Various Artists "1st COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2000)
Various Artists "2nd COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2000)
Various Artists "3rd COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2001)
Various Artists "4th COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2001)
Various Artists "5th COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2001)
Various Artists "6th COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2001)
Various Artists "7th COMPASSO: SAMBA & CHORO" (Biscoito Fino, 2001)
An excellent series of live peformances of old-fashioned samba and choro, with a slew of talented traditionalists and jazz-oriented MPB artists. As the series picks up steam, the musicians become higher-profile, better known artists. The stars include Elton Medeiros, Guinga, Muicha, Francis and Olivia Hime, and Joyce. Far more numerous are the more obscure artists, such as Trio Madeira Brasil, Quarteto Maogani, Luciana Rabello, and others whose fortes lie with the older acoustic styles. A lilt of samba, a whiff of jazz, and a classical touch all combine in these fine performances staged in the Paco Imperial do Rio De Janeiro. Recommended!

Various Artists "AFRO-BRAZILIAN RELIGIOUS SONGS: CANTIGAS DE CANDOMBLE" (Lyricord Records, 1977)
(Produced by Gerard Behague)
Real-deal Bahian Orixa music recorded in 1967-75 by University of Texas scholar Gerard Henri Behague, one of the leading scholars of Afro-Brazilian religious music. This features plenty of heavy-duty African-based drumming, with keening choruses backing a lead vocal, all in praise of various deities such as Ogun, Oxala and Exu... If you want to look into candomble music, this is an excellent place to start.

Various Artists "AGO PIXINGUINHA: 100 ANOS" (Som Livre, 1997)
This is a very nice, very classy, very well-programmed and listenable tribute to choro pioneer Pixinguinha. This impressive 2-CD that gathers together classic performances of MPB stars such as Maria Bethania, Joao Bosco, Chico Buarque, Nana Caymmi, Paulinho Da Viola, Tom Jobim, Simone, Caetano Veloso and others, assembled by producer Herminio Bello De Carvalho, who worked with Pixinguinha in his twilight years, and who remembers him fondly in an essay included in a thick set of liner notes. There's also a long interview with Pixinguinha, and nice archival photos, as well as vintage choro recordings by Jacob Do Bandolim and Pixinguinha himself. A great introduction to his work, with plenty of information and memorabilia to back up the sweet-sounding music. Recommended!

Various Artists "A ONDA QUE SE ERGUEU NO MAR" (Universal Records, 2002)
An insider's view of bossa nova. Ruy Castro, who compiled this 2-CD collection wrote the book on bossa nova -- literally -- and assembled this set as a companion piece to his fine history of the style, Bossa Nova: The Story Of The Brazilian Music That Seduced The World, and to the as-yet untranslated sequel, A Onda Que Se Ergueu No Mar. Some of these selections seem a bit staid and don't do much for me, but then again, who am I to argue with an expert? Mostly this is a great sampler, and includes many songs and artists who are well off the radar, many of which are real gems and rare finds. Highly recommended.

Various Artists "AS CLASSIFICADAS E VENCEDORAS DA 1a BIENAL DO SAMBA" (RCA Camden, 1968)
A souvenir of a 1967 song contest, the Festival Musical Popular Brasileira, sponsored by TV Record. The finalists featured performances by Wilson Miranda, Os Originais Do Samba, Cyro Monteiro, Os Caculas and the Samba 4, singing two songs by Herminio Belo da Carvalho. The more obscure participants included singers such as Aizita, Rosely and Zenaide, as well as a group called AZ3, with Os Acdemicos Da Pauliceia.

