A funky 70s killer from Japanese arranger Norio Maeda – very different than his 60s material, and also different than you might guess from both the image on the cover, and the "samba" in the title! There's some Brazilian influence in the rhythms, but the approach is fuller, richer, and handled with lots of sweet CTI-style electric touches – including great keyboard work from Maeda himself, guitar from Shigeru Suzuki, and nicely strong basslines from Haruomi Hosono – quite a surprise on a set like this! Larger horn lines really top the set in a nice way – and there's great percussion from Motoya Hamaguchi – on titles that include funky jazz takes on "Wave", "Desafinado", "Constant Rain", "Manha De Carnaval", "Summer Samba", and "The Girl From Ipanema". LP, Vinyl record album

A dream of a record from Gary McFarland – lightly jazzy instrumentals with a warm bossa nova undercurrent! The style is incredible – a sweet blend of vibes, guitar, and even some light whistling – often also featuring wordless jazz vocals – scatting along with the groove in a melodic and lovely kind of way! The whole thing's incredibly charming, and even familiar tunes come across sounding quite different in McFarlands hands. Titles include "From Russia With Love", "More", "Emily", "La Vie En Rose", "The Love Goddess", and even a groovy take on "I Want To Hold Your Hand". For you true swingers, the cover includes directions for mixing a "Soft Samba Cocktail" (courtesy Spanish Sherry Institute)! LP, Vinyl record album

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Classic samba material from the legendary Monsueto – released as part of EMI's excellent Raizes Do Samba series, and featuring 20 tracks from the years 1956 to 1963. Titles include "Bola Branca", "A Fonte Secou", "Sambamba", "Retrato De Cabral", "Bateria E Solo De Percussao", "Mane Joao", and "Segunda Lua-De-Mel/Fogo No Morro". Most tracks have some ensemble female vocals – ala Quarteto Em Cy, hard heavy percussion, and great soulful lead vocals! CD

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A great little project – Clara Moreno's jazzy soul take on Jorge Ben's classic Samba Esquema Novo album – but much more than a simple tribute record, and some of her warmest grooves in years! The songs by Jorge are great, of course – but Clara is really doing something special here, adapting the material in a way that honors the soulful integrity Ben brought to the bossa in early 60s – but working with arranger Paulo Malheiros in a lively (and often live sounding) jazzy approach that really opens up the material! There's a lot of piano in the mix,the rhythm section is solid, and Clara's beautiful voice is right out front – and we especially love the warm and unfussy vibe of the record. We knew we were in for something special with the unique take on "Mas Que Nada" that starts the record off – and the groove continues on the cuts "Tim Dom Dom", "Balanca Pema", "Chove Chuva", "E So Sambar", "Rosa Menina Rosa", "Quero Esquecer Voce", "A Tamba", and "Pra Causa De Voce Menina". CD

Clara Moreno's working here with some famous help in the credits – but the sound of the album is definitely all her own, and even better than some of her other great sets in recent years! The style is mostly bossa, but served up with a slightly modern approach – not one that's electrified or remixed, but nicely free of cliches that try to hard to conjure up images from the old days – done in a sparely evocative mode that really gets to the best heart of the bossa, and re-presents it wonderfully with Clara's youthful talents! Moreno's on vocals throughout – although Celso Fonseca sings a bit on a few duets – and instrumentation includes acoustic guitar from both Fonseca and Joyce on some tracks, plus drums by Tutty Moreno. Most instrumentation is acoustic, and quite stripped down – sometimes only a bit of guitar, bass, and percussion behind the vocals – giving Clara plenty of room to stand on her own, center stage. Titles include "Rosa De Ouro", "Litoranea", "Sabe Quem", "Sei La", "Moca Flor", "Mon Manege A Moi", "Tenderly", "Ela Vai Pro Mar", "Vem Morena Vem", and "Copacabana". CD

