... LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album from Jorge Ben – a set that's got the singer back on top of the international market – showing the world the wonderfully soulful sounds he was cooking up in Brazil during the 80s! The record's got the same fluid bounce of his Som Livre sets from a few years before – kind of a modern soul update of the modes that Ben first brought to his music in the 70s – delivered with undeniable charm, a never-ending sense of groove, and a raspy vocal style that still always gets us – even if we can't understand the lyrics! Titles include "Miss X", "Um Aviao Me Informou", "Pega Ela De Montao", "Norma Jean", "Cowboy Jorge", and "Mama Africa". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". CD

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark recording that is one of Jorge Ben's best albums ever! The album is a perfect realization of the way that Jorge mixes Brazilian rhythms with choppy Afro grooves – and the result is a masterpiece that yeilded some of his biggest tracks ever. Included here is the great choppy funk track "Ponta De Lanca", plus loads of other goodies like "O Filosofo", "Xica Da Silva", "A Historia De Jorge", and a great remake of "Taj Mahal" – probably his greatest cut ever. Great all the way through – and is a perfect introduction to Jorge Ben if you don't know his work, and an essential addition to your collection if you do! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". CD

Mark Weinstein on soprano, alto and bass flute, Romero Lubambo on classical guitar, Nilson Matta on acoustic bass, Paulo Braga on drums, Guilherme Franco and Jorge Silva on percussion. CD

A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful early album from tenorist Mark Turner – a set that's got all those dark moments and sharp edges of his later recordings, but in a setting that's nicely warm at times – and which has Turner coming across with a bit more soul! There's a special sort of mojo in the record – darkness mixed with redemption, as Turner carves his way over beautiful lines from the rest of the group – a quintet that features Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Jorge Rossy on drums. Melhdau is especially nice next to Turner here – and the group are also joined by additional tenorists Seamus Black and Terence Dean on the title "Zurich". Other titles include "Isolation", "Subtle Tragedy", "Yam Yam", "Cubism", "Tune Number One", and a version of "Moment's Notice". CD

Although this appears to be a greatest hits compilation from the title, most of the tracks on here feel like they are of recent vintage – with that trademark hard heavy percussion sound that Olodum brought to the masses, mixed with modern production styles, jazzy riffing, and a few famous guest stars, like Caetano Veloso, Jimmy Cliff, and others. Titles include "Berimbau", "Candelaria", "Deusa Do Amor", "Perpara A Boca", "Lua De Sao Jorge", "Tekila", "Rosa", "Olodum Me Leva", and "Alegria Geral". 15 tracks in all. CD

The first-ever record in the Luaka Bop legacy – a massive collection of Brazilian grooves that still serves as one of the best introductions to the music we can think of! Most of the artists here are the bigger names of the MPB generation of the 70s – but many are still very under-represented in the US market – which makes the collection of work here completely essential. The styles range from samba soul of Jorge Ben to the lyrical poetry of Caetano Veloso to the soulful drama of Milton Nascimento – and titles include "Ponta De Lanca Africano" and "Fio Varavilha" by Jorge Ben, "Cacada" by Chico Buarque, "Quilombo O El Dorado Negro" and "So Quero Um Xodo" by Gilberto Gil, "Quiexa" and "O Leaozinho" by Caetano Veloso, "Sonho Meu" by Maria Bethania & Gal Costa, "Caixa De Sol" by Nazare Pereira, and "Anima" by Milton Nascimento. LP, Vinyl record album

Features four guitarists, bassist Gino Roman, and guest violin from Kristian Jorgensen. 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

A beautiful graphic novel from the brush of Lorenzo Mattotti – an artist we first fell in love with for his groundbreaking Fires book back in the 80s, still very much at the top of his game here! The text is penned by Jorge Zentner, and the book marks the first English translation of any of his work – but to us, the real draw is Mattotti – whose images sit like these beautiful little color paintings, two to a page – balanced with the text to draw the lovely, personal story forward with care and class that are unsurpassed in publications of this nature. The book is 118 pages, full color, and hardcover. Book

Very nice 2LP set that brings together a huge amount of Jorge Ben's best tracks from the 60's and early 70's. We hardly need to tell you how great this stuff is, but we should let you know that the set includes the tracks "Chove Chuva", "Mas Que Nada", "Take It Easy My Brother Charlie", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", "Rita Jeep", "Charles Jr.", "Que Pena", "Zazueira", "Que Maravilha", "Pais Tropical", and lots lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

The layers here come from the wonderful interplay between the guitar of Julian Lage and his trio members Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave King on drums – both musicians who lay back nicely, and find a way to resonate with those trademark chromatic notes that Lage seems to spin out effortlessly! The album's billed as a precursor to the previous View With A Room album – looser and more exploratory than that one, but also pretty darn great on its own. Titles include "The Layers", "Mantra", "Everything Helps", "This World", "Missing Voices", and "Double Southpaw". LP, Vinyl record album

The layers here come from the wonderful interplay between the guitar of Julian Lage and his trio members Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave King on drums – both musicians who lay back nicely, and find a way to resonate with those trademark chromatic notes that Lage seems to spin out effortlessly! The album's billed as a precursor to the previous View With A Room album – looser and more exploratory than that one, but also pretty darn great on its own. Titles include "The Layers", "Mantra", "Everything Helps", "This World", "Missing Voices", and "Double Southpaw". CD

Chris Cheek on tenor, Steve Cardenas on guitar, David Soler on pedal steel, Jaume Llombard on bass, and Jorge Rossy on drums, vibes, and marimba. CD

Music from The Beach Boys, Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, Duane Eddy, Jorgen Ingmann, The Sandals, The Marketts, The Ventures, Jack Nitzsche, The Chantays, The Bel-Airs, and more - 18 tracks in all. CD