A brilliant little soundtrack from Dizzy Gillespie – composed by Mal Waldron, and played by Diz with a sound and sensitivity that few of his other 60s albums can match! The feel here is quite bold and righteous – a perfect accompaniment for the documentary-like black and white images of Shirley Clarke's film – set in Harlem, and mostly recorded on location in the early 60s! Dizzy's tone is wonderful – bracing one minute, blue-toned the next – and the rest of the group is wonderful too – with James Moody on tenor and flute, Kenny Barron on piano, Chris White on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums. There's a richly expressive feel to the music that makes the set hold up fantastically both as a soundtrack and as a jazz album – and titles include "The Pusher", "Duke's Fantasy", "Coney Island", "Bonnie's Blues", "Duke's Awakening", "Coolie", and "Enter Priest". CD

Excellent work from Brit easy bandleader John Gregory – an assortment of 70s police and crime themes, played by a big band with a nice soundtrack-y finish! Nearly all the tunes are uptempo, and the feel of the record is very much in the same vein as Henry Mancini's Cop Show Themes album – although perhaps with a bit less electronics. Titles include "Theme From SWAT", "Harry O", "Streets Of San Francisco", "Cannon", "The Sweeney", "Special Branch", "Rockford Files", "Kojak", "McCloud", "Police Woman", and "Six-Million Dollar Man". 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

Sublime pop soul genius from Bobby Hebb – a standout record that really made his career, and a dusty nugget we never tire of hearing! Bobby was really unique at the time – singing a mixture of soul and pop that kept things real while still crossing over big – earning him an equal audience on both sides of the charts. Part of the credit for the album goes to producer Jerry Ross and arranger Joe Renzetti – who work here in a careful, almost gentle approach to pop – one that's never overblown, and which really lets Bobby's vocals step out front on the title hit "Sunny", plus other tunes that include "Crazy Baby", "I Am Your Man", "Where Are You", "Yes Or No Or Maybe Not", and "Love Love Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime pop soul genius from Bobby Hebb – a standout record that really made his career, and a dusty nugget we never tire of hearing! Bobby was really unique at the time – singing a mixture of soul and pop that kept things real while still crossing over big – earning him an equal audience on both sides of the charts. Part of the credit for the album goes to producer Jerry Ross and arranger Joe Renzetti – who work here in a careful, almost gentle approach to pop – one that's never overblown, and which really lets Bobby's vocals step out front on the title hit "Sunny", plus other tunes that include "Crazy Baby", "I Am Your Man", "Where Are You", "Yes Or No Or Maybe Not", and "Love Love Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Bill Chase on trumpet, Sal Nistico on tenor, Nat Pierce on piano, Jake Hanna on drums, and many more! LP, Vinyl record album

Despite what you might think about some of Woody's big band contemporaries from the 40s, you've got to admit that Woody himself was always growing and changing as the decades went on – as this 1963 album will attest! Woody's in great form here – still working with a tight group of ensemble players, but also hitting a groovier sound that's more in keeping with the time of the material – pointing the way towards some of his sublime sides of the late 60s and early 70s with a subtle shift from swing to groove. You can hear that especially on some of the original tunes – like "Camel Walk", "Sig Ep", and "Tunin' In" – and the album also features nice versions of Horace Silver's "Sister Sadie" and Horace Parlan's "Blues For JP". 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! Includes "Spin Spin Spin", "Electrollentando", "Mobius Trip", "High Flying Bird", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare jazz work from the Dutch scene of the 50s – initially overlooked by many American listeners of the time, but fortunately well-documented by this series from Philips! The music here is a nice mix of different combos – all drawing influence from bop and some of the west coast modern modes, with a vibe that's a bit like some of the Swedish groups of the period – no surprise, as the Dutch scene was every bit as fully-formed as some of the jazz world farther north! Two tracks feature singer Rita Reys joining the combo of drummer Wessel Ilcken, who also play on their own too – with work from the great Toon Van Vliet on tenor, Rob Madna on piano, and Gerard Van Rooyen on trumpet. And the set also features a few tracks by other groups too – the septet of baritone saxophonist Herman Schoonderwalt, with Tony Vos on alto and Flip Van Glabbeek on tenor; the quartet of alto saxophonist Tony Vos, with Henk Vos on piano; the trio of pianist Rob Madna, with Wessel Ilcken on drums; and the quartet of pianist Frans Elsen, with Robby Pauwels on guitar and Cees See on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