Samba is their gift – and we're all that much richer for it! Os Ipanemas return here in one of their best albums so far – a beautiful blend of earthy percussion, samba rhythms, and just a bit of bossa jazz – put together with a style that's personal and spontaneous, recorded without any extra fanfare – and in a mode that's almost more authentic than similar recordings from the 60s! Leave it to the Far Out label to get a session like this done the right way – because there's none of the too-slick sounds of some revival sessions, nor any of the fake roots that just come off as tired over-hashed ideas. Instead, what we've got here is a lively, organic batch of music that shows that percussionist Wilson Das Neves and guitarist Neco are still growing strongly in their talents – aided here by an array of guest players on trumpet, trombone, flute, and a fair bit of extra percussion – and sounding especially nice on those tracks where Wilson's warmly crackling vocals simmer nicely with the grooves! Titles include "Imperial", "Malandro Qando Vaza", "San Roque", "Valsamba", "Treze Trinta E Nove", "Folia No Samba", "Taioba", and "Samba Pra Mim Mesmo". CD

One of the few Blue Note albums with a bossa groove – and a great one too! The record features soulful tenor star Ike Quebec blowing in front of Brazilian-styled rhythms laid out by a combo that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, and a duo of Latin percussionists! Willie Bobo plays drums on the session, and the cuts have a short groovy feel, with a sax-heavy lead, in a similar style to Stan Getz's bossa work on Verve – but much more soulful overall, and with a nicely rougher feel on the rhythms. Really great stuff, and with titles that include "Loie", "Goin Home", "Favela", "Blue Samba", and "Shu Shu". CD

One of the few Blue Note albums with a bossa groove – and a great one too! The record features soulful tenor star Ike Quebec blowing in front of Brazilian-styled rhythms laid out by a combo that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, and a duo of Latin percussionists! Willie Bobo plays drums on the session, and the cuts have a short groovy feel, with a sax-heavy lead, in a similar style to Stan Getz's bossa work on Verve – but much more soulful overall, and with a nicely rougher feel on the rhythms. Really great stuff, and with titles that include "Loie", "Goin Home", "Favela", "Blue Samba", and "Shu Shu". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes – of "Loie", "Shu Shu", and "Favela". CD

One of the few Blue Note albums with a bossa groove – and a great one too! The record features soulful tenor star Ike Quebec blowing in front of Brazilian-styled rhythms laid out by a combo that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, and a duo of Latin percussionists! Willie Bobo plays drums on the session, and the cuts have a short groovy feel, with a sax-heavy lead, in a similar style to Stan Getz's bossa work on Verve – but much more soulful overall, and with a nicely rougher feel on the rhythms. Really great stuff, and with titles that include "Loie", "Goin Home", "Favela", "Blue Samba", and "Shu Shu". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes – of "Loie", "Shu Shu", and "Favela". CD

The rare 3rd album of samba tunes cut by the team of Elza Soares and Miltino – done in a lively, playful style that has the two of them trading vocals on some longer numbers – then moving off into some solo material on their own. Backings are upbeat and jazzy, handled by Nelsinho, with some assistance from Lyrio Panicali – and titles include Miltinho singing "Samba Da Cor" and "Um Samba Pra Ela"; Elza singing "Julgar E Missao Divina" and "Madrugada Vai Chegar"; and the pair of them working through 3 tasty medley tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure if the music here actually came from outer space – but the tunes definitely have a cosmic connection in the way they mix together so many groovy modes at once! The core energy comes from a love of 80s groove – particularly basslines, beats, and keyboards from the earlier part of the decade – but Diogo Strausz hails from Brazil, and brings in some music from his own culture as well, plus bits of Afro Funk and house – all of which makes for some mighty fresh tracks throughout! Titles include "Flexivel", "Dans Une Langue", "Junto De Nos", "Samba From Outer Space", "La Forme D'Un Grand Coeur", and "Why Can't We Be Together". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with "samba" in the title, but a set that hardly sounds like samba at all – given that the record is one of the groundbreaking 70s albums from the legendary Tom Ze! Ze first rose to fame as an experimentalist in the Tropicalia scene – but here, he's years past that movement, yet still one of its most creative proponents – working in a mode that takes older Brazilian rhythms and infuses them with all the new sounds, styles, and sense of poetry that Tom was bringing to his music – often quite playful, but at a level that's quite moving as well. The whole thing's got the subtle "beyond language" power of some of the best by Caetano Veloso – even though Tom Ze is completely his own man throughout. The set features arrangements from Jose Briamonte, production from Heraldo Do Monte, and titles that include a rootsy take on "A Felicidade", plus the nutty instrumental "Tom", and the original tracks "So", "Ma", "Vai", "Ui", "Indice", "Hein", and "Mae". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from one of the greatest periods in Brazilian music – that heady late 60s/early 70s stretch when it seemed like everything was up for grabs – and new genres, new sounds, and new styles were being created all the time! This cooker of a collection focuses on the unique hybrid of funk and samba that took place at the time – a sound also known as Samba Soul, but served up here with a really well-selected batch of tracks that goes way past the obvious – to really reinscribe a whole new version of this musical generation, pulled together from rare wax of the 70s! The groove is bouncy and upbeat, but often has some cool unexpected twists and turns too – with titles that include "Mister Brown" by Bebeto, "Quem Vem La" by Marisa Rossi, "Turma Do Pole" by Arnaud Rodriguez, "16 Toneladas" by Moriel Vilela, "Sou Negro" by Toni Tornado, and "Tatarue" by Giovana. CD

