacy in Brazilian music – at a level that has this young musician easily rivaling some of our favorites from the past! The set's got this way of mixing earthy roots with very modern arrangements – all set to warmly jazzy instrumentation, at a level that recalls some of our favorite early 70s experiments by artists like Edu Lobo, Hermeto Pascoal, or Airto – especially the latter two right after they'd left the group Quarteto Novo! Tunico himself plays guitar, and both alto and soprano sax – and the tunes have this way of soaring and gliding wonderfully – rhythms that are very organic, but inflected with all sorts of other unusual phrasing on instruments by the leader and other members of the group – more guitar, plus keyboards, flute, bass, and plenty of percussion. The whole thing's extremely beautiful, with a quality that's hard to put into words – and titles include "Decolagem", "Sambola", "Solar Das Hortencias", "Saudade Do Sucupira", "Galope", and "O Que Vira". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet and jazzy pop from early 70s Brazil – a great little album that we'd rank with our favorites by Marcos Valle and Edu Lobo! Arthur Verocai isn't nearly as well-known as those two, but he works in a similar territory – taking jazz, large arrangements, and nice touches of electric funk – and working them into a groove that has the soaring and ambitious feel of the best post-Tropicalia work of 70s Brazil! This rare gem was self-produced, and fell of the map almost as soon as it was released – but it really deserves wider recognition, and shines with a depth that makes it an instant classic to our ears! Titles include "Presente Grego", "Caboclo", "Pelas Sombras", "O Mapa", "Sylvia", "Karina", "Velho Parente", and "Dedicada A Ela". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa grooves! The Trip To Brazil series has been one of our best-ever Brazilian compilation series – but so far, it's only been on CD – so the folks at Universal Music Germany have deigned to release this limited vinyl sampler, which contains some of the best tracks from volumes 1 and 2! If you know the CDs, you know that they're stellar sets of jazzy bossa and post-bossa grooves – and that the selection of material is fantastic, with little duplication from other compilations of this nature. This 2LP vinyl set features tracks that are some of the bigger dancefloor cuts, and it's great to have them on vinyl in such a handsome format. Tracks include "Tombo in 7/4" by Airto, "Nana" by Moacir Santos, "Zazueira" by Elis Regina, "Cravo E Canela" by MPB4, "Mas Que Nada" by Ithamara Koorax and Azymuth, "Fittipaldi Show" by Marcos Valle and Azymuth, "O Barquinho" by Tamba Trio, "Telefone" by Dom Um Romao, "Influencia Do Jazz" by Carlos Lyra, "Surfboard" by Deodato, "Upa Neguinho" by Edu Lobo, "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" by Marcos Valle, "Samba With Some BBQ" by Paul Desmond, and "Meu Boi Bumba" by Thiago De Mello & Amazon. Great stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Jorge Ben – one that mixes samba soul with more baroque arrangements from the legendary Arthur Verocai! The record's got a different feel than some of Jorge's other work – almost a wider vision of music that ties his usual funky style to some of the more ambitious modes being explored by Marcos Valle and Edu Lobo at the time – expressed here in some larger instrumental passages that shade the tunes lightly, while still letting Jorge step out strongly on vocals and the usual mix of tight percussion and raspy guitar. Titles include "Que Maravilha", "Rita Jeep", "Comanche", "Porque E Proibido Pisa Na Grama", "Cassius Marcelo Clay", "Palomaris", "Maria Domingas", and "Negro E Lindo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the loveliest of all the bossa singers is caught here in some superb arrangements by Oscar Castro-Neves! The set's got a wonderful feel – with moments that are rootsier than your average bossa diva record, and others that are baroque enough to hint at the direction Nara would take a year later with Rogerio Duprat. Production is excellent, and Edu Lobo even guests on the track "De Onde Vens". Other tracks include "Lancha Nova", "Inspiracao", "No Corado Da Saideira", "Camisa Amarela", and "Se Voce Quiser Saber". Fantastic cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy loveliness from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66! The album's one of their true 60s classics for A&M – a sublime blend of female vocals, Brazilian rhythms, and jazzy