An important early export from the Dutch jazz scene of the postwar years – a volume of Jazz Behind The Dikes, a series that focused on the best up-and-comers of the Netherlands scene! The album goes a bit farther than some of the piano trio sessions issued under the series, and includes some larger groups that show what strong horn players there were in the country at the time. Titles include "The Goofer", by Wessel Ilcken All Stars, "Queen" and "Meditation" by Stido Alstrom Sextet, "Sem" and "Don't Get Sad" by Frans Elsen Quintet, "The Teacher" and "First Fig" by Rob Madna Trio, "Lady Elisabeth" by Tony Vos Quartet, and "Just A Kickshaw" by The Pim Jacobs Three. LP, Vinyl record album

Funky funky Thailand – just about the only 70s funk group we've ever seen from that part of the globe, and a great one at that! The Impossibles work in a tightly-crafted ensemble funk style that's clearly influenced by Kool & The Gang – but which also has the group hitting some well-polished notes on a few of the album's vocal numbers – in a totally cool groove that's got plenty of hard funky riffs at the bottom, sweet horns in the middle, and some great compressed pop vocals on the top! The album's a real lost treasure – one that we've never seen on this side of the Atlantic – and was oddly recorded and issued in Sweden in the mid 70s! But this album is way more than just a musical oddity – as it's super-funky all the way through, with a level of quality that will have it at the top of your crates for a long, long time! Titles include "Hotpepper", "Give It Up", "California", "C'mon Baby", "Easy To Be Hard", "Pretty Thing", "Love Will Keep Us Together", and "Love The Life You Live". CD

An uber-rare album from Orlando Julius & The Afro Sounders – recorded at Ginger Baker's studio in Lagos and originally (apparently quite scarcely) released by Philips in 1973 – wonderful stuff and on par with the excellent material the group recorded in the handful of previous years! The sound is terrific, still fresh and live sounding, but recorded with the best studio technology Julius had access to to date. The drums and percussion are prominent in the mix and so is the bass – with punchy, soulful brass, organs and passionate vocals. Wonderful! Tracks include "Yio Si Da Miliki Beat", "Afro Instrumental", "Osika Ranti", "Buje Buje", "Aseni" and "Kete Kete Koro". CD

Nara Leao recorded some incredible albums at the end of the 60s in Brazil – and she returned to greatness in the 80s with records like this – done with a different sound that really marked a strong second chapter in the singer's career! The record features a fair bit of bossa nova classics, but updated instrumentally by arranger Roberto Menescal – still light and lovely, but with slight contemporary elements in the instrumentation – balanced by that very unique way that Nara has of singing – almost the depth of a great European singer, but with a Brazilian sense of balance that never bogs things down at all. A really lovely record – with titles that include "Wave", "Sublime Tortura", "Ate Quem Sabe", "Eu Preciso De Voce", "La Vem Voce", "Voce E Eu", "Telefone", and "Sabe Voce". CD

Quite a different album than Nara Leao's other record from 1969 – the one produced by Rogerio Duprat! This one's much sparer and rootsier – almost in a samba mode at times – but even more so in a slightly folksy style that puts Nara's vocals highly upfront in the mix, supported by just a bit of percussion and guitar – in a way that's darker and without the sweetness of her earlier albums, and which has some of the careful presentation and sly interplay that made Leao a surprising force in the Tropicalia generation. Arrangements are by Sidney Miller, with all the depth of his own 60s work – and titles include "La Columbe", "Apanhei-Te Cavaquinho", "Poema Da Rosa", "Little Boxes", "Azulao", "Tambores Da Paz", "Parabien De La Paloma", "Fez Bobagem", and a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Atras Do Trio Eletrico". CD

A beautiful early gem from Nara Leao! This one has a similar feel to her classic O Canto Livre album – in that it's got a deeper approach than some of her bossa work, with a mix of some of the more complicated, slightly folksy styles used by singers like Geraldo Vandre or Chico Buarque De Hollanda. The sound is wonderfully dark – a moodier approach to the music than used by some of Nara's contemporaries – without any of the sweeter styles you'd get from other Brazilian female singers of the 60s. Titles include Nara's great single "A Banda", plus "Favela", "Funeral De Lavrador", "Cancao Do Bicho", "Faz Escuro Mas Eu Canto", "Ladainha", and "Ana Vai Ambora". Arrangements by Geni Marcondes – and a great cover! CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Funeral De Um Lavrador (French)" and "Diz Que Fui Por Ai (live)". 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

One of the loveliest of all the bossa singers is caught here in some superb arrangements by Oscar Castro-Neves! The set's got a wonderful feel – with moments that are rootsier than your average bossa diva record, and others that are baroque enough to hint at the direction Nara would take a year later with Rogerio Duprat. Production is excellent, and Edu Lobo even guests on the track "De Onde Vens". Other tracks include "Lancha Nova", "Inspiracao", "No Corado Da Saideira", "Camisa Amarela", and "Se Voce Quiser Saber". Fantastic cover, too! This edition also features two bonus tracks as well. CD