Funky samba and modern beats collide in this great set of tracks by Max De Castro – a newer gem on the Trama label, with a similar spirit to the label's debut by Otto, and recent work from Brazil in the modern samba soul vein! Max is clearly inspired by 70s soul artists like Tim Maia or Cassiano – but he's also got an ear for the modern studio, pushing his work out of the straight soul vein with some pretty adventurous production and arrangements! Titles include "Afrosamba", "Samba Raro", "Ella Disse Assim", "Onda Differente", "Flash", and "Voce E Eu". CD

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly an "encore" of the first Stan Getz Jazz Samba album – as this set's got a slightly different feel, and lots of great elements that make it really unique! This time around, Brazilian musician Luiz Bonfa is on guitar – already a skilled proponent of the bossa by the time of the record, and arguably one of the few who really got it going back home in Rio. Stan's tenor sounds wonderful – as carefully and soufully blown as on the first set, but also with some new colors and tones too. Bonfa's wife Maria Toledo sings a bit on the record – hinting at Stan's work to come with Astrud Gilberto (this album was cut right before the Getz/Gilberto collaboration) – and the record also features added work on piano and guitar from the great Antonio Carlos Jobim – more than enough proof that the album's got a pure bossa pedigree! Titles include "Menina Flor", "Ebony Samba", "Saudade Vem Correndo", "Sambalero", "Samba De Duas Notas", and "Mania De Maria". LP, Vinyl record album

Samba is their gift – and we're all that much richer for it! Os Ipanemas return here in one of their best albums so far – a beautiful blend of earthy percussion, samba rhythms, and just a bit of bossa jazz – put together with a style that's personal and spontaneous, recorded without any extra fanfare – and in a mode that's almost more authentic than similar recordings from the 60s! Leave it to the Far Out label to get a session like this done the right way – because there's none of the too-slick sounds of some revival sessions, nor any of the fake roots that just come off as tired over-hashed ideas. Instead, what we've got here is a lively, organic batch of music that shows that percussionist Wilson Das Neves and guitarist Neco are still growing strongly in their talents – aided here by an array of guest players on trumpet, trombone, flute, and a fair bit of extra percussion – and sounding especially nice on those tracks where Wilson's warmly crackling vocals simmer nicely with the grooves! Titles include "Imperial", "Malandro Qando Vaza", "San Roque", "Valsamba", "Treze Trinta E Nove", "Folia No Samba", "Taioba", and "Samba Pra Mim Mesmo". LP, Vinyl record album

Light and beautiful work from Peri – a modern Brazilian composer, but one with all the sensitive grace of the best bossa stars from earlier years! Peri's working here in a mostly solo setting – singing along with his acoustic guitar, in a way that echoes similar modes from Joyce, Joao Gilberto, and Baden Powell – yet which also takes on a new sort of life thanks to Peri's personal shadings of the tunes. Titles include "Na Lata", "O Samba E Bom", "So Minha", "Mentiras", "Voyeur", "Samba Passarinho", "Redemoinho", "Meu Mundo E Hoje", and "Mamae Falou". CD

