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A later album from Jane B, but one that's still pretty darn groovy, thanks to arrangements from Alan Hawkshaw! The overall sound is somewhat in keeping with the date – keyboards and rhythms that sound more 80s than 70s – but the tunes themselves have all the breathy, sensual qualities of Birkin's best work with Serge Gainsbourg from years back – no surprise, given that Serge wrote all the tunes in the set! As before, the combination of Birkin and Gainsbourg is hard to resist – still the standard by which so much other work like this should be judged – on either side of the Atlantic. Titles include "Overseas Telegram", "Rupture Au Miroir", "Haine Pour Aime", and "Norma Jean Baker". CD

A cool Scandinavian group – with Ketil Bjornstad on electric piano and organ, in a quartet with Jon Eberson on guitar, Arild Andersen on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Another dose of ridiculous bluesy heaviness from Blue Cheer, without as much bluster as their first couple of albums, but the same bloated appeal. 10 numbers in all, including "Fool", "You're Gonna Need Someone", 'Hello LA, Bye Bye Birmingham", "Saturday Freedom", "Ain't That The Way Love's Supposed To Be", "Rock & Roll Queens", "Better When We Try", "Natural Man", "Lovin' You's Easy" and "The Same Old Story". LP, Vinyl record album

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What a dream! The work of Chico Buarque is arranged by Edu Lobo – and the sound is fantastic! We've always loved Chico's songwriting from this period – but it's made even better by Edu, who's working here in a sharp jazzy mode, similar to that which he used on his Missa Breve album from 1972. Arrangements are big and baroque, and the approach to the material opens things up a lot more than usual – especially from Chico's late 60s albums that are more in a "singer with orchestra mode". All tracks feature music by Ruy Guerra, whose style works very well with Lobo's sound – and Chico has a sweet edge in his voice that pushes things even further. Titles include "Prologo", "Barbara", "Ana De Amsterdam", "Fado Tropical", "Fortaleza", "Cobra De Vidro", "Nao Existe Pecado Ao Sul Do Equador/Boi Voador Nao Pode", and "Tatuagem". CD

Chico pays tribute to a host of other Brazilian composers – but he manages to make the work entirely his own, thanks to a deeply personal approach! Styles here run the gamut from samba to sophisticated, often handled with slightly jazzy undercurrent – and backings are by Perinho Albuquerque, in a warm mode that sometimes has fuller flute, guitar, and percussion – but which also drops out at times to give the record a much more intimate approach. Tunes are written by Tom Jobim, Gilberto Gil, Noel Rosa, Nelson Cavaquinho, Vinicius De Moraes, and Sebastiao Nunes – and titles include "Festa Imodesta", "Filosofia", "Cuidado Com A Outra", "Lagrima", "Voce Nao Sabe Amar", "Ligia", and "Sem Compromisso". CD

A fantastic soundtrack recorded in the immediate post-Tropicalia years – featuring some of the best early 70s work by Chico Buarque, Nara Leao, Maria Bethania, and others! The cover has a mad image with Buarque, Leao, and Bethania in top hats and shiny uniforms – and the music follows up with a similarly lively spirit – samba-esque, with other touches of rock and jazz production that give the work an expansive and trippy feel. Roberto Menescal handled the arrangements – and titles include "Cacada" by Chico Buarque, "Mais Uma Estrela" by Nara Leao, "Soneto" by Orquesta De Cordas, "Soneto" by Nara Leao, "Partido Alto" by MPB-4, "Formosa" by Nara Leao & Maria Bethania, "Baioque" by Maria Bethania, and "Cantores De Radio" by Chico, Naria, and Maria together! LP, Vinyl record album

Erasmo Carlos sounds even cooler here than usual – still working with tunes penned with his brother Roberto – but also taking on music by Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, and Marcos Valle too! There's a heady undercurrent to the record that's maybe a filtering-through of an earlier Tropicalia vibe – a mode that Erasmo never embraced, but which leaves its impression in some of the more striking arrangements here – especially in the way things trip out at all the best times! Fuzzy guitar and offbeat production really add a lot to the set – and titles include "Maria Joana", "Agora Ninguem Chora Mais", "26 Anos De Vida Normal", "Cica Cecilia", "Mundo Deserto", "Sodoma E Gomorra", "Masculino Feminio", and "De Noite Na Cama". CD