An amazing early album by Nara Leao – one that features mostly spare vocals and acoustic guitar, plus some additional percussion – coming off in a style that's halfway between the best 60s work of Geraldo Vandre and early albums by Joyce! Nara's vocals are incredible – really haunting and dark, with a sad quality that sets her apart from most of her contemporaries, and a righteous presentation of the material that makes her come off as way more than just a pop singer. Titles include "Amo Tanto", "Recado", "Palmares", "Ole Ola", "Pede Passagem", and "Pedro Pedreiro". Also features 2 bonus tracks – French versions of "Opiniao" and "Acender As Velas". CD

Beautiful work from the incredible Nara Leao – a record that's lightly driven by the bossa, but with some sadder and darker touches that really set the sound apart! Backings on most tracks are simply spare percussion, and an acoustic guitar follows Nara's vocals as they dart in and out of the shadows – giving the record the moody feel of some of Baden Powell's best late 60s work, but with a slightly lighter feel overall – thanks to Nara's vocals. There's a great undercurrent of melancholy throughout – but one that doesn't overwhelm the record, as on some of the too-emotive sides by Brazilian divas of a few years before – and overall, the whole thing is an amazing balance of styles that comes off perfectly! Titles include "Mal Me Quer", "Labareda", "Esse Mundo E Meu", "Opiniao", "Acender As Velas", and "Sina De Caboclo". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – Spanish versions of "Opiniao" and "Acender As Velas". CD

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Great early work from singer Gracinha Leporace – a vocalist you might know from her later work in Bossa Rio, or her recordings with husband Sergio Mendes! Even at the start, Gracinha's a hell of a singer – a vocalist who's capable of all the coolness of the bossa era, yet still richly expressive in all the right ways – with a jazzy flourish at times that's perfect for the album's lively backings from Oscar Castro Neves! Instrumentation includes some sweet organ lines with a Walter Wanderley sort of groove – plus other moments that use woodwinds in this really lovely way – almost echoing some of the early Deodato charts. The whole thing's wonderful – a real lost bossa treasure – and titles include "Prece", "Cancao Da Desesperanca", "Ultima Batucada", "Rancho De Ano Novo", "A Saudade Fez Um Samba", "Sem Saida", "Cantiga", and "Em Tempo". CD

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A totally cool little record – and one that more than lives up to the Eastern promise of its cover! The album's a real stunner from Australian reedman Charlie Munro – a beautiful mix of jazz and exotic elements, at a level that puts it up there with a rare few records that work this well – like the Indo-Jazz experiments of Joe Harriott, the earlier recordings of Ahmed Abdul Malik, and maybe the legendary Jazz Meets World series on MPS! Munro's range of influences is nicely varied here – with some elements of Indian music, others borrowed from Japan, and even some from points that are a bit more Mid-East – mostly delivered on familiar jazz instrumentation, but with very dramatic results. Charlie plays tenor, alto, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – plus a bit of flute and cello too – and the rest of the group includes Mark Bowden on drums and vibes, Neville Whitehead on bass, and Bob McIvor on trombone – an instrument that's often used in these dark, bassy tones with the rhythms. Titles include "Islamic Suite", "Arch's Groove", "Malahari Raga", "David", "Japanese Love Song", "Minimum", "When I Look At You", and "Raised Eyebrows". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary groups from the bossa era in Brazil – a combo of incredible players, working with sublime arrangements by Eumir Deodato – all in a sound that hardly been matched again! The group only ever recorded two albums, but they've had a lasting impact on the sound of bossa for years to come – thanks to an expansive vision that brings together spare rhythms, jazz soloing, and larger strings – all with a quality that's lighter than air – almost a sum that's far less than the total of its elements – but in a really great way! The sense of spareness and poise here is really amazing – years ahead of Deodato's better-known US arrangements in the late 60s, and somehow even more impressive here. Players include Paulo Moura on alto sax, Neco on guitar, Meirelles on flute, Wilson Das Neves on drums, and Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica – and some tracks also feature a bit of light vocals floating along gently, almost as instruments themselves. Titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Clichet", "Feitinha Pro Poeta", "E Nada Mais", "Blue Set", and "Silk Stop". CD