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". CD

2 obscure numbers from Young Holt – both pretty darn nice! "Soulful Samba" has a bit of Latin and a bit of bossa – grooving along with a jaunty finish that brings new life to their Chicago-styled soul jazz sound. "Horoscope" is even better – heavy piano with a bit of funk at the bottom, and some nice guttural vocalizations from Red Holt! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Strictly Samba, and strictly great stuff – a mix of contemporary work from the Far Out label and a host of other artists too – almost all of whom work here in a relatively classic mode! Although most of the tunes are recent, they'd fit right next to some of your classic samba sides from years past – thanks to an adherence to rootsy percussion, acoustic instrumentation, and recording techniques that really let the vocals come through strongly – adding a bold sense of soul to the music that really makes it groove. The package is really well done – and the non Far Out tracks make it way more than a straight label sampler – with work that includes "Beleza Beleza Beleza" by Trio Mocoto, "Era Bom" by The Ipanemas, "Maria Jose" by Nereu Mocoto & Swing, "Swingue Do Samba" by Roge, "Foi Um Rio Que Passou Em Minha Vida" by Tereza Cristina E Grupo Semente, "Sorri Pra Nos" by Armando Marcal, "Na Cadencia Do Samba" by Grupo Batuque, "Tudo De Bom" by Arthur Verocai, "Jongo Jade" by Aparecindinha, "Casamento Na Favela" by Zaira, and "Samba De Silvia" by Joyce. CD

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The start of an amazing legacy in Brazilian music – and a record that really lives up to its title! Jorge Ben completely reinvents the samba here – and comes up with his own new groove in the process – by blending sharp acoustic guitar lines with rootsy percussion – all at a level that's far more rhythmic than the used of the instrument in bossa nova. There's definitely a bossa element – but Joao's singing is a lot more soulful, as is the overall performance – and the styles started here not only launched Ben's career, but also had a huge influence on generations of musicians to come! Titles include the sublime original version of "Mas Que Nada" - plus "Tim Dom Dom", "Chove Chuva", "A Tamba", "Balanca Pema", and "Rosa Menina Rosa". Great stuff, and essential all the way through – we promise! CD

An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle". CD

One of the grooviest albums ever from pianist Clare Fischer – and one of the few to really get at the bossa nova spirit that's only hinted at in some of his other work! Clare's bossa touches had a great effect on other artists in the 60s – most notably Cal Tjader – but here, he's on his own and at the head of the pack – working in sweet small combo formation with some really great rhythms! Fischer plays both piano and organ – the latter of which is totally great, and which almost adds a Walter Wanderley charm to the set – and other players include the great Dennis Budimir on guitar, Bob West on bass, and Colin Bailey on drums. The track list is a mix of tracks by Jobim and Fischer – and titles include "Ornithardy", "One Note Samba", "Carnavel", "Pensativa", and "Quiet Nights". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". This is the Verve master edition with 20-bit remastering, bonus track, new liner notes, photographs, cover art & more. CD

A great album from Astrud Gilberto – one that has her pushing past the simple bossa of early years, running through a range of 60s styles that all sound great – really opening up, finding new confidence in her vocals, and bridging a few different musical worlds in the process! Arrangements are by Deodato and Don Sebesky – and handled with this growing sophistication that holds on to bossa elements, but elevates the style with some of the cooler late 60s touches we love on Verve Records – all at a level that's completely sublime, and which does really wonderful things for Astrud's vocals. There's still plenty of Brazilian tunes in the mix – like "Oba, Oba", "Canoeiro", "Bossa Na Praia", "Nao Bate O Corocao", and Marcos Valle's great "The Face I Love" – and the album also features great versions of "Misty Roses", "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice", and "Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

Murray's tenor and bass clarinet are nicely set in a warm lyrical quartet with John Hicks, Ray Drummond, and Ed Blackwell. The record features some nice long tracks that have Murray playing mostly inside, but with enough soul and raw talent to keep things moving nicely. Titles include "Walter's Waltz", "Ming's Samba", and "Spooning". CD

Murray's tenor and bass clarinet are nicely set in a warm lyrical quartet with John Hicks, Ray Drummond, and Ed Blackwell. The record features some nice long tracks that have Murray playing mostly inside, but with enough soul and raw talent to keep things moving nicely. Titles include "Walter's Waltz", "Ming's Samba", and "Spooning". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Bola Sete made some of his most important American recordings of the 60s on the San Francisco scene – but this huge set of unreleased tracks captures the Brazilian player farther up north, as he works in a sweet set of trio recordings captured at a small club in Seattle! The music is a great counterpart to some of Bola's recordings for Fantasy Records during the same time, but also captures the guitarist with a bit more complexity too – some of the qualities that he wouldn't always show on record at this level until the 70s, but which were clearly part of his sound right from the start! The group's a trio – with Sebastiao Neto on bass and Paulinho Magalhaes on drums – and titles include "Soul Samba", "Deve Ser Amor", "Malaguena", "Garota De Ipanema", "Astrurias", "Consolacao", "Tristeza", "A Feliciade", "Prelude No 3", "Spanish Dance No 5", "Shadow Of Your Smile", "Satin Doll", "One Note Samba", and "Corcovado". CD