Various Artists "AXE BAHIA '96" (PolyGram, 1996)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA '97" (PolyGram, 1997)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA '98" (PolyGram, 1998)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA '99" (PolyGram, 1999)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2000" (PolyGram, 2000)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2001" (PolyGram, 2001)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2002" (PolyGram, 2002)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2003" (PolyGram, 2003)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2004" (PolyGram, 2004)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2005" (PolyGram, 2005)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2006" (PolyGram, 2006)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2007" (PolyGram, 2007)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2008" (PolyGram, 2008)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2009" (PolyGram, 2009)
Various Artists "AXE BAHIA 2010" (PolyGram, 2010)
This series features the big pop hits in contemporary axe music, mainly lightweight, booty-shakin' party tunes, which mix a heavy Caribbean soca influence with the sexy Afro-Brazilian rhythmic style. A good way to sample newer bands such as E O Tchan, Banda Eva, Timbalada and Netinho -- and to catch up on the current dance tunes. I'm not wild about most of this stuff, but chances are if you visit Brazil, this is the music you'll hear surging out of the radios and dance clubs. Many Brazilian readers have written to tell me they loathe this music and are embarrassed by it... Hey, tell me about it: North America came up with Taylor Hicks, Celine Dion and Britney Spears, so I know what you're talking about. Anyway, one glimpse at the artwork will tell you pretty much all you need to know about this series... Presumably the series continued past 2010, but I quit paying attention.

Various Artists "AXE MUSIC" (PolyGram, 1996)
More Bahian pop -- in one sense this is a sort of nondescript collection, although in a way that's kind of nice, since some of the artists are lesser-known one-hit wonder types...Highlights include a cover of Caetano Veloso's "Baby," by someone called Sarajane, and a samba-reggae medley by Margareth Menezes.

Various Artists "BACK TO NEW WAVE, v.1" (Sony-BMG, 2000)
This series gathers examples of Brazilian "new wave" as well as guitar-oriented "BRock," mainly dating back to the late 1980s. Includes younger rock artists such as Leo Jaime, Inimigos Do Rei, Dr. Silvana and Uns & Outros, as well as old-timers like Baby Consuelo, who came from the '70s tropicalia era, but went "new wave" to try and stay relevant.

Various Artists "BACK TO NEW WAVE, v.2" (Sony-BMG, 2000)
A good representation of commercially-oriented, mainstream "new wave" pop, Brazilian style. This features several popular bands of the 1980s, including Radio Taxi, Dr. Silvana, RPM and Leo Jaime, as well as a tropicalia-era old-timer, Pepeu Gomes, who was trying to stay relevant by synthing-up his act. It's all very generic, but it does sound like the American and European pop it sought to emulate -- there are the simple, relentless drums, the tinny electric guitars, and the ever-present keyboards and synths. It's moderately interesting, in an intellectual/cultural-observer kind of way, although I personally don't find much here that I'd actually want to listen to, just for fun.

Various Artists "BACK TO NEW WAVE, v.3" (Sony-BMG, 2000)

Various Artists "BAIAO DE VIRAMUNDO: TRIBUTE TO LUIZ GONZAGA" (YBrazil/Stern's, 2000)
A weird, modernized take on the forro tradition, featuring only a few well-known artists (such as Nana Vasconcelos and Nacao Zumbi), along with a slew of Brazil's most creative electronica artists. The typical accordion-and-triangle sound of forro is stripped apart, laid bare and slathered with skittery jungle, ambient dub and techno riffs, rendering it all but unrecognizable... deconstructed, as it were. The results are challenging and delightful. The only one of these artists I've heard of before is Otto -- all these other young'uns are a revelation. Definitely worth your attention!

Various Artists "BAILAO DE PEAO" (PolyGram/CMT, 1996)
Various Artists "BAILAO DE PEAO v.2" (PolyGram/CMT, 1996)
Various Artists "BAILAO DE PEAO v.3" (PolyGram/CMT, 1998)
Outside of some 1940s recordings by the Stetson-ed samba-billy Bob Nelson, these collections were my first exposure to Brazilian "country music," which, as far as I can tell, is a Brazilian outgrowth of the Mexico's poppy, commercial ranchero scene. A couple of Chet Atkins-y chickin' pickin' licks pop up on a tune or two, but on the whole, Gipsy Kings flamenco riffs and Spanish guitars reminiscent of Marty Robbins' "El Paso" are more common. I wasn't too thrilled, either as a Brazilian music fan, or as a country music know-it-all. This duets collection features stars of the genre such as Chitaozinho & Xororo, Tonico & Tinoco, and others.

