Tremendously beautiful work from one of our favorite-ever artists – performing here in a genre unto itself! We've always loved Seu Jorge's own work – the funky samba tunes and mellower guitar work that have made him one of the most exciting talents from Brazil in recent years – but his performance in Wes Anderson's film The Life Aquatic opened up a whole new side of his talents, an ability to perform in a solo acoustic setting that's even more stripped down than the barest work on his album Cru! In the film, Jorge performs a series of David Bowie tunes translated into Portugese – sung as if they're folksy ballads penned by the singer himself, and done with loads of jazzy inflections that really transform the songs from their original recordings. And while David Bowie doesn't seem too hot on the idea himself (at least according to his "damning with faint praise" quote in the notes), we're really stunned at how beautiful this work is – not a gimmick at all, but really personal, honest interpretations of the tunes that make them Jorge's own through his unique performance. The CD brings together 14 tracks from sessions recorded for the film – many of which were never presented in their entirety on screen, and which were not included at all on the official soundtrack for the movie – which only had 4 Seu Jorge songs in all. Really great stuff throughout – with titles that include "Life On Mars?", "Queen Bitch", "Five Years", "Suffragette City", "When I Live My Dream", "Quicksand", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Changes", and the original "Team Zissou". CD

A brilliant new vision for the legendary Banda Black Rio – the pioneering samba, soul and funk combo that broke so much ground in the 70s and remain vital to this day – led here by William Magalhaes, in a mode that celebrates decades of the best Brazilian music, while fearlessly moving it forward! William's father Oberdan Magalhaes was a driving force behind the original Banda Black Rio, and we couldn't really imagine a more appropriate new vision for the group than his son's. William wrote or co-wrote each track and he sings, plays keys and synth, guitar, bass, drums and more. The expansive group brings a depth of percussion, horns, strings and vocals – delivering timeless and dexterous jazzy Brazilian funk and dancefloor soul. The guest list includes classic and contemporary greats like Seu Jorge, Elza Soares, Marcio Local, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and others! Includes "Louis Lane" with Seu Jorge & Mano Brown, "Super Nova Samba Funk (9 No Samba)", "America Do Sul", "Isabela" feat Elza Soares and Cesar Camargo Mariano, "Samba Nova", "Quem Vem La" feat Marcio Local, "Deixa Estar" feat Aleh, "Lindos Olhos" feat Seu Jorge and Don Pixote, "Paname" feat Pyroman, "Final Feliz", "Irere" feat Gilberto Gil, "Aos Pes Do Redentor" feat Caetano Veloso and more. 16 tracks on the CD version. CD

A killer set that really lives up to the Samba Soul promised in the title – recorded recently by Marcio Local, but done with a solid 70s groove that takes us back to the Jorge Ben generation! The production here is perfect – never too polished, and always with a bit of grit in the grooves – so that the record feels more old-school funky than a current album trying to be retro – lots of great drums underneath keyboards, riffing guitar, and Local's raspily soulful vocals! The whole thing's pretty darn great – easily the best Luaka Bop album we've heard in ages – and it's a modern bit of samba soul we'd rank right up there with Seu Jorge's Carolina album. Titles include "Samba Sem Nenhum Problema", "Preta Luxo", "Minha Rosa", "Resgate", "Quem Pode Pode", "Sentimento Rei", "Happy Endings" by Soul Do Samba, and "Represento". CD

The title's an apt one – as the record's the most earthy and stripped-down effort we've heard from Jair Oliveira so far – a real change from his more beat-centric albums for Trama, and a set that unlocks an especially soulful side in his music! In a way, there's a style here that's a little bit like Seu Jorge's work on Cru – a mix of percussion, acoustic guitar, and warmly raspy vocals that are totally great – served up with an almost universal appeal, despite the language difference. A few elements here are electric, but these are used sparingly, and the acoustic elements in the music always take center stage – which makes for an especially warm sound throughout – even on the more groove-heavy tracks! Titles include "Todo Dia", "Simples", "Eu Voce", "Sete E Meia", "Bracos E Iemanja", "Intacto", "Pele", "Casa Da Dor", and "Eu Tambem Tive Um Sonho". CD

A record that's quite possibly most great for its guest stars – thanks to some excellent performances from Seu Jorge, Joao Donato, and others! Marcelinho Da Lua is fine on his own – a Brazilian producer working his interpretation of beats and rhythms borrowed from a variety of global sources – but the best sound of the record comes through the presence of key guests who transform the sound of each tune, and really mark out a space for themselves on the set. Seu Jorge does an incredible job on the track "Cotidiano" – scatting along with his guitar in a fury that matches any of his best work under his own name. And Joao Donato recalls his days on the 60s New York Latin scene, playing hard-edged acoustic piano on the track "La For a" – a really refreshing change from any of his recent bossa revival work! Other tracks include "Pro Marcelinho Tocar" with Roberto Menescal, "Refazenda" with Mart'Nalia, "Que Cosa Fuera" with Jota Moraes on vibes, "Cristiania 71" with Helen Calaca, and "Tranquilo" with Black Alien & Bi Ribeiro. CD

Roge is the kind of singer who should be huge, if the world had any justice – yet, like some of the best from his scene in Brazil, he's also got this instant charisma that grabs you right away, but which avoids all the cliches of American stardom! The record's got Roge sliding into the sort of raspy charms we love in a Brazilian legacy that stretches back through Seu Jorge and Marcos Valle – a voice that's unadorned and so instantly compelling, you find yourself following it immediately, even past the boundaries of language. Instrumentation on the set is focused, but nice and lean – usually acoustic guitar over rhythms, augmented by enough contemporary production to make you know you're hearing a 21st century set, but not in any sort of clubby or too-slick sort of way. Titles include "Existe Uma Voz", "Pra Vida"," Yemanja", "Curyman", "Misterio Da Raca", "Se Eu For Falar Da Amor", and "Camara". CD

Music from Gilberto Gil, Molejo, Grupo Raca, Royce Do Cavaco, Chico Salles, Jorge Ben Jor, O Rappa, Leandro Sapucahy, Linha De Frente, Kiko, Waldir Azevedo, Molejo, Ze Maria E Seu Orgao, and Maria Alcina. CD

Nice overstuffed "best of" compilation that features work by Veloso that spans from his early Tropicalia years to the stuff he did as a pseudo-new wave artist in the early 80s. 7 cuts alone are from the pivotal year of 1968 – including "Shy Moon", "Lua De Sao Jorge", "Superbacana", and "Soy Loco Por Ti America" – and others are from the mid and late 70s, like "Beleza Pura", "Trilhos Urbanos", "Odara", "O Leaozinho", and "Qualquer Coisa". Not all of this material is available on the other CDs we carry, and the set itself is a great way to begin to get into the work of Veloso, who we feel is one of the greatest musical artists of the late 20th century! CD

A later album from Antonio Carlos E Jocafi – but one that still holds onto the lively samba roots of their best older sides! The instrumentation is a mix of acoustic and electric elements – but usually falls more towards the former – and arrangements are by Cesar Machado, who changes things up a bit throughout the set, shifting styles to fit the musical voice of each individual tune. Titles include "Olho D'Agua", "Teresa Batista", "Dona Flor E Seus Dois Maridos", "Capitaes De Areia", "Conversa P'Ra Boi Dormir", and "Jesuino Galo Doido". CD