A rare bossa treasure from the early years of the genre – a wicked session that features instrumentation by Oscar Castro Neves, and vocals by a host of different singers! The set's half vocal, half instrumental – and the latter feature some great sounds from Oscar's combo – a group that plays with a sound that's airy, yet well-arranged – similar to some of the 60s work by Eumir Deodato or Os Gatos, but with less instrumentation overall – which makes for an even cooler sound! There's some great flute in the group, which sounds great next to the acoustic guitar – and the instrumentation for the vocal tracks is equally nice, and still really revolutionary for the time. The album's a beautiful balance between complexity and understatement – truly showing the bossa ethos at its best – and titles include "Patinho Feio" and "Com Voce" by Lais, "Pela Luz Dos Olhos Teus" by Vinicius De Moraes, "Obrigada Meu Bem" by Sylvia Telles, "Tem Do De Mim" by Carlos Lyra, and "Menina Feia" by Lucio Alves – plus "Meditacao", "So Em Teus Bracos", "Bim Bom", and "Chora Tua Tristeza" by Castro Neves and his combo. CD

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3 incredible albums from the British jazz scene at the end of the 60s – all together in one 2CD package! Down Another Road is incredible work from one of England's greatest jazz talents – bassist Graham Collier, a player with an amazing ability to absorb a lot of the modern and progressive influences of his jazz generation – but all without succumbing to the same indulgences as them – a fact which resulted in a razor-sharp style that forged some of the freshest jazz ever to come out of the UK. This 1969 album is a masterpiece – filled with a modal groove and a strident searching theme, yet also as tight and grooving as most of the best Blue Note sessions from the same time. Harry Beckett's on trumpet, Nick Evans is on trombone, John Marshall plays drums, and Stan Sulzmann handles the reeds. Tracks include "Down Another Road", "Danish Blue", "The Barley Mow", and "Aberdeen Angus". Songs For My Father is a masterpiece of modernist soul jazz, with a sound that recalls the best late Blue Note work by Lee Morgan or Hank Mobley. Alan Wakeman's tenor is perfectly pitched, and searingly searching; Harry Beckett's trumpet is round, lyrical, and filled with soul; and the piano of John Taylor comps along in chunky modal grooves that make the whole album fall together brilliantly. Tracks include "Song One", "Song Two", "Song Three", etc – and they're all fantastic! Mosaics is a wonderfully searching session – filled with warm McCoy Tyner-esque modal moments, and searing post-Coltrane solos! The album comprises one long piece – Collier's "Mosaics" – performed live by a group that includes Alan Wakeman on tenor and soprano, Harry Beckett on trumpet, and Geoff Castle on piano. "Mosaics" has that amazing mid 60s Coltrane quality of going out in a spiritual kind of way – yet always returning to the groove, never getting too free, and always remaining firmly focused on the direction ahead. All players are great, and the record crackles with the intensity of a classic session on Impulse! CD

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An incredible live album from Gal Costa – one that's easily as great as any of her studio albums from the time! But unlike the studio albums, the style here is quite spare and intimate – a very personal presentation of Gal's music, recorded in a way that has her starting out nearly solo at the start, then adding in band members as the concert rolls on. The first portion of the performance mostly features acoustic guitar and Gal's vocals – in a style that's a bit like late 60s Nara Leao or Maria Bethania – but the second half gets more electric, often with some trippier Tropicalia touches! Titles include "Falsa Baiana", "Coracao Vagabundo", "Como 2 e 2", "Hotel Das Estrelas", "Mal Secreto", "Assum Preto", "Antonico", "Sua Estupidez", "Fruta Gogoia", and "Perola Negro". LP, Vinyl record album

Light and lively work from the great Gal Costa – a set that's light years away from her Tropicalia experiments of a decade before, but which is equally beautiful in its own sort of way! First off, Gal's vocals are amazing – more expressive and dynamic than in the early days – with a range of different emotions that comes off wonderfully, and without some of the heaviness of some of her contemporaries – such as Maria Bethania. The arrangements, while not entirely tropical, mix together jazz choro modes with more contemporary touches – providing a surprisingly strong, sparkling backdrop for the lyrics! The album features a nice remake of "India", plus the tracks "Forca Estranha", "Olha", "Meu Nome E Gal", "Balance", and "Samba Rasgado". CD