Various Artists "OS BAMBAS DO BANDOLIM" (Kuarup, 1999)
A first-rate collection of Brazilian mandolin playing, featuring choro masters such as Deo Rian, Joel Nascimento and Pedro Amorim. The picking is dazzling and flashy, and while it may all start to sound alike, it's pretty sweet stuff. Recommended!

Various Artists "BASEMENTVILLE! v.2: THE SOUND OF JOVEM GUARDA" (Misty Lane, 2000)
I suppose this set could be considered jovem guarda, but whereas most of the better-known, more mainstream jovem guarda bands had a mostly watered-down, teenybopper pop style, most of the groups on this excellent set of garage rock obscuros really knew how to rock. Glancing at the scans of old album covers and LP labels, it seems that '60s punk bands generally were excluded from the major label rosters -- these releases on Mocambo, Palladium, GMD and Caravelle and others (with a few on CBS, Polydor and Continental) have a wildness that was largely missing in the Brazilian rock scene, at least until Gil and Veloso showed up. This reissue LP is highly recommended, although your best bet for tracking a copy down might be to contact Misty Lane Records directly, in their misty Roman lair.

Various Artists "BATUCADA - THE SOUND OF THE FAVELAS" (Mr. Bongo Records, 1996)
An killer collection of hardcore batucada-style percussion tracks, featuring masters of the style such as Padre Miguel, Dom Um Romeu and Jadir de Castro. Some shift away from the straight samba-school drumming into jazzier terrain: it's all good. And very, very intense. Highly recommended.

Various Artists "BEATLES 'N' CHORO, v.1" (Deckdisc, 2002)

Various Artists "BEATLES 'N' CHORO, v.2" (Deckdisc, 2003)

Various Artists "BEATLES 'N' CHORO, v.3" (Deckdisc, 2004)

Various Artists "BEATLES 'N' CHORO, v.4" (Deckdisc, 2005)

Various Artists "BLACK ORPHEUS" (Soundtrack) (Fontana, 1959)
The first major incursion of bossa nova into the minds and hearts of North America and Europe. Actually the album is largely made up of samba de enredo percussive tracks, although Jobim's non-Joao Gilberto bossa and Luiz Bonfa's acoustic guitar work made quite a splash. Internationally, Bonfa's "Manha de Carnaval" was an big hit, and although the bossa nova sound is still a little unformed here, it makes for lovely listening. Vinicius DeMoraes' "A Felicidade," a collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim, is included, in a disjointed version, where the mellow melody is juxtoposed with the sounds of children at play and ambient sounds of Rio.

Various Artists "BLACK RIO -- BRAZIL SOUL POWER: 1971-1980" (Strut Records, 2002)
Certainly one of the strongest sets of Brazilian funk and soul that has been compiled to date. Like other sets, this has a strong disco tinge, but it is mercifully short on the strained soul ballads by thin-voiced crooners such as Cassiano and Hyldon, opting instead for more rugged material bu the likes of Uniao Black, Copa 7 and Dom Salvador. Also included are big name artists like Banda Black Rio, Jorge Ben and Ben's one-time backup, Trio Mocoto, but also a slew of lesser known gems by Manito, Miguel de Deus, Eklipse Soul and others. This album's biggest coup is the inclusion of Antonio Carlos & Jocafi's surprise sizzler, "Kabaluere," a bass-heavy funk bomb with a strong Isley Brothers feel, recorded in 1971, by this otherwise fairly wimpy songwriting duo. Also has one track by Gerson King Combo, whose music remains mysteriously un-mined by the retro crowd. This is a very strong collection; hopefully strut can come up with a follow-up volume or two of equal calibre. Recommended!

Various Artists "BLOCO NA RUA -- A ERA DE OURO CARNAVAL DE SALAO" (BMG-RCA, 2001)
A great set of vintage, golden-era Carnaval sambas from artists such as Francisco Alves, Linda Batista, Silvio Caldas, Cyro Monteiro, Orlando Silva and other singers who are less well-known, such as Joel E Gaucho and Gilberto Milfort... This is a fine selection of songs from the 1930s, '40s and '50s... A little bit of this antique stuff goes a long way -- after a few of these songs, they'll all start to sound the same -- but it sure is nice! Recommended.