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". CD

A rare bossa session by Wanderly – recorded early in his career in Brazil, and issued here in the US by World Pacific. It's as tight a batch of bossa organ grooves as any of Wanderley's best albums from the 60's – and he's playing with a larger lineup than usual, which adds a lot to the sound, and the group's got Bolao on sax and flute, and Heraldo Do Monte on guitar. All the cuts have Wanderley's trademark firey organ sound, and the titles include "Samba In Japan", "Sad Samba", "Samba Da Minha Terra", "Samba Novo", and "Samba De Bossa". Nice stuff, and a very groovy album of bossa organ! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of rare bossa nova from the 60s – all put together by Nicola Conte, whose work on the Schema label has done a lot to continue the tradition of the classics! Here, though, Nicola's set loose on the RGE label, and other indies from 60s Brazil – super-rare records that almost never made it to our neck of the woods back in the day, and which always had a super-sharp sound that was even harder and groovier than American work on labels like Verve and Capitol! The cuts here are all wonderful – many of them new to our ears, and filled with great vocals, driving percussion, and plenty of jazzy touches. Titles include "Fora De Hora" by Dalmo Castello, "Voce Que Nao Vem" by O Triangulo, "Sem Fim" by Marisa Baroso, "Chegar De Brigar" by Henrique Benny, "Macumba" by Claudia, "Copa 70" Brasil 40 Graus, "Litoral" by Werther, "Tema Em Do" by Bossa Trio, "Canto Do Quilombo" by Luiz Carlos Sa, "Faz De Conta" by Aizita, "Tokyo Blues" by Octons, and "Samba De Negro" by Carlos Sodre. CD

Features Antonio Adolfo on piano, Lula Galvao on guitar, Jesse Sadoc on trumpet and flugelhorn, Marcelo Martins on saxes and flute, Rafael Rocha on trombone, and Dada Costa and Rafael Barata on percusssion. CD

Amazing stuff! Jorge Ben never made a bad record in the 60s – and this is one of his best! The album's filled with tight jaunty numbers that mix big band samba arrangements with quickly strummed guitar, and Jorge's wonderfully raw vocals – all classic stuff for Jorge, but a style that we never tire of! Every track's a winner, and the album glides effortlessly from number to number, grooving along with a stunning mix of instruments, vocals, and this incredible echoey production. Titles include "Vou De Samba Com Voce", "Guerreiro Do Rei", "Descalco No Parque", "Gabriela", "Saida Do Porto", "Bicho Do Mato", and "Zope Zope". CD

Amazing stuff! Jorge Ben never made a bad record in the 60s – and this is one of his best! The album's filled with tight jaunty numbers that mix big band samba arrangements with quickly strummed guitar, and Jorge's wonderfully raw vocals – all classic stuff for Jorge, but a style that we never tire of! Every track's a winner, and the album glides effortlessly from number to number, grooving along with a stunning mix of instruments, vocals, and this incredible echoey production. Titles include "Vou De Samba Com Voce", "Guerreiro Do Rei", "Descalco No Parque", "Gabriela", "Saida Do Porto", "Bicho Do Mato", and "Zope Zope". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums by Jorge Ben that was issued in America – a mid-70s set that brings together some of the best work he recorded for Philips Records in Brazil in the late 60s and early 70s! The work here is the stuff of legend – sounds that effortlessly blend samba and soul, all without ever sounding forced – and with an undeniably infectious groove that comes through strongly in Jorge's fantastic presentation of the material! His vocals are amazing – the kind that really grab you, even if you don't understand the language – and the rhythms are full of rootsy percussion and riffing acoustic guitar – plus some basslines that are very unique, and really drive the tunes. The whole thing's wonderful – every track is a killer – and titles include "Ze Cangica", "O Circo Chegado", "Morre O Burro Fica O Homem", "Paz E Arroz", "Oba, La Vem Ela", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Oba La Vem Ela", and "Errare Humanum Est". CD features two bonus tracks – "Que Maravilha" and "Taj Mahal (1972 version)". CD