A later album by Brazilian genius Hermeto Pascoal – but a set that crackles with all the fire and imagination of his classic recordings! The mood here takes us back to Slaves Mass or A Musica Livre – a mad mix of catchy rhythms, tight jazzy solos, and an insane approach to arrangement – that fast-moving genius that we've never heard from anyone this well, but which Hermeto has used to touch countless later generations of musicians! The grooves are wonderful – very freewheeling, but focused – and there's some soaring reed solos that really give the album a great sense of personality – as angular rhythms burst into the frenzy, and move the music to the heavens. There's a bit of vocalizing on the record – but always at a level that's on par with the instrumentation – and titles include "Tres Coisas", "Fazenda Nova", "O Galo Do Airan", "Pensamento Positivo", and "Chapeu De Baeta". CD

A really fantastic final album from The Peddlers – the UK trio who effortlessly mixed jazz and soul in the 60s, but who work here in a more expanded format! All the best elements of the group's sound are still nicely in place – those raspy vocals, strong use of keyboards, and especially their great sense of a groove – one that's made them a favorite for samples for more sophisticated DJs and producers over the years! But here, the sound is maybe even cooler – thanks to work from the London Philharmonic. Group leader/singer/keyboardist Roy Phillips composed the whole thing, and the Peddlers are at the core – but they're also helped out by percussionist John Punter and guitarist Toney Walmsley, and Peter Robinson – who did the larger orchestrations. Titles include "This Strange Affair", "Raining In London", "Sequence Of Thought", "Did She", "Sequence Of Thought", "In Juxtaposition", "Under London Nights", "River Lives", "I Have Seen", "Impressions", and "A Year And A Day Metamorphosis". 2LP set features a rare bonus album – with tracks from singles that include "Nothing Sacred", "Manah", "Sing Me An Old Song", "Have You Ever Been To Georgia", and "Back Alley Jane". 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

An excellent early gem by one of Brazil's greatest singers! The record captures Elis Regina at a prime early stage – when her voice was raw and filled with emotion, and when she was backed by some excellent arrangements that blended jazz, bossa, and more complicated vocal settings. The material is handled extremely well – and the set list includes many early versions of songs by some of Brazil's best writers, like "Cancao Do Sal" by Milton Nascimento, "Sonho De Maria" by Marcos Valle, "Tem Mais Samba" by Chico Buarque, "Lunik 9" and "Roda" by Gilberto Gil, "Pra Dizer Adeus" by Edu Lobo, and "Boa Palavra" by Caetano Veloso. CD

A stunning step forward for the great Elis Regina – and a landmark record that would set the stage for most of her final work to come in the 70s! The album's got less of the jazz or bossa inflections of her music from the 60s – and instead moves into this richly sophisticated style that seems to unlock endless new corners in her vocals – that emotive, expressive depth that instantly made Elis one of the most powerful forces of her time – an artist revered by both hipsters and the mainstream. Partner Cesar Camargo Mariano handles all the backings – again moving past his own bossa roots too – and titles include "Bala Com Bala", "Mucuripe", "Vida De Bailarina", "Atras Da Porta", "Cais", "20 Anos Blue", and a nice spare version of "Aquas De Marco". CD

A stunning step forward for the great Elis Regina – and a landmark record that would set the stage for most of her final work to come in the 70s! The album's got less of the jazz or bossa inflections of her music from the 60s – and instead moves into this richly sophisticated style that seems to unlock endless new corners in her vocals – that emotive, expressive depth that instantly made Elis one of the most powerful forces of her time – an artist revered by both hipsters and the mainstream. Partner Cesar Camargo Mariano handles all the backings – again moving past his own bossa roots too – and titles include "Bala Com Bala", "Mucuripe", "Vida De Bailarina", "Atras Da Porta", "Cais", "20 Anos Blue", and a nice spare version of "Aquas De Marco". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album from the early 70s – and one that shows Elis Regina really transforming her jazzy bossa style into something far more complicated and baroque! She's working here with her best arranger, Cesar Camargo Mariano, and the tracks feature small-group performances that include players like Toninho Horta, Roberto Menescal, and Paulinho – all coming together beautifully to match the deepening emotion in Regina's vocals. Titles include a great version of Gilberto Gil's "Oriente", plus the tracks "Doente Morena", "Agnus Sei", "Meio Do Campo", "Folhas Secas", and "Ladeira Da Preguica". CD

One of the first albums ever by this legendary bossa singer! Even at this young age, Elis Regina diplays a talent for interpretation and an emotional power that few other Brazilian vocalists could match – a way of putting over a tune that brought a whole new level of sophistication to Brazilian music in the 60s! On the set, Elis manages to give the songs a great deal of life, without smothering them in the heavier over-emotional style used by other Brazilian singers at the time – and works with light, lively, jazzy backings that are totally great. The result is a crackling batch of samba and bossa tracks that shines with warmth and imagination. The set includes a lot of tracks by Edu Lobo, and titles include "Sou Sem Paz", "Reza", "Por Um Amor Maior", "Joao Valentao", "Aleluia", "Ultimo Canto", and "Preciso Aprender A Ser So". CD