instrumentation – groovily dancing with a light and breezy sound that influenced a generation, and which still sounds pretty darn fresh to our ears today! The album's filled with great versions of Brazilian tunes – and titles include Marcos Valle's "Viola", Edu Lobo's "Crystal Illusions", Milton Nasimento's "Empty Faces", plus "Song Of No Regrets", "Salt Sea", and "Dois Dias". Nice stuff, and very groovy! LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique little album from Sergio Mendes and Brasil 77 – one that's in a much more rootsy style than any of his other work! The "primal roots" here are taken seriously, and like some of his other contemporaries in Brazilian music, Sergio's looking back a bit, and towards a rural setting for inspiration – pulling together some especially strong styles from the northeast of Brazil, and fusing them with his soaring, jazzier mode of the 60s. The blend is a great one – and the record is easily one of Sergio's greatest – with titles that include Dorival Caymmi's "Promise of a Fisherman", Oscar Castro Neves' "After Sunrise", and a great 18 minute version of Edu Lobo's "Circle Game", with great baroque arrangements. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible stuff – the kind of obscure Brazilian 70s album that first got us into the music in the first place, and which keeps us digging through the racks for more and more over the years! The set is the first album ever recorded by the team of Jaime Alem and Nair De Candia – both of whom sing on the record, either separately, or as a duet. The tracks have a cool jazzy feel, with grooves that might fall somewhere in between Edu Lobo and Egberto Gismonti's music, but which also have a sound all their own. Aw shucks, we'll never describe this accurately, but it's a good one, and if you don't know it, it's a treasure! With the tracks "Das Minhas", "Zabumba Do Nego", "Boi Le Le", "Sob O Mar", and "Nevoa Seca". LP, Vinyl record album

The lovely Marilia Medalha turns her talents to a host of songs penned by Vinicius De Moraes – all numbers done in collaboration with the singer, at a level that's quite different than some of the other Vinicius projects of the time! The poet produced the set, and arrangements are by Edu Lobo and Chiquinho De Moraes – who both bring in this warmly sophisticated style that really makes things interesting – charts handled with that special care that Edu always had for his best work – with a blend of fullness in the setting, but never in a way that overwhelms the vocals. Medalha's got this well-paced, sometimes spacious approach to the music that really opens up the tunes – and titles include "Mr Toquinho", "Se O Amor Pudesse", "Moinho D'Agua", "Algum Lugar", "Ausencia", "Sagarana", "Meu Tempo", and "Distante". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 70s album by this landmark Brazilian vocal group – recorded with a smooth electric feel that works well for their sweet harmonies. The album features songs by Joao Bosco, Livan Lins, Chico Buarque, and Edu Lobo – and the overall sound is different than their 60s work, but great in many different ways. It's because of groups like this that Brazil was able to hang onto a harmony sound long after American groups of the 60s had faded away – and if you dig the Brazilian harmony work of the 70s, you'll like this one a lot. Titles include "O Ronco Da Cuica", "Corrente", "Canto Dos Homens", "Aparecida", "Moreno", "Bola Ou Bulica", and "Negro, Negro". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous new work from Arthur Verocai – the Brazilian legend who's best remembered for his sublime self-titled album from the 70s, but who sounds equally great on this contemporary release! The record has a really classic feel overall – warm, soulful, and filled with plenty of jazzy touches – the best of which are brought to the record by Azymuth, who help Verocai out on about half the album's tracks! But even without their assistance, the whole thing's still plenty darn great – a brilliant batch of original tunes that have a bubbling, mellow sort of majesty – a bit like Marcos Valle or Edu Lobo's best music of the early 70s, and with a similar sort of sophistication as well. Verocai plays acoustic and electric guitar, and vocals are by a variety of guest singers who really get the spirit of the album nicely (including Ivan Lins on one track.) Titles include "Tupa Tupi", "Sucuri", "Abertura", "Bis", "Amor Na Contra Mao", "Caminho Da Roca", "Tudo De Bom", and "Dona Das Meninas". LP, Vinyl record album