A landmark record – both in 60s jazz and bossa nova – and a set that not only bridged worlds of music, but set the tone for so many other albums to come! By the time of this 1964 set, Stan Getz had already issued a few bossa nova experiments on Verve – but this pairing with guitarist Joao Gilberto really pushed the format over the top – thanks in part to the vocals of Gilberto's lovely wife Astrud, who'd never sung in the studio before this famous recording! The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English – and the mix of Stan's tenor and Joao's guitar is wonderful – and backed throughout by this light, lilting bossa nova rhythms. Titles include the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". CD reissue package includes 2 bonus cuts – and a very cool tri-fold cover! CD

A landmark record – both in 60s jazz and bossa nova – and a set that not only bridged worlds of music, but set the tone for so many other albums to come! By the time of this 1964 set, Stan Getz had already issued a few bossa nova experiments on Verve – but this pairing with guitarist Joao Gilberto really pushed the format over the top – thanks in part to the vocals of Gilberto's lovely wife Astrud, who'd never sung in the studio before this famous recording! The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English – and the mix of Stan's tenor and Joao's guitar is wonderful – and backed throughout by this light, lilting bossa nova rhythms. Titles include the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different record than the first collaboration between Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – but that's also one of the things that makes it great! The album's more of a split LP than a shared one – as side one features a live performance from the great mid 60s Stan Getz quartet that featured Gary Burton on vibes – a wonderfully cool combo that was very under-documented on record, and which makes a key appearance here. The combination of Burton's vibes and Stan's tenor is pure genius – a sound that's got all the subtle hues and cool colors of the Getz bossa recordings, but which is quite different overall. Stan's tone is amazing on these tunes – and titles include "Here's That Rainy Day", "Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face", "Grandfather's Waltz", and "Stan's Blues". Side two features Joao Gilberto without Stan – playing in a very groovy trio that's more straight bossa than most of his other US recordings – cool small combo grooving that's totally great! The lineup features Gilberto on guitar and vocals, Keeter Betts on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sweetly grooving mode on titles that include "Samba De Minha Terra", "Meditation", "Bim Bom", "Rosa Moreno", and "O Pato". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record – both in 60s jazz and bossa nova – and a set that not only bridged worlds of music, but set the tone for so many other albums to come! By the time of this 1964 set, Stan Getz had already issued a few bossa nova experiments on Verve – but this pairing with guitarist Joao Gilberto really pushed the format over the top – thanks in part to the vocals of Gilberto's lovely wife Astrud, who'd never sung in the studio before this famous recording! The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English – and the mix of Stan's tenor and Joao's guitar is wonderful – and backed throughout by this light, lilting bossa nova rhythms. Titles include the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". Plus, this CD reissue package includes 2 bonus cuts – and a very cool tri-fold cover! CD

A wonderful return to the sounds of Brazil for Stan Getz – a 70s album that reunites him with Joao Gilberto, but in a style that's somewhat different than the pair's older Verve recordings! The sound here is looser, freer – more in that breezy Brazilian mode that evolved out of the initial bossa years – and Stan's tenor sounds great in the setting, with those loose yet heartfelt lines we love so much from this period! Joao's great too – somehow even more "present" on the record than before, with that amazing ability to do so much with so little – as on some of his own great 70s recordings. Miucha contributes some English language vocals to the record alongside Joao's Portuguese ones, and Oscar Castro Neves handled the arrangements with a nicely stripped-down style that has plenty of focus on the percussion and rhythms. Titles include a sublime English language version of "Aqua De Marco (Waters Of March)", plus the tracks "Double Rainbow", "Falsa Bahiana", "Ligia", "Izaura", "Eu Vim Da Bahia", and "E Preciso Perdoar". LP, Vinyl record album

A later album by bossa legend Joao Gilberto – but with all the fragile brilliance of his best early work! The album features arrangements by Clare Fischer – the wonderful talent behind some of the best Brazilian-tinged jazz sessions of the 60s and 70s, a perfect accompanist to Joao's vocals and guitar for the set. Fischer's orchestrations never get in the way – and Joao is out front in a warm and intimate style, showing a rich expressive power even in his later years. Titles include "I Really Samba", "Sampa", "Smiled At Me", "A Woman", and "My Heart & I". CD