Sublime jazzy club from David Benoit – one of our favorite numbers on the AVI label at the time! The tune's just as Brazilian-flavored as you might expect from the title – a wonderful blend of romping rhythms, sweet scatting vocals, and some tinkling piano that's totally great – a real change from the usual, and with a sense of soul that almost reminds us of Rodney Franklin at points! The flipside's pretty great too – a bit more electric funk, but still with plenty of jazzy flourishes and some nice use of moog! 12-inch, Vinyl record

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A batch of samba tracks assembled by Herminio Bello De Carvalho – and performed by artists that include Roberto Silva, Paulao, Cristina Buarque, Mariana Bernardes, and Pedro Paulo. The set's got the same great overall look and feel of some of the best of the titles on the Biscoito Fino label – and the 2CD package features a large number of tracks, many of which are performed in kind of a pot-pourri mode. CD

An assortment of later work from samba diva Clementina De Jesus – pulled from an assortment of EMI/Odeon sessions from the mid 60s and 1970s. The set features 20 tracks in all, and titles include "Embala Deu", "Marinheiro So", "Cocoroco", "Madrugada", "Sonho Meu", "Moro Na Roca", "Olhar Assim", "Lapa", "Papel Reclame", "Olhos De Azeviche", and "Tava Dormindo". CD

A bossa nova dream come true – the early compositions of Marcos Valle, played by a young Deodato! This great set collects tunes from Deodato's early albums in Brazil – wonderful bossa nova instrumentals, all written by Marcos Valle, and performed here in a mix of groovy 60s styles. The sound is incredible – and very different than Deodato's funkier 70s work – more uptempo bossa at most points, and at few other times, dreamy and floating, with that impeccable style of arrangements that Deodato virtually pioneered in the 60s! Titles include "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", "Summer Samba", "Love For Nothing", "Chup Chup I Got Away", "Even More Beautiful", "Flap", "Out Of Time", "The White Puma", and "Maria's Dream". Album also includes a few alternate versions of tracks, done in different mixes. CD

Very tasty set of jazz tracks by legendary Brazilian pianist Joao Donato, performed as a loving tribute to Jobim, and with the same polished bossa sound as many other titles on the Lumiar label. Donato himself handled most of the arrangements, and the sound is nice and spare, with backing by sax, flute, and trumpet. The titles are all quite familiar, but Donato's playing is quite fresh, and the set is one of his best albums of the past 20 years. Titles include "Fotografia", "Vivo Sonhando", "Caminhos Cruzados", "Outra Vez", and "Wave". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". CD

A great album from Astrud Gilberto – one that has her pushing past the simple bossa of early years, running through a range of 60s styles that all sound great – really opening up, finding new confidence in her vocals, and bridging a few different musical worlds in the process! Arrangements are by Deodato and Don Sebesky – and handled with this growing sophistication that holds on to bossa elements, but elevates the style with some of the cooler late 60s touches we love on Verve Records – all at a level that's completely sublime, and which does really wonderful things for Astrud's vocals. There's still plenty of Brazilian tunes in the mix – like "Oba, Oba", "Canoeiro", "Bossa Na Praia", "Nao Bate O Corocao", and Marcos Valle's great "The Face I Love" – and the album also features great versions of "Misty Roses", "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice", and "Stay". Plus, this CD reissue features 5 bonus tracks not on the original LP! CD

A whole new chapter in the career of trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – and a beautiful one at that! The set has Dusko playing a set of bossa-inspired tunes – working with a quartet that includes guitar, bass, and drums – in a warmly chromatic style that reminds us a lot of the classic Art Farmer/Jim Hall sessions of the early 60s! Dusko's playing is as imaginative as ever – and takes on whole new levels of expression in this setting. The light rhythms of the tunes are a real contrast from the modal and soul jazz approaches of earlier years – and in some ways, they seem to set Dusko free to explore whole new territory. Great stuff all around – with titles that include "The Fish", "Quo Vadis", "Sunset", "Samba Do Mar", "Jim's Ballad", and "Love & Deception". CD

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

... LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Flor De Lis", "Menina na Janela", "Triste", "Vamos Nessa", and "I Can't Get Started". CD

Paul Meyers on guitar with Santi Debriano on bass. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