One of the richest, most expressive albums ever from the great Gal Costa – a set from her immediate post-Tropicalia years, and one that shows that she's got a lot more to offer than just a wild sense of experimentation! Gilberto Gil is the musical director here – with help from Rogerio Duprat and Arthur Verocai – and the album's got the lofty feel you'd expect from all three talents – a rich blend of all the modern developments in Brazilian music that had taken place in the 60s, but infused with a newly rootsy sense as well – one that takes the whole thing back to a personal, expressive territory that's really wonderful. Instrumentationincludes work on keyboards by Wagner Tiso and Tenorio Jr, plus a bit of guitar from Roberto Menescal – and Gal does a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Relance" – alongside other tracks that include "Passarinho", "Da Maior Imortancia", "India", "Volta", and the funky "Pontos De Luz". The whole thing's incredibly beautiful – and it's got Gal in a wild bikini cover, too! CD

One of the richest, most expressive albums ever from the great Gal Costa – a set from her immediate post-Tropicalia years, and one that shows that she's got a lot more to offer than just a wild sense of experimentation! Gilberto Gil is the musical director here – with help from Rogerio Duprat and Arthur Verocai – and the album's got the lofty feel you'd expect from all three talents – a rich blend of all the modern developments in Brazilian music that had taken place in the 60s, but infused with a newly rootsy sense as well – one that takes the whole thing back to a personal, expressive territory that's really wonderful. Instrumentationincludes work on keyboards by Wagner Tiso and Tenorio Jr, plus a bit of guitar from Roberto Menescal – and Gal does a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Relance" – alongside other tracks that include "Passarinho", "Da Maior Imortancia", "India", "Volta", and the funky "Pontos De Luz". The whole thing's incredibly beautiful – and it's got Gal in a wild bikini cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Jitterbug Waltz", "Django", "Wild Man Blues", "Round Midnight", "Generique", "Julien Dans L'Ascenseur", "Diner Au Motel", "Visite Du Vigile", "Au Private", "She Rote", and "Star Eyes". CD

The title certainly gets it right – and Fafa De Belem sings with arrangements from Arthur Verocai, Cristovao Bastos, Roberto Menescal, Wagner Tiso, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

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A wonderful album of early analogue electronics – originally issued with a title that billed it as "an astronaut's reflections while visiting the earth"! The sound here is way more outside than that, though – almost more as if the astronaut was an alien – with weird, spooky sounds that are mindblowing, and years ahead of their time – a great example of the kind of forward-thinking music Dissevelt was making back in the 60s. Some tracks have stark bleeps and pings, others are more low-end and atmospheric, and together the whole thing feels much more like some serious electronic experiment than any sort of kiddie space age set! Titles include "Woomerangs", "Ignition", "Spearhead", "Zanzi", "Anchor Chains", "Re-Entry", "Mexican Mirror", and "Pacific Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from the young Klaus Doldinger – hardly jazz made in Germany, as the whole thing has a smoking soul jazz quality to rival the best on Prestige Records at the time! Klaus plays tenor throughout – in a fantastic combo that features Hammond organ from the great Ingfried Hoffman, and drums from Klaus Weiss – who'd later go onto great fame in funk and fusion. Titles include "Signal", "Solar", "Blues For George", and "Bluesy Toosy". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early stuff by this swingin' French vocal group! These guys swung as hard as American groups, like Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross – but they stuck to hipper, jazzier material, and had a driving sound that never let up! The group is led by singer Mimi Perrin, who also handed the arrangements – and it features French jazz greats Ward Swingle and Eddy Louiss. Includes some great jazzy versions of "Naima", "Boplicity", "Westwood Walk", and "Early Autumn". LP, Vinyl record album

Strings, piano, and other instrumentation – all wrapped up with a dark sense of power in this heavenly little album from the legendary Luiz Eca – a set that really takes off from his Tamba 4 albums on CTI! The style here is a sophisticated, but never sleepy – and really lets Eca show off some of the more modern modes that were coming to the forefront in his work – arrangements that easily rival some of the most complex coming out of Europe or the US at the time, but still cast with a bossa-inspired sense of space and sound that balances fullness with focus in a really wonderful way! Roberto Menescal produced, and the overall sound is completely wonderful – a new level of advancement in Brazilian music, carried out perfectly throughout! Titles include "Sa Marina", "O Sonho", "Oferenda", "Cantador", "Zazueira", "Se Voce Pensa", "Pais Tropical", and "Juliana". CD