A treasure – some of the first and best bossa nova work ever recorded! This completely essential set compiles most of Joao Gilberto's early recordings for the EMI/Odeon label in Brazil – remarkably influential tracks recorded from the years 1958 to 1961, featuring a young Joao on guitar and vocals, warmly carving out the bossa nova sound that would go on to influence generations of musicians, and which still remains some of his greatest recorded work ever! 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Chega De Saudade", "O Pato", "E Luxo So", "Brigas Nunca Mais", "Saudade Fez Um Samba", "Trenzinho", "Este Seu Olhar", "Lobo Bobo", "O Barquinho", "Trevo De 4 Folhas", and "Aos Pes Da Cruz". CD

A later collection, but one that includes some of Joao Gilberto's great 60s work for Verve. CD

A wonderful album by one of the all-time greats! The record is Joao Gilberto's best in years, and it was produced by Caetano Veloso – in a spare, stripped-down style that's very similar to Joao's classic self-titled album from 1973, with an equally moody sound overall! Veloso used some wonderful recording techniques – and Joao's warm vocals and haunting guitar work are handled in a manner that unlocks all of their dark beauty and charm – without any of the sweetness that sometimes holds back some of his other later recordings. Titles include "Voce Vai Ver", "Segredo", "Chega De Saudade", "Eclipse", "Desde Que O Samba E Samba", "Eu Vim Da Bahia", and "Da Cor Do Pecado". CD

The best of Brazil, old and new – as Joao Gilberto meets up with a younger generation of Brazilian vocalists – Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethania – all for a wonderful session of stripped-down bossa! The work is very much in Joao's best style of the early 70s – a back to basics return, handled with even more intimacy than before – with production by Gilberto, and some beautifully understated arrangements from Johnny Mandel! Tracks are all nice and long, and allow for lots of vocal interplay between the four singers on the set. Titles include "Cordeiro De Nana", "Aquarela Do Brasil", "Milagre", and "Bahia Com H". CD

A landmark record – both in 60s jazz and bossa nova – and a set that not only bridged worlds of music, but set the tone for so many other albums to come! By the time of this 1964 set, Stan Getz had already issued a few bossa nova experiments on Verve – but this pairing with guitarist Joao Gilberto really pushed the format over the top – thanks in part to the vocals of Gilberto's lovely wife Astrud, who'd never sung in the studio before this famous recording! The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English – and the mix of Stan's tenor and Joao's guitar is wonderful – and backed throughout by this light, lilting bossa nova rhythms. Titles include the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". CD features the full mono and stereo mixes of the album – plus bonus 7" single mixes of "Girl From Ipanema" and "Corcovado". CD

Given that Capitol had recently linked up with the ever-growing EMI corporation in the early 60s, it was able to take advantage of the global catalog of the music giant, and managed to dip pretty heavily into the Brazilian Odeon catalog of tunes to cash in on the American popularity of bossa nova. This album was one of their bigger imports, and it features material originally recorded in Brazil, with Gilberto up front, backed by arrangements by Jobim. This is the classic material that made Gilberto's fame in the early days – and titles include "Doralice", "O Pato", "Discussao", "Outra Vez", and "Corcovado". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record – both in 60s jazz and bossa nova – and a set that not only bridged worlds of music, but set the tone for so many other albums to come! By the time of this 1964 set, Stan Getz had already issued a few bossa nova experiments on Verve – but this pairing with guitarist Joao Gilberto really pushed the format over the top – thanks in part to the vocals of Gilberto's lovely wife Astrud, who'd never sung in the studio before this famous recording! The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English – and the mix of Stan's tenor and Joao's guitar is wonderful – and backed throughout by this light, lilting bossa nova rhythms. Titles include the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different record than the first collaboration between Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – but that's also one of the things that makes it great! The album's more of a split LP than a shared one – as side one features a live performance from the great mid 60s Stan Getz quartet that featured Gary Burton on vibes – a wonderfully cool combo that was very under-documented on record, and which makes a key appearance here. The combination of Burton's vibes and Stan's tenor is pure genius – a sound that's got all the subtle hues and cool colors of the Getz bossa recordings, but which is quite different overall. Stan's tone is amazing on these tunes – and titles include "Here's That Rainy Day", "Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face", "Grandfather's Waltz", and "Stan's Blues". Side two features Joao Gilberto without Stan – playing in a very groovy trio that's more straight bossa than most of his other US recordings – cool small combo grooving that's totally great! The lineup features Gilberto on guitar and vocals, Keeter Betts on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sweetly grooving mode on titles that include "Samba De Minha Terra", "Meditation", "Bim Bom", "Rosa Moreno", and "O Pato". CD also features 5 bonus tracks with vocals from Astrud Gilberto – "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Only Trust Your Heart", "Corcovado", "Garota De Ipanema", and "Eu E Voce" – all from the Getz Au Go Go album. CD