20 tracks pulled from Joao's excellent samba sides for EMI/Odeon in the 70s – warmly-crafted modern work, done with a nice hint of jazz in some of the arrangements! Titles include "No Na Madeira", "Das 200 Para La", "Gago Apaixonado", "Eu Hein Rosa", "Entenda A Rosa", "Moda Da Barriga", "Batendo A Porta", "Apoteose Ao Samba", and "Vamos Deixar De Intimidade". CD

... CD

Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – and a set that definitely lives up to the samba promised in its name! The groove here is a bit more fluid than usual for Art at this time in his career – and that's saying a lot, given the open-ended style of his Galaxy and Contemporary work – and in a way, it's the rhythm section that really seems to drive the record – George Cables on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Eddie Marshall on drums – really stretching out on the album's long, live tracks to give Pepper plenty of dancing rhythms underneath his alto lines. The set features two great Brazilian-tinged groovers – "Samba Mom Mom" and a version of "Blue Bossa" – plus "Art Meets Mr Beautiful" and "Here's That Rainy Day". CD

Less of a "best of" than some of the other titles in this series – but some fantastic rare work by this excellent tenor sax player! This 20 track set features 12 numbers from a fantastic album that Pixinguinha cut in 1968 with Clementina De Jesus and Joao Da Bahiana, a great little record that was sort of a traditionalist session with a bit of a modern feel. The other 8 tracks have "?" as the copyright date, but they sound to us like they were recorded slightly afterwards, as Pixinquinha's tenor is set in some driving modern samba arrangements – occasionally with a bit of organ. The inclusion of this rare material makes Pixinquinha's set one of the best in this "roots of samba" series – and it's also a wonderful complement to the 2CD retrospective of his work on BMG. Titles include "Samba Do Urubu", "Yao", "Cabide De Molambo", "A Tua Sina", "Batuque Na Cozinha", "Carinhoso", "Estacio, Mangueira", and "Samba Funebre". CD

... CD

An incredible album by the Tamba 4 – one of 2 albums the Brazilian bossa combo did in the US for A&M Records, during the brief time when they were expanded to a quartet from the original Tamba Trio lineup! The set is completely sublime – a wonderful mix of the group's trademark harmony vocals and crackling bossa rhythms, with the warmly flowing CTI production style of the time – not funky like the CTI sound of the 70s, but a bit more sophisticated than the style Creed Taylor had been using earlier at Verve. Tracks are short, breezy, and often very lively – bossa grooving warmed in the California sun – and titles include "Samba Blim", "Watch What Happens", "Pregao", "San Salvador", "Know It All", and "Palladium". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album by the Tamba 4 – one of 2 albums the Brazilian bossa combo did in the US for A&M Records, during the brief time when they were expanded to a quartet from the original Tamba Trio lineup! The set is completely sublime – a wonderful mix of the group's trademark harmony vocals and crackling bossa rhythms, with the warmly flowing CTI production style of the time – not funky like the CTI sound of the 70s, but a bit more sophisticated than the style Creed Taylor had been using earlier at Verve. Tracks are short, breezy, and often very lively – bossa grooving warmed in the California sun – and titles include "Samba Blim", "Watch What Happens", "Pregao", "San Salvador", "Know It All", and "Palladium". CD

One of the grooviest Verve albums of all time – a rare American session from Brazilian legend Marcos Valle – and his only US album to feature vocals! The album's even dreamier than Valle's early bossa sides from Brazil – and the setting has some nice Verve-like touches from Deodato – who handled the arrangements, and brings a nicely airy, nicely jazzy style to the record. Most tunes are sung as duets with his lovely wife Anamaria – made famous by the album's landmark groover "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" – an English-language version of Valle's earlier "Os Grilos". Other titles are all great too – and sport English lyrics that hardly ever got much exposure. In addition to the great "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", other titles include "The Face I Love", "She Told Me She Told Me", "Pepino Beach", "Chup Chup I Got Away", and "Batucada". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty session of tracks recorded in Brazil, during the Carnival in Rio! The Far Out team took a bunch of legendary Brazilian percussionists into the studio and recorded this album of funky batucada tracks that includes the cuts "Mama Samba", "Ona Leve", and "Percussion Livre". Wilson Das Neves, ex-leader of Os Ipanemas, heads up the group, and other featured players include Mamao, Chacal, and Zezinho. Groovy batucada sounds, with the usual high Far Out quality. CD

