A legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible 70s work from the lovely Astrud Gilberto – a rare effort for the CTI label that has her teaming up with arranger Eumir Deodato and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine – all in a groove that's totally different than most of her earlier work! Astrud's breathy vocals are still wonderfully intact – but they're given a more spacious approach in the arrangements – strings mixes with rolling basslines, soaring keyboards, and stone cold tenor from Stanley – in a groove that's simply wonderful, and which takes off in a whole new direction than before! Other players include Airto, Sivuca, Hubert Laws, and Dom Um Romao – and tracks include classic versions of "Ponteio", "Vera Cruz", and "Zazueira" that are all some of the most grooving takes on the tunes ever – plus "Historia De Amor", "Where There's A Heartache", "Brazilian Tapestry", and "Wanting Things". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking moment in Brazilian pop culture! The 3rd International Festival of Song in Rio was fraught with controversy – Brazilian music was at a crossroads, and the new experiments of some of the younger groups didn't really sit well with the more conservative audiences in the country (or the newly repressive government.) This 3rd volume features artists who recorded for Odeon – and includes a rare version of "Dia De Vitoria" sung by Marcos Valle with Golden Boys, and arrangements from Eumir Deodato – plus the tracks "Dois Dias" by Dori Caymmi, "Meu Sonho Antigo" and "Negroide" by Taiguara, "Tempo De Partir" by Clara Nunes, "Pra Nao Dizer Que Nao Falei Das Flores" by Vocalistas Modernos, "Mare Morta" by Mary Lauria, "Plenilunio" by Luiza, and "Sonho" by Maria. LP, Vinyl record album