Various Artists "BOSSA CUCA NOVA" (Six Degrees Records, 1999)
I can't say I cared much for this, though I have friends who think it's the bee's knees. Basically, this is a set of gentle bossa nova oldies (the original versions) with loud "funky drummer" snare drum tracks crudely laid down on top of them. Since the whole point of bossa nova was its gorgeous subtlety --especially in the rhythm -- these "remixes" seem rather self-defeating. To the credit of the producers, several tracks are lesser-known compositions, so they get points for going off the beaten track. Anyway, as I mentioned, I have friends who liked this record, so although I think this is all horribly, horribly wrong, you might disagree, and love it too. (This is also listed as an "artist" album, since the group called Bossacucanova laid down the new grooves, though the source material is from older recordings.)

Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA" (Soundtrack) (Verve Records, 2000)
Slight modernizations of familiar themes, along with a classics such as the Getz/Gilberto "Girl From Ipanema", and a bit of new incidental music from Eumir Deodato. Nothing earthshaking, but no disservice to the form, either. Features contributions by Claudia Acuna, Djavan, Romero Lubambo, and Carol Rogers.

Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA EXCITING JAZZ SAMBA RHYTHMS v.1" (Rare Groove Records, 2000)
Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA EXCITING JAZZ SAMBA RHYTHMS v.2" (Rare Groove Records, 2000)
Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA EXCITING JAZZ SAMBA RHYTHMS v.3" (Rare Groove Records, 2000)
Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA EXCITING JAZZ SAMBA RHYTHMS v.4" (Rare Groove Records, 2000)
Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA EXCITING JAZZ SAMBA RHYTHMS v.5" (Rare Groove Records, 2000)
An authoritative series of early '60s bossa-jazz/samba-lounge recordings, ranging from deep material by the original Brazilians to varying degrees of pop kitsch from Brazilians, Europeans and North Americans alike. Personally, I'm not all that big on the whole loungecore/easy listening thing, but I can recognize that this is a pretty dandy package. The sound quality is good and the pacing is nice too. Includes a lot of rarities -- in order to get all of this stuff yourself, you'd have to spend way too much money, and pick up a lot of iffy old albums... and this way is soooooo much nicer, don't you think?

Various Artists "BOSSA NOVA: SUA HISTORIA, SUA GENTE" (Philips Records, 1975)
A CD reissue of a three-LP set from 1975, this one digs pretty deep into bossa's roots... Includes dozens of long-lost artists, such as Mario Reis, Lennie Dale, Billy Blanco and Doris Monteiro who don't make it on many top ten lists anymore. Some of these tracks I don't care for -- the more lightweight stuff by Tamba Trio, for example, but for a taste of artists such as Carlos Lyra or Dick Farney, this is definitely worth it. Also has the superstars, and the super songs. The liner notes are the clincher -- they're rambunctiously affectionate and enthusiastic, random and sloppy. It's like reading a really great DIY zine on Brazilian pop, with little articles on artists, producers, styles, etc. Definitely recommended.

Various Artists "BRASIL ANO 2000" (Forma Records, 1969) (LP)
Tropicalia at its wankiest and most zonked out, with swathes of cerebral art-music, tribal/indigenous/world motifs galore, moody post-bossa acoustic tunes and a lot of excessiveness, indulgence and musical slack. Avantnik producer Rogerio Duprat, lyricist Jose Carlos Capinam and celeb provocateurs Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso collaborated on this oddball hodge-podge, with Gal Costa singing on several songs. Apparently this collects music from various films, some abandoned, others completed, stitched together with short snippets of this and that. It's weird, but a little too deliberately weird, and mostly not stuff that will sustain interest after a couple of initial auditions. Still, if you're on a serious tropicalia kick, you'll want to check this one out.