A pair of fantastic albums from vibes master and genius arranger Gary McFarland – back to back on a single CD! First up is The In Sound – one of the grooviest albums of the 60s – a sublime blend of jazz, bossa, and easy – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The album's probably the most perfect realization of the unique groove that Gary McFarland was going for back in the day – a mix of vibes, whistling, and wordless vocals, supported by some gently funky rhythms that use a fair bit of electric bass to underscore the groove! The lineup here is wonderful – with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Sadao Watanabe making a rare 60s US appearance on flute and tenor sax. Gary blends these instrumental elements perfectly for the record – and comes up with a completely unique sound that can only be described as "McFarlandy"! Amazing cuts include "Fried Bananas", "Bloop Bleep", and "Over Easy" – but the whole album's incredible, and other tracks include "The Sting Of The Bee", "Wine & Bread", "Here I Am", "The Hills Of Verdugo", and "The Moment Of Truth". Soft Samba is a dream of a record from Gary McFarland – lightly jazzy instrumentals with a warm bossa nova undercurrent! The style is incredible – a sweet blend of vibes, guitar, and even some light whistling – often also featuring wordless jazz vocals – scatting along with the groove in a melodic and lovely kind of way! The whole thing's incredibly charming, and even familiar tunes come across sounding quite different in McFarlands hands. Titles include "From Russia With Love", "More", "Emily", "La Vie En Rose", "The Love Goddess", and even a groovy take on "I Want To Hold Your Hand". For you true swingers, the cover includes directions for mixing a "Soft Samba Cocktail" (courtesy Spanish Sherry Institute)! CD

A dream of a record from Gary McFarland – lightly jazzy instrumentals with a warm bossa nova undercurrent! The style is incredible – a sweet blend of vibes, guitar, and even some light whistling – often also featuring wordless jazz vocals – scatting along with the groove in a melodic and lovely kind of way! The whole thing's incredibly charming, and even familiar tunes come across sounding quite different in McFarlands hands. Titles include "From Russia With Love", "More", "Emily", "La Vie En Rose", "The Love Goddess", and even a groovy take on "I Want To Hold Your Hand". For you true swingers, the cover includes directions for mixing a "Soft Samba Cocktail" (courtesy Spanish Sherry Institute)! CD

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked wicked set of tracks from Japan – one that blends together jazzy riffing and Brazilian rhythms, all played with a surprisingly soulful bent! Suzuki's on bass and piccolo bass, and Yamamoto plays not only electric piano but also a bit of electric harpsichord – which adds a cool feel to the album, and one that's almost like some lost European soundtrack. Rhythms are mostly in a breezy sort of style that mixes samba with bossa jazz – and Donald Bailey is in the group on drums, providing some very nice bottom to the set. The whole thing's great, with a really unique style – one that's so great it even transforms older numbers like "Night & Day", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Greensleeves", and "La Vie En Rose". Also features an especially great take on Michel Colombier's "Overture"! CD

Great stuff from Walter Wanderley – and a refreshing change from his work on Verve! The record's dated 1968, but we're kind of guessing that the tracks date from earlier years – although we're not sure. Most of the material's as sophisticated as anything Walter was cutting in the US at the time – and there's some great electric guitar playing on the record, which is something you don't normally hear on some of Wanderley's other organ trio albums. Titles include "Chora Tua Tristeza", "Ninho Do Nono", "Teleco-Teco No 2", "O Pato", and "Mulata Assanhada". LP, Vinyl record album

A crackling collection of bossa and samba jazz from the 60s – extremely well put together, and featuring tunes by some of the best players Brazil had to offer at the time! There's a nicely grooving vibe running throughout the entire set – no nonsense, just straight ahead jazz tunes with a keen ear for Brazilian rhythms, and a fresh and modern approach that still sounds plenty great today. Titles include "Batida Differente" by Tamba Trio, "Nebulosa" by Tenorio Jr, "Se Voce Disser Que Sim" by Edison Machado, "Coisa No 2" by Moacir Santos, "Olhou Pra Mim" by Raul De Souza, "Jangal" by Dom Um Romao, "Nem O Mar Sabia" by Luiz Carlos Vinhas, and "Naquela Base" by Victor Assis Brasil. 14 tracks in all – and a very nice package! CD

14 tracks. CD