Soaring strings and bossa piano – a tremendous combination in the hands of Luiz Eca – working here at a time when the arranger was first making his name with the Tamba Trio! The set's one of Eca's gems from the 60s under his own name – and it's got a style that echoes the mix of darkness and sweet he forged with the trio, but which also shows a deeper, more sophisticated approach to the music – fuller orchestrations, yet handled with a sense of space and timing that's really amazing – at a level that almost beats Jobim at his own game at the time! Eca's piano is recorded beautifully – tinkling over the top of the backings, and always getting plenty of its own space – and titles include "Amando", "Quase Um Adeus", "Saudade", "Cheganca", "Velho Pescador", "Cancao Da Terra", and "A Morte De Um Deus De Sal". CD

The tunes are familiar, but the group is really coming into their own here – working with amazing arrangments from Charlie Calello, and this wild production from the great Bob Crewe! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Serge – possibly his last truly genius record, and one with a very unusual twist! The album was recorded in Jamaica with production from Sly & Robbie – very much in the late 70s, big-business reggae mode – but done with Serge's usual flair for the lyric. The album's not really a reggae album – more a set of dubby tracks that have a similar feel to some of Serge's other backings during the 70s, with whispered sexy lyrics over the top. The record shouldn't work, but it does – and picks up a sound that's similar to Serge's work on the excellent album L'Homme A Tete Chou! Titles include "Relax Baby Be Cool", "Daisy Temple", "Javanaise Remake", "Pas Long Feu", and "Marilou Reggae Dub". CD

Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". CD

No baby pop here, as France Gall is all-woman throughout – one of the best of the French female pop singers of the mid 60s, working here with an upbeat, groovy sound throughout! Backings are by the great Alain Gouraguer, who gives the record a tightly jerking kind of feel – a sound that's the Paris contribution to the same sort of mod grooves that were coming out of the London scene at the time. The album's filled with classics by Gall, all sung in a sweet voice that's a great contrast to the music – wonderful stuff throughout, with titles that include "Baby Pop", "Cet Air La", "L'Amerique", "Mon Bateau De Nuit", and "Deux Oiseaux". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold leap forward from Gilberto Gil – his first album recorded during the Tropicalia years, and an amazing collaboration with arranger Rogerio Duprat! The album's got a sound that really bridges scenes in Brazil – elements of older folkloric musics, folded with samba rhythms, folded again with psychedelic touches from Os Mutantes – who also help out on the set – all wrapped together with a sound so revolutionary, it still crackles with energy all these many years later! The sound and style are impossible to describe accurately, which is part of the charm of the record – and it's key placement as one of the prime musical texts of the Tropicalia years. Titles include "Marginalia II", "Luzia Luluza", "Pega A Voga, Cabeludo", "Frevo Rasgado", "Domingou", and "Domingo No Parque". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – "Barca Grande", "A Coisa Mais Linda Que Existe", "Questao De Ordem", and "A Luta Contra A Lata Ou A Falencia Do Cafe". CD

The rare 3rd album by Gilberto Gil, and a key piece of the Tropicalia puzzle – one of the most wildly experimental albums from those years, and Gil's last before going into exile! The sound is much more electric than his other albums from the late 60's – and the production, songwriting, and instrumentation get very crazy at times – but never too crazy to cover up Gilberto's excellent singing, which is still as filled with feeling as ever. Arrangements are by the mighty Rogerio Duprat, who does as great a job here of balancing Gil's sensitivities as he does on Gal Costa's sublime efforts from 1969 – and the instrumentation is a weird and wonderful mix of Bahian rhythms, fuzzy guitar, and crazy electronics – all heartfelt one minute, freaked out the next. Tracks include "Cerebro Eletronico", "Volks Volkswagen Blue", "Futurivel", and "2001", which was written by Tom Ze and Rita Lee – plus the wild cut "Objecto Semi-Identificado", which is sort of a John Cage-esque track of found radio and electronics, with vocals by Gil! CD

