Secos & Molhados
*2024 stock * Vinyl LP-only repressing of this album from the Brazilian band. Formed in 1971 by Ney Matogrosso (vocalist), Gerson Conrad (vocalist/composer/violao) and Joao Ricardo (singer/composer/violao/harmonica), Secos & Molhados is inscribed in a privileged category of few bands and musicians who led Brazil from bossa nova through Tropicalia then to Brazilian rock, a style which only blossomed in the '80s. Much of the group's importance, apart from the huge success of it's first album, whic…
Visions of Dawn
Recorded in Paris, in 1976, Visions of Dawn is the stunning ‘lost’ Brazilian acid-folk album by Joyce, Nana Vasconcelos and Mauricio Maestro. First uncovered and released in 2009, the record transfixed Brazilian music lovers and fans of otherworldly psych-folk alike. Led by the sharp lyrics and gorgeous voice of a young Joyce Moreno, the trio is completed by the late great Brazilian percussion legend Nana Vasconcelos, and master arranger, producer and bassist Mauricio Maestro.
These beautiful re…
We And The Sea
Rich blend of Brazilian samba and Afro percussion, more like the jazz of Getz/Gilberto than the bossa nova of, say, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66. An exquisite album, that stretches the boundaries of Bossa Nova.
Stone Flower
Antônio Carlos Jobim was a primary force behind the evolution of bossa nova and his sixth studio release Stone Flower is an absolute classic. The album is emblematic of '70s bossa with its seductive samba beat fused with elements of modern jazz provided by a star-studded supporting cast of Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Airto Moreira, and Joe Farrell. Stone Flower was recorded by Blue Note engineering virtuoso Rudy Van Gelder and arranged by fellow pianist and guitarist Eumir Deodato; the fidelity and…
Cantiga De Longe
With a few more instrumental solos than regular Lobo albums, Cantiga De Longe takes advantage of the genius of the arranger / instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal. The album has other stars, including percussionist Airto Moreira and drummer Cláudio Slom. There are several important songs on this album: "Casa Forte" (which would be recorded later by Flora Purim), "Mariana, Mariana," "Cantiga de Longe," "Zanzibar," and others. Not Lobo's biggest hits, but beautiful melodies and lyrics on an album with …
Gal
2023 reissue After Caetano Veloso broke out with his solo debut, the self-titled 1968 release recognized as the building block for the now infamous Brazilian Tropicalia movement, his friends and musical peers released similar albums, always upping the ante in terms of outrageousness and inventiveness. This release, the second of two self-titled albums released by Gal Costa in 1969, set the high watermark in terms of overall insanity and complete experimental freedom for the entire lot; not Velos…
Gal Costa
*2023 reissue* A lot changed between Gal Costa's pleasantly straightforward 1967 debut Domingo and her eponymous follow-up two years later. Domingo, also a debut for young Brazilian songwriter Caetano Veloso, featured a set of airy, somewhat standard bossa nova tunes, sung ably by Costa. Mere months after the release of this relatively safe debut, however, Costa and Veloso found themselves alongside Os Mutantes, Tom Zé, and Gilberto Gil, recording contributions to Tropicália: Ou Panis et Circenc…
A Bossa Muito Moderna
Reissue, originally released in 1963. Pianist and arranger João Donato was a major figure in the bossa nova movement. During his long career he recorded with many of the great names from both Brazilian and American Latin-jazz scene (Tom Jobim, Ron Carter, Airto Moreira, E. Deodato, Randy Brecker, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, and several others). First released in 1963, this is a marvelous example of bossa jazz album featuring the highly syncopated drums grooves of Milton Banana and…
O Bem Do Amor
Reissue, originally released in 1963. Ellis Regina one of the greatest Brazilian interpreters of all time. Originally released in 1963 when she was not even 20 years old, this was her fourth album and second for Columbia Records. Still a few steps before she became a star, here Ellis Regina's fresh and extremely ductile voice shines on top of sophisticated jazz arrangements by Astor Silva and a mixed repertoire based on charming romantic songs and vibrant sambas, all composed by Brazilian author…
Negro É Lindo
*In process of stocking* "Negro é Lindo is a worthy successor for the great album he had released in the previous year. Jorge Ben now takes his sound further toward a tropical Soul, a style that was his unique invention. But there are also still those hypnotic Samba grooves. Clearly, Negro é Lindo belongs to those master albums Jorge Ben bestowed to the world. With a good handful of records, Jorge Ben enriched Brazilian Pop and beyond, international Pop music. Negro é Lindo is one of them.