The best of Brazil, old and new – as Joao Gilberto meets up with a younger generation of Brazilian vocalists – Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethania – all for a wonderful session of stripped-down bossa! The work is very much in Joao's best style of the early 70s – a back to basics return, handled with even more intimacy than before – with production by Gilberto, and some beautifully understated arrangements from Johnny Mandel! Tracks are all nice and long, and allow for lots of vocal interplay between the four singers on the set. Titles include "Cordeiro De Nana", "Aquarela Do Brasil", "Milagre", and "Bahia Com H". CD

Beautiful! Joao Donato has long been one of our favorite-ever Brazilian songwriters, and this tasty series from Lumiar finally pays him the rich tribute he deserves! The series, like the others on Lumiar, features some of Brazil's greatest artists ever, paying tribute to Donato with loving renditions of his best songs. This third volume features "Lugar Comum" by Leny Andrade, "Minha Saudade" by Gilberto Gil, "Everyday" by Ed Motta & Joao Donato, "Luo Dourada" by Os Cariocas & Joao Donato, "Fonta Da Saudade" by Elza Soares, "A Paz" by Rosa Passos, "Depois Do Natal" by Djavan & Joao Donato. CD

An excellent live set from 1974! Gilberto is playing in a fairly stripped down form, and the recording focuses mostly on his soulful singing and choppy acoustic guitar – although there is a larger group on a few tracks that plays electric guitar and keyboards, but never in a way that interferes with Gilberto's presence. The set has the same moody feeling as his rare 1971 LP on Paramount, with a stripped down sound, and lots of haunting extended tracks. The performance includes a long version of the track "Joao Sabino", plus Joao Donato's "Lugar Comum", Caetano Veloso's "Sim, Foi Voce", and the tracks "Abra O Olho" and "Heroi Das Estrelas". Great stuff, and although it's a live album, it's still one of Gilberto's best records from the 70s. CD

One of the best records we've heard from Gilberto Gil in many, many years – a stripped-down session that focuses on his voice and guitar work – in a style that takes us back to Gil's earliest days in music! The album feels like some lost session that Gilberto might have recorded in the 60s – before his Louvacao debut – done with mostly just a bit of light percussion from the enigmatic Domenico, plus some help from Moreno Veloso – who also co-produced the record as well, with that great sense of space he always brings to his own music too. A few cuts feature extra touches – a bit of accordion, or some flute from Danilo Caymmi – but the main focus is on Gil, who hasn't sounded this great in years – still able to capture our imagination when he works in a straightforward style like this. Titles include "Milagre", "Um Abraco No Joao", "Tim Tim Por Tim Tim", "Eu Sambo Mesmo", "Aos Pes Da Cruz", and "Desde Que O Samba E Samba". CD

A nice assortment of odds and ends from the end of Gil's years at Philips – originally put together for the fabulous Ensaio Geral box set, but issued here finally as a separate package! The material is very striking in comparison with Gil's other work of the early 70s – and shows him moving towards a much fuller sound, and a much more joyous place, emotionally. A number of tracks have instrumentation that expands on Gil's earlier hard guitar sound, with additional keyboards, percussion, and lots of studio production. Joao Donato plays some great electric piano on the cut "A Bruxa De Mentira"; Doces Barbaros join Gil on a rocking version of "Chuck Berry Fields Forever"; Nara Leao sings lovely vocals in duet with Gil on "Sarara Miolo"; and Gil fronts the funky Brazil Very Happy Band on the ironic "Brazil Very Happy Band". Other tracks include "Sala Do Som", "Tipo Africa", "Musico Simples", "E", "Ha Ha Ha", and "Ninguem Segura Este Pais". CD