A rare British recording from Gilberto Gil – sung completely in English, and recorded while living in London, in political exile along with Caetano Veloso! The album's somewhat similar to Veloso's famous London album from 1971 – certainly in structure, as the backings are relatively stripped-down, and mostly feature acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion, alongside Gil's English lyrics. But the record's somewhat different too – in that it's got a brighter, more redemptive feel – almost an indication that Gilberto's time abroad hadn't been such a terrible thing – especially given that the record is a new creative departure in his music! The English lyrics are really a treat – and are sometimes sung as a broken strand of familiar words, trying to work themselves together into a fragile tapestry of emotion – sometimes succeeding, sometimes not – but always beautiful, and always filled with the emotion of his experiences in exile! Titles include "Volkswagen Blues", "The Three Mushrooms", "Babylon", "Nega (Photograph Blues)", and "Mamma" – plus 3 bonus cuts: "Can't Find My Way Home", "Up From The Skies", and a great version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". US version also features great sound and new liner notes by Peter Margasak! CD

2 late 60s classics from Gilberto Gil – the bulk of his Tropicalia recordings on a single CD! First up is his self-titled album from 1968, a bold leap forward for Gil – his first album recorded during the Tropicalia years, and an amazing collaboration with arranger Rogerio Duprat! The album's got a sound that really bridges scenes in Brazil – elements of older folkloric musics, folded with samba rhythms, folded again with psychedelic touches from Os Mutantes – who also help out on the set – all wrapped together with a sound so revolutionary, it still crackles with energy all these many years later! The sound and style are impossible to describe accurately, which is part of the charm of the record – and it's key placement as one of the prime musical texts of the Tropicalia years. Titles include "Marginalia II", "Luzia Luluza", "Pega A Voga, Cabeludo", "Frevo Rasgado", "Domingou", and "Domingo No Parque". Next is the rare 3rd album by Gilberto Gil, and a key piece of the Tropicalia puzzle – one of the most wildly experimental albums from those years, and Gil's last before going into exile! The sound is much more electric than his other albums from the late 60's – and the production, songwriting, and instrumentation get very crazy at times – but never too crazy to cover up Gilberto's excellent singing, which is still as filled with feeling as ever. Arrangements are by the mighty Rogerio Duprat, who does as great a job here of balancing Gil's sensitivities as he does on Gal Costa's sublime efforts from 1969 – and the instrumentation is a weird and wonderful mix of Bahian rhythms, fuzzy guitar, and crazy electronics – all heartfelt one minute, freaked out the next. Tracks include "Cerebro Eletronico", "Volks Volkswagen Blue", "Futurivel", and "2001", which was written by Tom Ze and Rita Lee – plus the wild cut "Objecto Semi-Identificado", which is sort of a John Cage-esque track of found radio and electronics, with vocals by Gil! CD

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

60s cookers from Dizzy Gillespie – back to back on a single CD! New Wave is a lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade". On The French Riviera isn't really French, but actually a killer batch of Latiny tinged tracks from Dizzy & Co – with with great arrangements by Lalo Schifrin! There's a wonderful 10 minute version of "Chega De Saudade", done as "No More Blues" to start it out, and it's got a great loping Latin vibe, in the manner of Dizzy's best sides from the 60s. Lalo's on piano, and the great Leo Wright is on flute and alto, with Tzigane Elek Bacsik on guitar, Chris White on bass, Ruby Collins on drums and Pepitoo Riestria on percussion. Other nice ones include "Long Long Summer", "Desafinado", and "Pau De Arara". A great album, and one not to pass up! CD

Includes the tracks "Route 66", "Tightrope", "The Roaring Twenties", "M Squad" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little set from Screamin Jay Hawkins – done during his surprising revival years at the end of the 60s – and with a nice new soulful twist, thanks to production from the excellent Huey P Meaux! The vibe is definitely different than the Screamin Jay work of the 78rpm years – but the vocals are excellent, and the shift to soul music really suits his unique style – and maybe even gives him a whole new way to express himself! Titles include "Please Don't Leave Me", "I Wanta Know", "I Need You", "My Marion", "Bite It", "Move Me", "Good Night My Love", "Our Love Is Not For 3", "Ain't Nobody's Business", "Take Me Back", "Trying To Reach My Goal", and "So Long". Features great cover art by Karl Wirsum too! LP, Vinyl record album

With sidemen that include Bill Chase and Dusko Goykevich on trumpet, Phil Wilson on trombone, Sal Nistico and Bill Perkins on saxophone, Nat Pierce of piano, and Jake Hanna on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