While…
Apresentando Baden Powell E Seu Violão
Recorded in Rio de Janeiro in 1959 and originally released on Phillips in 1960, this was Baden Powel's debut album. Baden Powel has been one of the most celebrated figures in Brazilian music. A technically proficient guitarist and highly sophisticated composer who managed to integrate classical techniques with both popular and Jazz harmonies. Backed here by Monteiro De Souza's orchestra, Powell displays fascinating renditions of tunes from the American songbook such as "Stella by Starlight", "My…
Alucinolândia
Some things take time to happen, some things perhaps take a bit longer than they should but, finally, we are delighted to present an issue of the iconic, and sought-after, Brazilian album 'Alucinolândia' by Zito Righi e Seu Conjunto from 1969. The trippy, surrealist 60s cover design with hands holding eyeballs is somewhat confusing. Rather than the stoner acid rock record that the art may suggest, 'Alucinolândia' is actually a quintessential 60s gem, mixing samba, MPB, bossa nova, quirky organ-l…
Sambadi
*2022 repress* Lucas Arruda’s born in 1983, in a Brazilian state called Espírito Santo, near Rio de Janeiro. Coming from a musical family (his dad and older brother are musicians) he started playing and listening to music very young. At the age of 13, he was also playing professionally already. After studying electric guitar and playing in various bands, Lucas passion quickly turned into Rhodes and keyboards, expanding his musical range of skills. At the same time he started a project called Du …
Brazilian Classics
Dorival Caymmi was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, actor, and painter active for more than 70 years beginning in 1933. He contributed to the birth of Brazil's bossa nova movement, and several of his samba pieces, such as "Samba da Minha Terra", "Doralice" and "Saudade da Bahia", have become staples of música popular brasileira. Equally notable are his ballads celebrating the fishermen and women of Bahia, including "Promessa de Pescador", "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?", and "Milagre". Caymmi compose…
Werther
*2022 stock* 1970’s best-kept Bossa Nova secret. Surrounded by mystery for nearly 50 years due to its obscurity, this is one of the most honest, personal and unpretentious albums of its genre. A selection of 12 exquisitely crafted songs supported by measured, subtle arrangements. The list of musicians born or raised in the Tijuca district of Rio de Janeiro is long and illustrious and includes names that have shaped Brazilian music: Tom Jobim, Roberto Carlos, Tim Maia, Milton Nascimento, Jorge Be…
Jorge Ben
The sixth studio album of the Brazilian artist Jorge Ben. Released in 1969, it was Jorge Ben’s first album with Trio Mocotó, a group that would be backing him along the 70’s on many other seminal albums, such as Força Bruta (1970), Negro É Lindo (1971) and A Tábua de Esmeralda (1974). The present album is said to have influenced the “Tropicália” movement, as three tracks from this set, “Que pena”, “País tropical” and “Charles, anjo 45” were immediately covered by Gal Costa (the former two), and …
Edu & Tom
** Clear LP ** Edu Lobo has to be considered one of the great mysteries of MPB. Already in the early hours of Bossa Nova, he has mainly worked for the renewal and development of the Brazilian Bossa Nova post. Edu Lobo remains a character in the shadows, discreet but effective. Known as a writer "complex and sophisticated", he is part of the circle of composers "melodist" like Tom Jobim, Marcos Valle and Francis Hime. On this 1981 album the duo with Anton Jobim works perfectly, offering classical…
João Gilberto
** Clear LP ** Originally released in 1973, Joao Gilberto aka The White Album, is as a timeless classic of the genre and one of Joao's definitive masterpieces. Featuring only the minimalist drumming of NY jazz drummer Sonny Carr (and the backing vocals of 'Miucha', Gilberto's second wife and sister of Chico Buarque on the final track), Joao spins a delicate web of sound that from the first notes of Tom Jobim's anthem 'Aguas De Marco' has the listener dreaming of Bahia, even though the album was …
O Amor, o Sorriso e a Flor
** Clear Vinyl LP limited to 300 copies ** First released in Brazil in 1960 this is Joao Gilberto's second studio effort. A seminal album that just one year later introduced Bossa Nova to the United States. Joao Gilberto, one of the true masters of the genre, displays a great selection of songs including various Tom Jobim's classic gems such as "Samba de Uma Nota Só" ("One Note Samba"), "Corcovado" and "Outra Vez". An essential piece of work in the whole history of Brazilian music.
O Extraordinário Bola Sete
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Bola Sete's name means "Seven Ball". In snooker, which is fairly popular in Brazil, the seven ball is the only black ball on the table (like the eight ball in pool), and Bola got this nickname when he was the only black member of a small jazz group. Sete studied guitar at the Conservatory of Rio. He started performing with his own sextet and local samba groups while he was a student. His early influences were guitarists Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, …