One of the first albums ever by this legendary bossa singer! Even at this young age, Elis Regina diplays a talent for interpretation and an emotional power that few other Brazilian vocalists could match – a way of putting over a tune that brought a whole new level of sophistication to Brazilian music in the 60s! On the set, Elis manages to give the songs a great deal of life, without smothering them in the heavier over-emotional style used by other Brazilian singers at the time – and works with light, lively, jazzy backings that are totally great. The result is a crackling batch of samba and bossa tracks that shines with warmth and imagination. The set includes a lot of tracks by Edu Lobo, and titles include "Sou Sem Paz", "Reza", "Por Um Amor Maior", "Joao Valentao", "Aleluia", "Ultimo Canto", and "Preciso Aprender A Ser So". CD

An incredible album – and a landmark session that showed that the bossa nova was still alive and well in the 1970s! The album pairs the breathy jazz vocals of Elis Regina with the booze-soaked warmth of Antonio Carlos Jobim – in a set of spare arrangements that feature a lot of touches from Cesar Carmargo Mariano, whose work on Elis Regina's 70s sessions is still the stuff of legend! Elis' vocals dominate, but when Tom comes in, the result is even more spectacular – especially given the generally light instrumentation used on most tracks – which means that the vocals carry the bulk of the sound on the set! Includes the pair's sublime duet on "Aguas de Marco", plus the tracks "Fotografia", "Brigas, Nunca Mais", "Retrato Em Branco E Preto", "Chovendo No Roseira", "Modinha", and "Triste". CD

A one of a kind record that still sparkles as brightly today as it did back in the late 60s – an amazing collaboration between Brazilian vocalist Elis Regina and Scandinavian jazzman Toots Thielemans – done in a style that easily makes it one of the best records ever from both artists! Elis is at the height of her jazzy late 60s powers here – working in a soaring, breezy sort of style – but one with a lot more depth and soul than some of her contemporaries. She brings a great deal of feeling to the tunes, but always without doing too much – and this leaves plenty of space for Toots to add his touches – on harmonica, guitar, and even a bit of whistling – which really sits in nicely with the grooves. The production and overall sound is sublime – one of those never matched again sort of studio dates – and titles include great versions of "Canto De Ossanha", "Wave", "Voce", "Wilsamba", "Five For Elis", "Volta", and "O Sonho". CD

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Don't let the "broadway" or the "blues" or the "ballads" in the title put you off – because this album's way more than any of those! As usual, Nina takes tunes that have common roots and she makes them all her own – working here with arrangements by Horace Ott and Hal Mooney, Nina shifts modes and moods with effortless ease, turning songs from ordinary tunes into fierce expressions of righteous soul. Titles include "The Laziest Gal In Town", "Nobody", "I Am Blessed", "Of This I'm Sure", "See Line Woman", "Last Rose Of Summer", and "How Can I". LP, Vinyl record album

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A seminal set from one of the greatest bossa combos ever – a group who could boast sharp instrumentation and warm vocal harmonies too! The mix of sounds is completely sublime – jazzy piano trio sounds at the core, topped by soaring harmonies from the members of the trio – a combination the group pioneered with this legendary album – and helped set a whole new standard for the bossa nova generation! Luiz Eca heads up the group on arrangements and piano – with percussion from Helcio Milito, bass and reeds from Bebeto, and just a bit of guest guitar from Durval Ferreira – on killer cuts that include "Batucada", "Sonho De Maria", "Mas Que Nada", "Moca Flor", "O Samba Da Minha Terra", and "Rio". CD

A seminal set from one of the greatest bossa combos ever – a group who could boast sharp instrumentation and warm vocal harmonies too! The mix of sounds is completely sublime – jazzy piano trio sounds at the core, topped by soaring harmonies from the members of the trio – a combination the group pioneered with this legendary album – and helped set a whole new standard for the bossa nova generation! Luiz Eca heads up the group on arrangements and piano – with percussion from Helcio Milito, bass and reeds from Bebeto, and just a bit of guest guitar from Durval Ferreira – on killer cuts that include "Batucada", "Sonho De Maria", "Mas Que Nada", "Moca Flor", "O Samba Da Minha Terra", and "Rio". LP, Vinyl record album