In a world of supposed crossover Brazilian projects that have mostly lost their roots, the music of Bebel Gilberto is surprisingly refreshing! This daughter of Joao Gilberto (not Astrud) sings in a manner that's in keeping with the classic bossa divas of years past – but she works here in adventurous collaborations with the likes of Thievery Corporation, Amon Tobin, Suba, and Smoke City, which makes for a mixture of styles that freshens up the bossa considerably. Titles include a remake of "So Nice (Summer Samba)", plus "Samba Da Bencao", "Lonely", "Tanto Tempo", "Bananeira", and "Sem Contencao". CD

Rare bossa jazz from the start of the 60s – two great albums on a single CD! First up is Jazza Nova by Paulo Alencar – an amazing lost bossa jazz session recorded in Brazil, but issued here in the US by Atlantic! Paulo Alencar's group is supposedly filled with "all stars" – and even though they're not actually named, the record's got this fantastic jazzy vibe throughout – very much like some of the new experiments in bossa and samba jazz from some of the bigger names of the time – including the larger combo recordings by the young, pre-Brasil 66 Sergio Mendes! Fast rhythms and jazzy solo work throughout – on titles that include "West Samba", "It's Really Bossa", "Bossa No 2", "Where Was I", "Hello, America", and "Zirigidoom". Next is the album Cool Samba – a very nice album of bossa instrumentals, released in the US under the obscure name of "Joao & His Bossa Kings". Joao is listed on the label as Joao Meirelles – also known as JT Meirelles on his more famous Brazilian recordings – and we wonder if Battle gave him the name of "Joao" to make folks think he was Joao Gilberto, who was selling a lot of records at the time! Whatever the case, though, this is a great album of tight little bossa jazz tracks – served up with small combo instrumentation that includes alto, flute, piano, trumpet, and percussion. Titles include "Nacao Nago", "Solucao", "So Danco Samba", "Samba Toff", "Samba Sem Nome", and "Essa Nega Sem Sandalia". CD features the bonus track "Moeda Quebrada" by Paulo Alencar. CD

Bebel's second album for Six Degrees – and quite possibly an even better album than the first! Not one to rest on the laurels of her success of recent years, Bebel seems to diverge a bit from the sound of her initial hit – going for a deeper approach to songwriting, and a musical style that shows she's got a lot more to offer than just bossa remix-styled vocals! The album kicks off with a wonderful take on Os Mutantes' English reading of the Tropicalia classic "Baby" – then rolls into a sweetly laidback set of tracks that borrow a lot from the bossa, but which also have some extremely personal songwriting touches. Overall, there's less beats and more natural instrumentation than before – and the album feautres guest work by Joao Donato and Carlinhos Brown, as well as some great use of strings! Titles include "Winter", "O Caminho", "Ceu Distante", "Next To You", "All Around", "River Song", "Every Day You've Been Away", and "Simplesmente". CD

Two classic bossa albums from the great Johnny Alf! Alf was a key part of the bossa scene in Brazil – an important singer in the pre-bossa years, with a vocal style that linked older traditions with the newer sound of the early 60s. Alf was also an excellent songwriter – and his contributions to the bossa canon number with those of Jobim, Joao Gilberto, or Marcos Valle. The CD features 2 great albums – one from 1961, and one from 1964 – both of which have Alf singing with jazzy backings that work perfectly with his voice. There's a total of 24 cuts in all, and titles include "Moca Flor", "Triste Noturno", "Ceu E Mar", "Rapaz De Bem", "Ilusao A Toa", "Vem", "O Que E Amar", "Termos De Cancao", and "Disa". CD