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A wonderfully trippy group from late 60s Chicago! Like so many groups of their time, HP Lovecraft have their roots in the later years of the folk scene – where they clearly picked up a sense of free being and personal expression. Yet unlike so many other groups, who turned that energy into a warmer, sunshiney approach, Lovecraft really kept on the dark end of the spectrum – in a spacey, tripped-out mode that was very much in keeping with their name. There's almost a Love-like sense of madness to some of these tunes – but a bit less focused and baroque – and by the time of the group's second album, they were actually de-intensifying their sound a bit, creating more space and a sense of stark loneliness that's really compelling! Titles include "Spin Spin Spin", "Electrollentando", "Mobius Trip", "High Flying Bird", and "Blue Jack O Diamonds". CD

An obscure period piece from French composer Francis Lai – done around the same time as his big hits of the late 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "A Banda", "Garota de Ipanema", "Tristeza de Nos Dois", "Diz Que Fui Por Ai", "Acender As Velas", "Quem Te Viu, Quem Te Ve", "Wave", "Eu E A Brisa", "Joao E Maria", Carolina", "O Morro ( Feio Nao e Bonito)", "Camisa Amarela", "Alem Do Horizonte", and "Marcha Da Quarta-feira de Cinzas". CD

A beautifully understated album from the legendary Nara Leao – done as a tribute to the bossa generation, with key help from the great Roberto Menescal – who handles the arrangements, plays guitar behind Nara's lovely vocals! Given that Nara's groundbreaking work of the late 60s was almost a challenge to the female bossa singers of the time, the shift's a bit unusual – but also maybe has Nara coming full circle, especially as she brings that wonderful balance of emotion from the early years into play with this music. There's often a current of melancholy – as in her classic Des Anos Depois record – and titles include "O Barquinho", "Wave", "Chega De Saudade", "Aqua De Beber", and "Voce E Eu". CD

A great one from Nara Leao's "back to bossa" years in the late 80s – a set that has the lovely vocalist working through older American standards – but done here with new lyrics in Portuguese and some great bossa backings from Roberto Menescal! Menescal's airy style proved to be a perfect fit for Nara at this point, and the record's made even better by some guest work from Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica – blowing those blue-tinged notes that always helps to underscore the music with an extra hint of sadness. Titles include "Jamais (The Boy Next Door)", "Coisa Que Lembram Voce (These Foolish Things)", "Como Vai Voce? (What's New?)", and "Garoto Levado (Lullaby Of Birdland)". CD

A wild solo project from Rita Lee – done after the breakup of Os Mutantes, and offered up almost as some sort of commentary on mainstream rock in the 70s! There's a much more straightforward approach to the music here – a sometimes-glammy sound that's echoed by the band's space-style costumes and makeup – but there's also some weirdly old-style rock instrumentation too, almost like the way that an artist like Gary Glitter could fold the 50s and 70s together in his music, and come across making something very weird and new. Here, the keyboards are almost stronger than the guitars – and Rita herself plays moog, melotron, organ, and piano – on titles that include "Tem Uma Cidade", "Menino Bonito", "Mame Natureza", and "Eclipse Do Cometa". LP, Vinyl record album

Ah, so French! Quite different than most of Michel Legrand's usual work – this one is much more of a tongue in cheek effort, featuring tunes that have a jaunty French-like sound – sort of served up for the American audience – with narration by Charles Boyer, in a Maurice Chevalier-type style. The whole thing's more kitschy than romantic, as is Legrand's other work from the time – but enjoyable nonetheless, and works well as an album. Ttiles include "Bossa Nova Ala Boyer", "Booby Trapped", "Be Free At Sea", "Chango Twist Party", "Millie's Theme", and "Love Is A Ball". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest world music hits of the 60s – a unique album that mixes Congolese songs with a new interpretation of the Latin mass! Les Troubadours Du Roi Baudouin are an ensemble of young singers with a very joyous sort of feel – one that works equally well for the traditional numbers, and for the new recasting of the mass which takes up the second half of the record. Instrumentation is relatively spare – often just a bit of percussion underneath the soaring voices – and titles include the entire "Missa Luba", plus "Banaha", "Twai Tshinaminai", "Lutuku & A Bene Kanyoka", "Ebu Ewale Kemai", and "Dibwe Diambula Kabanda". LP, Vinyl record album