Brazil salutes Mexico – in a rare little album from the legendary Tamba Trio! The album's a rare Mexican release from the group – and was later issued as a self-titled set in Brazil in 1968 – but this original package is the first release of this great material! The record is one of the most obscure Tamba Trio albums of the 60s, a set that has the classic combo doing some heavenly takes on more familiar bossa numbers of the time – recorded right before the group's sides for A&M in the US at the end of the 60s – and filled with the kind of sophisticated shadings, unusual timings, and warmly chromatic harmony vocals that really made the Tamba Trio stand part from the rest of their Brazilian contemporaries. Most numbers are relatively straight ahead, but they've got these little twists and turns that are really amazing – and even though the songs are mostly familiar, they still come off here with a very fresh feel! Titles include "Garota De Ipanema" (retitled "La Chica De Ipanema"!), "So Danco Samba", "Berimbau", "Corcovado", "Consolacao", and "Desafinado". LP, Vinyl record album

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The first French album recorded by this legendary Brazilian trio – but one that also features plenty of guests from their homeland – including Djavan, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Ivan Lins, Joao Bosco, and Milton Nascimento! The group sing in a mode that's every bit as acapella as promised by the title – no other instrumentation, and instead this heavenly combination of their own voices – in ways that sound even more amazing when the guests come into play! Titles include "Aquele Um", "Qualquer Coisa", "O Pato", "Toada", "O Que Sera", "Expresso 2222", "Deixa Isso Pra La", "San Vincente", and "Conversa De Botequim". CD

Incredibly beautiful work from this trio of female Brazilian singers – a group who recorded in France in the 90s, but who have a quality that goes right back to some of the best harmonies of the bossa nova generation! Most of the tracks are straight acapella, and feature haunting vocal renditions of tracks like "Aguas De Marco", "Garota De Ipanema", and "A Felicidade" – plus a great English reading of Stevie Wonder & Syreeta's great track "Come Back As A Flower" – and titles that include "Pra La Pra Ca", "Mar E Lua", "Ponto De Macumba", and "Rua Augusta". Produced with excellent fidelity, and a floating haunting sound that's just great! CD

One of the building blocks of the late 60s Tropicalia scene in Brazil – and a standout solo debut from the young Caetano Veloso! The album's got an approach that's as dynamic and trippy as its cover image might imply – the same amazing blend of sounds and styles you'd hear on contemporaneous records by Gal Costa or Os Mutantes – served up with similar wit, wisdom, and charm! Caetano's vocals are amazing throughout – filled with raspy power that goes beyond the barriers of language – and the production has loads of surprising elements tripping through the mix – some rootsy, some slightly orchestrated – but with a softer approach that resonates strongly with more psychedelic use of organ and guitar. The album's as powerful today as it was decades ago – an essential recording that holds up beautifully year after year! The kickoff track is "Tropicalia" (surprisingly enough!), and the album is a non-stop ride through gems like "Alegria, Alegria", "Onde Andaras", "Paisagem Util", "Ave Maria", and the groovy "Soy Loco Por Ti America", written by Gilberto Gil. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the building blocks of the late 60s Tropicalia scene in Brazil – and a standout solo debut from the young Caetano Veloso! The album's got an approach that's as dynamic and trippy as its cover image might imply – the same amazing blend of sounds and styles you'd hear on contemporaneous records by Gal Costa or Os Mutantes – served up with similar wit, wisdom, and charm! Caetano's vocals are amazing throughout – filled with raspy power that goes beyond the barriers of language – and the production has loads of surprising elements tripping through the mix – some rootsy, some slightly orchestrated – but with a softer approach that resonates strongly with more psychedelic use of organ and guitar. The album's as powerful today as it was decades ago – an essential recording that holds up beautifully year after year! The kickoff track is "Tropicalia" (surprisingly enough!), and the album is a non-stop ride through gems like "Alegria, Alegria", "Onde Andaras", "Paisagem Util", "Ave Maria", and the groovy "Soy Loco Por Ti America", written by Gilberto Gil. 2 bonus tracks – we THINK from the original Japanese releases: "Yes, Nos Temos Banana" and "Ai De Mim, Copacabana". CD