One of the earliest of the classic Verve bossa nova sessions of the 60s – and a wonderful showcase for the talents of guitarist Luiz Bonfa! Most of Bonfa's previous recordings were done in a very spare or solo mode – and this set makes a nice change by adding in some larger orchestrations – yet still handled with great bossa sensitivity by Oscar Castro Neves and Lalo Schifrin – themselves very big up-and-coming talents at the time! The sound is bright and breezy, as you'd expect from Verve at this time – and Bonfa's a lot livelier than usual, and even sings on a number of cuts – with a charming quality that's a bit like Joao Gilberto. Titles include "Bossa Nova Cha Cha", "Sambalamento", "Vem So", "Samba De Duas Notas", "Domingo A Noite", "Quebra Mar", and "Adeus". 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

A real moment of beauty from Gal Costa in the 70s – a set that moves away from her more experimental music of the Tropicalia generation, and yields a more personal approach overall – one that's quite similar to the best from Caetano Veloso at the time! As with Caetano during this shift, the balance is very complex – still very thoughtful in its approach to the lyrics, and with inventive arrangements from Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Joao Donato – but which have a bit more sentiment and feeling as well. Gal sings some beautiful versions of tracks like Donato's songs "A Ra" (with extra lyrics by Caetano), "Ate Quem Sabe", and "Flor De Maracuja", and Caetano's "Lua, Lua, Lua, Lua" and "Joia" – and the set also include a nice version of "Barato Total", with a guest appearance by Gilberto Gil! CD

A wonderful album from Nara Leao – and one that features her singing duets with some of the greatest talents of the bossa era and beyond – an amazing lineup that includes Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Edu Lobo, Joao Donato, Carlos Lyra, and others! The sound is wonderful – done with an intimate quality that brings a slightly modern variation of older bossa modes – but with some of the cool, dark inflections that Nara always has in her music. Instrumentation includes a fair bit of acoustic elements, and titles include "Repente", "Amazonas", "Cara Bonita", "Nono", "Joao E Maria", and "Sarara Miolo". Great stuff – and one of her best albums from the later years! CD

2 of the earliest albums ever from bossa genius Carlos Lyra – back to back on one CD! The first album, Bossa Nova, definitely lives up to its title – as it features Lyra's wonderful original compositions wrapped around a set of orchestrations that are lightly breezy, and which dance with a slight hint of jazz that often comes from the use of acoustic guitar or vibes on some tracks. The format's similar to some of Joao Gilberto's work of the time – and backings are by Carlos Monteiro De Souza. Titles are all originals by Lyra, and include "O Bem Do Amor", "Chora Tua Tristeza", "Ciume", "Barquinho De Papel", "Rapaz De Bem", "Gosto De Voce", and "Menina". The CD features a whole other album of bonus tracks as well – the similar session Carlos Lyra, also from 1960 – another showcase for Lyra's wonderful skills as a writer! The arrangements on that set are similar, and titles include "Nos Dois", "Mister Golden", "Nada Como Ter Amor", "Vem Do Amor", "Aonde Andou Voce", "De Quem Ama", and "Primeira Namorada". 26 tracks in all! CD