A host of hits from this 80s MPB singer – titles that include "Nana Por Mim", "Me Chama", "Gata Todo Dia", "Doida De Rachar", "Garota De Ipanema", "Pe Na Tabua", "Essas Coisas Que Eu Mal Sei", "Acho Que Da", and "Dificil". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from the great Ivan Lins – a set recorded at a time when he was fast becoming a big name on the global scene, not just in Brazil – thanks to his wonderful sense of songwriting and lyricism! The album's almost a celebration of all that Lins had done so far – put together with close collaborators Gilson Peranzzetta and Vitor Martins – and done with lots of great help from famous guests who include MPB4, Erasmo Carlos, Nana Caymmi, Tim Maia, Elis Regina, and Patti Austin. The arrangements are wonderful – sophisticated and offbeat, and every bit as compelling as Lins' work from the 70s – and titles include "Abre Alas", "Comecar De Novo", "Novo Tempo", "Formigueiro", "Dinorah Dinorah", and "Juntos". LP, Vinyl record album

A "best of" collection of some of Lins' work from as early as 1970 through 1986. Tracks include "O Amor E O Meu Pais", "Depende De Nos", "Madalena", "Daquilo Que Eu Sei", "Bandeira Do Divino", "Vitoriosa", "Novo Tempo", "Comecar De Novo", "Dinorah, Dinorah", "Juntos", "Me Deixa Em Paz", and "Antes Que Seja Tarde". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a later album from the great Edu Lobo – very different than his bossa recordings, and with a sophisticated jazzy vibe that perfectly illustrates all the growth he'd achieved during the 70s! The songs are wonderful – complex and yet really personal, with a quality that rivals some of the best from the Milton Nascimento/Lo Borges camp of the time. And like those, there's a jazzy quality to the instrumentation that really keeps things fresh – lots of contributions from musicians like Wagner Tiso on keyboards, Paulo Moura on reeds, Antonio Adolfo on piano, and Dori Caymmi on guitar. Backing vocals are by Boca Livre and MPB4 – but it's Edu's honest lead vocals that really send the whole thing home – sparkling wonderfully on tunes that include "Canudos", "Coracao Noturno", "Sanha De Mandinga", "Lero Lero", "Camaleo", "Bate Boca", and "O Trenzinho do Capira". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible later meeting by two of the most sophisticated musical talents of the bossa generation – and a record that's done in the same intimate, spare setting as Jobim's meeting with Elis Regina a few years before! Production is by bossa legend Aloysio De Oliveira – and the sound is relatively clean and simple – often just a bit of piano, guitar, and percussion behind the up-close and personal vocals of the tunes. Lobo & Jobim sing together on most of the record – in a double-voiced style that's almost a bit like that used on Jobim's incredible Matita Pere record from the 70s. Edu sings solo on "Chovendo Na Roseira", Tom sings solo on "Angela" – and the pair duet on the tracks "Canto Triste", "Vento Bravo", "Moto Continuo", "Pra Dizer Adeus", "Ai Quem Me Dera", and "Luiza". 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

Guitars playing plenty of games here – easy to do when in the godlike hands of Harvey Mandel – a guitarist rooted in blues, but also with lots of psychedelic inclinations as well! This album's one of Harvey's best as a solo act – and gets some sweet fuzzy production by the legendary Abe Voco Kesh – whose touches help give the record that sort of genre-stepping vibe of the best Bay Area material of the time. Harvey's guitar is firmly in the lead, but there's a bit more vocals on the set than some of the previous Mandel records – and titles include a trippy version of Horace Silver's "Senor Blues", plus "Capurange", "Ridin High", "Honky Tonk", "Leavin Trunk", and a wild stoned version of "Games People Play". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful run of music from the mighty Harvey Mandel – a musician whose biggest fame was his bluesy work with Canned Heat, but a guitarist who also had plenty of jazz and funk to offer as well! The set brings together Mandel's killer solo albums – Cristo Redentor, Righteous, Games Guitars Play, Baby Batter, and The Snake – each of them a wonderful blend of psychedelic styles, jazzy currents, and some nice funk touches – music that's as unique now as it was when it was recorded – which sometimes meant that Harvey's genius was lost between the cracks, because the stores and radios never knew where to put him! The set also features a rare live performance – Live At The Matrix – with tracks that are even longer and grittier than some of Mandel's studio work of the time! CD