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Fantastic work from 70s Brazil – served up here by the great Lady Zu, who was one of the few female artists in the mostly-male samba soul generation! Lady Zu's a bit like Tim Maia at the time – a soul singer first, and Brazilian artist second – and works here with a sound that would be right at home on the American scene of the time, save for the fact that the lyrics are in Portuguese! There's a slightly clubby vibe to the music, but it's nicely balanced with straighter work too – a bit like Warner recordings by Candi Staton from the late 70s. Arrangements are by Luis Roberto Oliveira, and the whole thing's great – a really unique slice of music from the scene at the time. Titles include "Novidades", "Esqueca Me", "Com Sabor", "Solucao", "So Voce", "A Noite Vai Chegar", and "Lady E Meu Nome". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Maria Bethania, Elis Regina, Fafa De Belem, Ivan Lins, Zizi Possi, Elba Ramalho, Alcione, Wando, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Erasmo and Roberto Carlos, Milton Nascimento, Cazuza, Nara Leao, Toquinho, Beth Carvalho, and Marina. LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant criss-crossing of pop modes in late 60s Europe – and the first album from Greek rock supergroup Aphrodite's Child! Although later work by the trio was a fair bit more heady, the approach here is more focused psychedelic pop – done in styles that echo strongly with some of the late 60s styles coming out of the Parisian scene, which is where the group were working at the time. Lyrics, though, are sung mostly in English – which gives the record a bit of a Brit psychedelic feel – but there's some other elements here that are also strongly the group's own. A young Demi Roussos sings lead vocals and plays guitar, and new age maestro Vangelis plays organ and percussion with a sound that's quite different than any of his later work! Titles include "End Of The World", "Day Of The Fool", "Valley Of Sadness", "Rain & Tears", "Mister Thomas", "You Always Stand In My Way", and "The Shepherd & The Moon". CD

Very groovy bossa tracks – very much in the mode of some of the Verve hit recordings of the mid 60s! After the success of the Astrud Gilberto/Joao Gilberto work with Stan Getz, it's clear that Philips and Luiz Bonfa wanted to get in on the act – and they've paired Bonfa's guitar with vocals from his wife Maria Toledo – a really wonderful singer with very Astrud-like appeal! The album's got some larger backings from Bobby Scott, who brings in a nice undercurrent of jazz – and while some of Bonfa's other work of the time is somewhat spare and dreamy, the style is nicely full here. Toledo sings in both English and Portuguese, and even scats wordlessly a bit – which we really like – on titles that include "Sambura", "Whistle Samba", "Tanto Amor", "Boticario", "Promessa", and "Sugar Loaf". 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

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

Sidemen include William Dawson on trombone, Stanley Wilson on banjo, Sterling Todd on piano, and Billy Butler on clarinet and tenor sax. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most mindblowing albums ever recorded – anywhere, anytime! This 1969 set stands as one of the greatest records ever cut by Gal Costa – done at the height of the Tropicalia movement, and featuring a sublime mix of styles that really gets the spirit of the movement right. Arrangements are by the legendary Rogerio Duprat – who effortlessly shifts the backings between stark electronics, sweet bossa, gliding strings, jazzy piano, and baroque orchestrations that dance around with a surprising amount of grooves! Tunes include some classics by Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, and Gilberto Gil – served up in amazing new versions by Gal and Duprat! Titles include "Nao Identificado", "Lost in the Paradise", "Que Pena", "Sebastiana", "Namorinho De Portao", "Divino Maravilhoso", and "Deus E O Amor". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great records made by the cool French jazzy vocal group that included Ward Swingle and Christine LeGrand, and which did stuff that was much more straightforwardly jazzy than the semi-classical work of the Swingle Singers. This LP's got them backed by Jerome Richardson and his quartet, and has them running through a set of tracks associated with Ray Charles' Atlantic work. Cuts include "Stompin' Room Only, "Hit The Road, Jack", "Yes, Indeed", and "One Mint Julep", and all have a swingin' jazz vocalese sound. Cool stuff by one of the great lost groups of the 60's. LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

Excellent work by Jobim – spanning the mid 60s late bossa years, into the early 70s baroque ones, when his mad compositional genius was really opening up! The set's a great way to get some of these cuts – as they're not actually as easy to track down as we'd like. Roberto Menescal selected the cuts – and titles include "Vivo Sonhando", "Samba Do Avaio", "Aguas De Marco", "Nuvens Douradas", "Meditacao", "Ana Luiza", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", and "Chega De Saudade". CD

A stunning lost bossa nova soundtrack! The score was penned for the 1967 film Garota De Ipanema (Girl From Ipanema), and although you've heard some of the tracks before in other versions, the overall album is very nice – and is a wonderful tribute to the early days of bossa nova! Jobim and Vinicius perform, as well as Baden Powell, Tamba Trio, Nara Leao, Elis Regina, Ronnie Von, Chico Buarque, and Quarteto Em Cy – and titles include "Por Voce", "Chorino", "Aria Para Se Morrer De Amor", "Rancho Das Namoradas", and "Tema Da Desilusao". We think some of the material might have popped up on otheralbums from time to time, but there's still enough stuff here that we hadn't heard elsewhere – and that we like a lot! LP, Vinyl record album