Dreamy bossa pop from the A&M studios of the 60s – the Brasil 66 sound at its best! The style here is a perfect blend of real Brazilian influences and some of the hipper styles bubbling in the LA studio scene of the time – all locked together perfectly by Sergio Mendes, in the twin-voiced style that let Brasil 66 transform any tune they could get their hands on! There's some really great numbers here of Brazilian origin – including Joao Donato's "The Frog", Marcos Valle's "Batucada", and Gilberto Gil's "Roda" – not to mention Sergio's own "Look Around", which is an especially charming number! Other titles include "The Look Of Love", "Pradizer Adeus", and "Like A Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Romantic bossa work from the lovely Sylvia Telles – an album that predates her 60s albums for Elenco, and which almost has an equal amount of jazz in the mix as well! Sylvia was one of the few Brazilian singers of her generation who could work equally well in English as well as Portuguese – and one track here is an extended medley of the American standards "All The Way", "The Boy Next Door", and "They Can't Take That Away From Me" – sung in a lightly jazzy style that's totally great. Other tracks are a mix of bossa standards by Jobim, Roberto Menescal, Joao Gilberto, and others – recorded with backings that are light and sweet, and which sometimes include a bit of harmony vocals in the chorus – a nice touch, and one that gives the record a nice sense of variety! Titles include "Dindi", "Nao Gosto Mais De Mim", "Gardez Moi Pour Toujours", "Samba Torto", "Corcovado", "Tete", "Chora Tua Tristeza", and "Oba-La-La". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at the post-Tropicalia years in Brazil – a time when cultural activity wasn't as politically explosive as before, but still continued to thrive at a highly creative level underground! The work of these years carries many inspirations from the Tropicalia years of freedoms – but it also often turns the focus towards the personal a bit more – drawing on individual roots and regional cultures for some of the elements in the music, and often pushing the sounds towards even more experimental levels! Some of the straighter modes of before have given way to more of a hippie aesthetic – but that approach is never nearly as self-indulgent as it is in the US, and more just an indication of how underground some of the musicians and ideals have gone by this point. As usual with Soul Jazz titles, the collection comes with great notes that really get at the music and the period – and the CD features 19 tracks that include "Amor" by Secos E Molhados, "Tinindo Trincando" by Novos Baianos, "Punhal De Prata" by Alceu Valenca, "Passara" by Jaime & Nair, "Sai Do Sereno" by Gilberto Gil, "Corista De Rock" by Rita Lee, "Sete Cahorros" by Nelson Angelos & Joyce, "Ingazeiras" by Ednardo E O Pessoal Do Ceara, "Contendas De Sincora" by Mar Revolto, "As Adventuras De Raul Seixas Na Cidade De Thor" by Raul Seixas, "Pontos De Luz" by Gal Costa, "Mane Joao" by Erasmo Carlos, and "America Tropical" by Novos Baianos. CD

Features Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Sarah Vaughan, Billy Eckstine, Luiz Bonfa, Astrud Gilberto, Wes Montgomery, Shirley Horn, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dizzy Gillestpie – 15 tracks in all. CD

A really well-done look at the early music of Antonio Carlos Jobim – one of the most important musical forces of the bossa nova years in Brazil, and an artist who helped set the stage for countless generations to come! The package is overflowing with work from key early albums – and mixes some key pre-bossa moments from Jobim with others that helped define the sound of the new movement at the end of the 50s and the start of the 60s – that mixture of sophistication, gentle rhythms, and thoughtful expression that really made Jobim's music so different than so many of his predecessors. The package features music from both the stage play and the film of Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro), albums from Joao Gilberto, Elizete Cardoso, Sylvia Telles, Pery Ribeiro, and Lenita Bruno – plus more symphonic and instrumental work by Jobim, and even a selection of his key compositions interpreted by important Brazilian singers! CD

If you've been looking for a compilation that will be an excellent introduction to bossa nova – this is it! The folks at Motor Music have put together this monster set of 50 tracks on 2CDs, and it spans a total of 40 years of bossa nova (although nearly all of the material is from the classic years!) There's not a huge amount of rare stuff on here, but the tracks that are included were chosen with great care, and represent an excellent primer in the bossa nova style. Futhermore, there's great little notes on each track, with a good explanation of how the songs fit into the larger history of bossa nova. There's way too much here to mention completely, but the CD set includes material by Edu Lobo, Os Gatos, Joao Donato, Astrud Gilberto, Marcos Valle, Nara Leao, Os Namorados, Tamba Trio, Os Cariocas, Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Marcia, Luiz Bonfa, Pele, Quincy Jones, Meirelles, and lots of others! CD

Dreamy and drifting – a great selection of tunes, most of them bossa ones, inspired and about the sea – clearly a fixation if you're living on the beautiful beaches of Rio! The package pulls together tracks from a variety of sources – and includes some gems from the classic bossa years of the Elenco and Philips catalogs. Titles include "Arrasto" by Edu Lobo, "Garota De Ipanema" by Nara Leao, "Mar E Lua" by Chico Buarque, "Beira Mar" by Gilberto Gil, "Mar Azul" by Wanda Sa, "Surfboard" by Tom Jobim, "Lugar Comum" by Joao Donato, and "Quem Vem Pra Beira Do Mar" by Jussara Silveira. CD