Although Ney Matogrosso began his career as the glammed-out lead singer of Secos O Molhados – one of the most important post-Tropicalia Brazilian rock bands – he later left the group, and emerged as one of Brazil's biggest rock stars of the early 80s. Even at that point, Matogrosso still had quite an edge – as you'll hear on this set of 14 tracks from the years 1981 to 1986, with titles that include "Viajante", "Deixa A Menina", "Vereda Tropical", "Folia No Matagal", "Historia Do Brasil", and "Balada Do Louco". CD

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The fab first album by Sergio Mendes – very different than his later work! Sergio's more in a straight bossa mode here – playing with a tight little combo that features saxophone and trombone next to his own firey work on piano – tight and jazzy, and even with a few traces of US Latin grooves as well! The album's proof that Sergio was already at the top of his game in the early years – and although released at the end of the 50s, the record's got a groove that would set the scene for countless bossa jazz albums to follow! Titles include the hard groovers "Oba-La-La" and "Outra Vez", plus versions of American jazz groovers like "Nica's Dream" and "On Green Dolphin Street" – and the cuts "Tema Sem Palavras", "Disa", "Diagonal", "Love For Sale", and "Satin Doll". CD

Excellent late-period Yves Montand, and a record that's produced with the same sort of smokey feel as some of the later Sinatra albums from the 70's. Yves is in a very relaxed studio setting here, and he easily slides through a nice set of easy-going tracks with the confidence of a master songsmith. Tracks include "L'Addition", "Casse-tetes", "Ellington Quarante Et One", "Dansons La Rose", and "L'Enfant E'bloui". LP, Vinyl record album

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Great backings by Phil Moore! LP, Vinyl record album

Although not as familiar in the US as other Brazilian artists of the time, Os Cariocas were perhaps the leading vocal group of the early bossa years, and their albums were all great jazzy interpretations of bossa material, done in the same sort of 4-part male harmony perfected by the Hi-Lo's and Four Freshmen. This Japanese CD brings together 2 of their rare albums from the early 60s – A Bossa Dos and Mais Bossa Com – for a total of 24 tracks of groovy bossa harmony! We've never seen these albums before, but they're both great, and a superb addition to our growing collection of rare bossa material. Titles include "Adjinho Bossa Nova", "Tem Do", "Vivo Sonhando", "Pra Que Chorar", "Rio", "Samba Do Aviao", "Tambem, Quem Mandou", and "Telefone". Lots more goodies, and a very sharp looking set of tracks! CD

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One of Baden Powell's grooviest albums ever – a brilliant blend of his bossa roots with the freer 70s grooves of MPS! The album follows the mode of some of his other European recordings, but is still a bit different – in that the overall sound is a bit freer than before, with tracks that really open up beautifully – including one or two that hit a nicely heavy groove! The lovely Janine De Walyene sings these wonderful wordless vocals on some of the album's best tracks – scatting heavily on the famous jazz dance number "Blues A Volante" – and drifting moodily behind the guitar on other numbers. Other instrumentation includes bass, drums, and a bit of Brazilian percussion – and titles include the classic "Blues A Volante", plus "Violao Vagabundo", "Canto", "Ate Eu", and "Conversacao Comigo Mesmo". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent 70s album by Quarteto Em Cy – cut in a style that Philips was using with a few groups at the time. The album's a tribute to great samba songwriters of days gone by, and each track is a condensed "pot-pourri" of tunes by a particular writer – with tracks that focus on work by Carlos Lyra, Johnny Alf, Dolores Duran, Jair Amorem, Tito Madi, and Ary Barroso. The girls voices are excellent – and come together in that other-wordly harmony sound that was their unique calling card in Brazilian music. Production is great, and MPB-4 guest on one track. LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album from Quarteto Em Cy – the Brazilian vocal quartet who first rose to prominence during the bossa nova years, but soon moved into even more sophisticated material during the 70s! The approach of this set is telegraphed in the title – as the group take on songs penned by Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, and Gonzaguinha – the new MPB generation of the 70s, whose music turns out to be perfect for the growing talents of the girls – topped off with some beautiful arrangements from Octavio Burnier, whose work really rises to the level of the vocals! The whole thing's great – a magnificent journey in sound – and titles include "Idolatrada", "Barco Fantasma", "Antes De Seja Tarde", "O Ultimo Trem", "Um Dia", "Ponta De Areia", "Gira Girou", "Ciranda Menina", and "Abandonado". CD

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