A rare American session from the Quarteto Em Cy – working here under the name of The Girls From Bahia, and singing in English as well as Portuguese! The album's got a sound that's quite similar to the group's classic 60s Brazilian records on Elenco – thanks to bossa-heavy backings from Oscar Castro Neves – and even when singing in a second language, the girls do a really great job of hitting the sweetest, warmest harmony notes they can – that trademark vocal brilliance that made them such a huge act back in Brazil! Sonny Burke produced, but he clearly gives plenty of space to Oscar – as the album's got little of his usual Warner touches – and instead shows that when you've got the right talent in the studio, you can do a pretty good job of recording bossa in the US. Titles include "Berimbau", "Tem Mais Samba", "Edmundo (In The Mood)", "Lai Ladaia", Morrer De Amor", "Sunny Side Of The Street", "Road To Nowhere", "Old Piano Roll Blues", "The Day It Rained", "E Nada Mais", "Manhattan", "Dindi", and "A Banda (Parade)". (Brazil, Vocalists) CD

A bit different than the early R&B work of Nellie Lutcher, but great too – a unified album of jazzy material, cut with backings by the great Russ Garcia! Titles include "It Had To Be You", "Three Little Words", "Blue Skies", "You Made Me Love You", and "Sunny Side Of The Street". LP, Vinyl record album

All of Prima's sides for Capitol from the late 50s and early 60s, plus wife and colleague Keely Smith and band leader Sam Butera's solo work from the era in an incredible 8 CD box! We often think of Louis as kinda of a loungey, Vegas cool cat, but what is so awesome about the material you'll find here is how furiously manic so much of it is. The first 3 discs document Prima at his wild, hard-swinging studio best – and could give Tito Puente a run for his money in the sweaty big-beat department! Tracks include "Buona Sera", "Just A Gigolo/I A'int Got Nobody ", "Jump, Jive, And Wail", "The Closer To The Bone", "Pennies From Heaven", "Pump Song", "Fee Fio Foo", "Lazy River", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and tons more. Discs 4 covers live sets at the Harrah's Club and the Sahara, and includes "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "A Foggy Day", "Robin Hood", "Judy", and "Greenback Dollar Bill". Discs 5 & 6 cover Keely's sweeter but nearly as great sides, with Nelson Riddle and others, and tracks include "I Wish You Love", "It's Magic", and "Nothing In Common" and "How Are Ya' Fixed For Love?" with Frank Sinatra. Finally, Sam Butera's solo work is collected on the last 2 discs, returning things to Prima-style rockin' jazz, and including "Bim Bam", "Twinkle In Your Eye", "Bugs", "Tennessee Waltz", "Better Twist Now Baby", and "I'll Feel Good All Over". Great stuff from one of the tightest working units from the era, and a real treat to have in one place! CD

A lovely set of mellow tracks – featuring the vocals of Luciana Souza and subtle instrumental backing by Romero Lubambo, Marco Pereira, and Walter Santos. The format is simple and clear – and the set has all the gentle warmth of the best titles on the Biscoito Fino label – with titles that include "As Praias Desertas", "Doce De Coco", "Pra Dizer Adeus", "Suas Maos", and "Baiao Medley". (Brazil, Vocalists) CD

Genius work from Nancy Wilson – the kind of Capitol Records gem that was partly jazz, partly soul, and very much in that special territory that made Wilson one of the most mature, sophisticated singers of the 60s! The record's got Nancy working through some material with bluer currents, sometimes in a mode that's late night in the instrumentation – but never in the older style of torch tunes. Instead, arrangers Billy May, Olver Nelson, and Sid Feller really keep things groovy – matching the newer spirit that Wilson brings to her music – which results in superb readings of songs throughout. Titles include some nice lesser-known material – like "River Shallow", "Free Again", "Only The Young", "The Right To Love", and "Over The Weekend" – plus versions of "Lush Life", "Midnight Sun", and "Sunny". CD