An uber-rare LP from Orlando Julius & The Afro Sounders – recorded at Ginger Baker's studio in Lagos and originally (apparently quite scarcely) released by Philips in 1973 – wonderful stuff and on par with the excellent material the group recorded in the handful of previous years! The sound is terrific, still fresh and live sounding, but recorded with the best studio technology Julius had access to to date. The drums and percussion are prominent in the mix and so is the bass – with punchy, soulful brass, organs and passionate vocals. Wonderful! Tracks include "Yio Si Da Miliki Beat", "Afro Instrumental", "Osika Ranti", "Buje Buje", "Aseni" and "Kete Kete Koro". LP, Vinyl record album

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Quite possibly the clearest moment of genius ever from the legendary Hermeto Pascoal – a tremendous album that helped reshape instrumental Brazilian music for many years to come! At one level, the record shares a sound with some of the fuller, richer orchestrations going on in the post-bossa years – especially the work of Edu Lobo and Marcos Valle – but at another, it's filled with the kind of inventive instrumental interplay that's always made Hermeto so great, but which has never come off so perfectly as it does here! As you might expect from Pascoal, there's some especially great reed passages – crafted in a flurry of colors and tones – but there's also a warmer, more flowing quality to the whole album – less of the dark notes and pointy edges that show up often in Hermeto's work from later years. Bits of strings help the whole thing glide tremendously – and the record's a genre-busting blend of jazz, Brazilian roots, and complicated arrangements – unlike anything else we've ever heard, and still one of our favorite albums of all time! Titles include "Bebe", "Asa Branca", "Carinhoso", "Plin", "Gaio Da Roseira", and "Sereiarei". CD

There's plenty of bossa nova here – as the lovely Leila Pinheiro is working alongside Roberto Menescal – that famous Brazilian talent from the 60s, who was reemerging in the 80s to help bring back the music with a few key singers! Roberto's gentle groove works wonders with Leila – getting her past some of the darker corners of her other records, while still allowing for some of the tristeza that makes her voice so wonderful – a special balance that's carried off beautifully by the pair! Titles include "Mentiras/Ate Quem Sabe", "Pra Dizer Adeus/Candeias", "Batida Diferente/Moca Flor/Tristeza De Nos Dois", "Que Maravilha/Chove Chuva/Mas Que Nada", and "Ilusao A Toa/O Que E Amar". CD

A stunning step forward for the great Elis Regina – and a landmark record that would set the stage for most of her final work to come in the 70s! The album's got less of the jazz or bossa inflections of her music from the 60s – and instead moves into this richly sophisticated style that seems to unlock endless new corners in her vocals – that emotive, expressive depth that instantly made Elis one of the most powerful forces of her time – an artist revered by both hipsters and the mainstream. Partner Cesar Camargo Mariano handles all the backings – again moving past his own bossa roots too – and titles include "Bala Com Bala", "Mucuripe", "Vida De Bailarina", "Atras Da Porta", "Cais", "20 Anos Blue", and a nice spare version of "Aquas De Marco". CD

A great one by Elis, and a late-60s effort that seems to mix her bossa leanings with a slight nod to some of the Tropicalia changes that were going on around her! There's lots of cool Brazilian pop instrumentation, jazzy bossa grooves, and weirdly-arranged organs and guitars, plus some wild arrangements that have a nice off-kilter sound. The set includes a great version of Gilberto Gil's "Viramundo", plus a classic reading of "Upa Neguinho", the groover "Corrida De Jangada", "Samba do Perdao", "Tributo A Tom Jobim", and "De Onde Vens". LP, Vinyl record album

An Italian collection of earlier work by The Stones – with titles that include "Paint It Black", "Ruby Tuesday", "Jumpin Jack Flash", "Sympathy For The Devil", "Gimme Shelter", "Out Of Time", "Lady Jane", "Let's Spend The Night Together", "Yesterday's Paper", and "As Tears Go By". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual album from the west coast scene of the 60s – recorded under the name of the Lighthouse All Stars, but featuring arrangements and compositions by Bob Cooper – who was the real driving force behind the set. Conte Candoli's in the group on trumpet – and other players include Buddy Colette and Bud Shank on alto and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Victor Feldman on vibes and percussion, Stan Levey on drums, and Cooper himself on tenor. The overall sound is relatively tightly constrained, in a "jazz suite" mode – but there's plenty of room for solo space on the set, and Cooper's writing is as fluid as his ability is strong to bring these players together as conductor. The set's got a really great feel that gets way past some of the more academic west coast work of its sort – with a lot more soul than you'd expect. Titles include "Rain Blues", "Genesis (pt II)", "Architectonics", "Directional Suite", and "The Worker". LP, Vinyl record album

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