Various Artists "BRASIL: A CENTURY OF SONG" (Box Set) (Blue Jackel Records, 1995)
Various Artists "BRASIL v.1: FOLK & TRADITIONAL" (Blue Jackel Records, 1995)
Various Artists "BRASIL v.2: CARNAVAL" (Blue Jackel Records, 1995)
Various Artists "BRASIL v.3: BOSSA NOVA ERA" (Blue Jackel Records, 1995)
Various Artists "BRASIL v.4: MPB" (Blue Jackel Records, 1995)
This four CD set is meant to show the full sweep of Brazilian pop from the late 1800s, when samba was created, to the present day. It's available both as a box set, or as individual CDs. The first volume -- "Folk and Traditional" is the strongest: it contains a lot of early pop artists, such as Carmen Miranda, and Ary Barroso, as well as contemporary artists with an acoustic bent, such as Geraldo Azevedo and Joao do Vale. But with a lineup like that, why quibble over terminology? Later discs, especially the "Bossa Nova Era" and "MPB" are a bit thin and lack bite, at least in my humble opinion. One suspects they ran onto problems licensing the best stuff for inclusion in this anthology, which really is a shame. Well worth checking out, though, as it is one of the only collections of its kind available in the U.S.

Various Artists "BRASIL 2 MIL: THE SOUL OF BASS-O-NOVA" (Six Degrees Records, 1999)
A killer collection of Brazil's best new artists. Includes cult favorites such as Lenine and Arnaldo Antunes, as well as better-known musicians such as rocker Chico Science and novo traditionalist, Virginia Rodrigues. The emphasis here is on smooth soul, triphop, and novo bossa nova, and vague hints of the Brazilian electronica scene -- it's interesting that Brazilian pop, which has often stumbled so badly over cheesy overproduction, is now finding such fertile ground in the dreamy, slow, chill-room vibe... Although this album fudges a little to select mellower tracks by occasionally rowdier artists, it's a strong song selection, and flows well as an album. A sweet peek at some of the new stuff which can barely be heard outside of Brazil proper -- highly recommended!

Various Artists "BRAZIL '70s v.1: THIRTEEN LATIN-JAZZ AND BOSSA NOVA TRACKS" (Superclasse Records, 2001)
Various Artists "BRAZIL '70s v.2: TWELVE SAMBA-FUNK AND BOSSA NOVA TRACKS" (Superclasse Records, 2001)
The Seventies are back with a vengeance on these idiosyncratically-selected, fusion-heavy, occasionally disco-y collections. Actually, on a couple of tracks the first disc dips back into '60s turf, with a nod towards Joao Donato; the second volume gingerly stretches into the early '80s to include some later material by Tim Maia. In between, there's plenty of slick material, including tracks by the likes of Dave Grusin and Sergio Mendes, as well as nuggets such as Gerson King Combo's "Swing Do Rei" (still out of print!) and Miriam Makeba (of all people!!) covering Jorge Ben's sly masterpiece, "Xica Da Silva." If you like the SOUL SAMBA '70s collection, or the BOSSA NOVA EXCITING JAZZ series reviewed above, this retro set might also be right up your alley!

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (boxset) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)
An awesome and elegantly packaged collection of the first seven albums in the Brazilian Beats series, along with an additional disc of breakbeats and mixing from one of the deejays in the Mr. Bongo label's orbit. This is the motherlode of the European/UK Brazilian-lounge-club dance scene, with an impressive mix of modern, clubby dance music and various archival entries from a variety of styles, including rediscovered Brazilian funk and soul, sleek MPB pop, dazzling batucada drumming and a smattering of authentic acoustic samba songs and regional music such as forro. The first disc is particularly strong on "lost gems" of the booming Braz-jazz scene of the 1960s and '70s, with strong tracks from solid jazz players such as Milton Banana, Sambalanco Trio, Tenorio, Jr. and fusion-jazz cult figures such as Anna Mazzotti. Pianist/bandleader Dom Salvador's "Barumba" is a standout track; later on the series unearths wild gems like "La Lupita" by Nino Gomez and Joao Donato's unusual "Cala Boca Menino." The series becomes progressively more clubby and electronic, particularly when showcasing the spazzy, hyperactive "baile funk" style, which is supposedly really big in Brazil. Along the way, standards and old faves from artists such as Jorge Ben, Joao Bosco, Orlandivo, Elis Regina and Tim Maia rub up against modern artists such as Marcelo D2, Seu Jorge and Ive Mendes, and novelty material such as the Barbatuques band, who use the human body to replicate the sounds and style of electronica and of Brazilian percussion. Although patterns run through the series, each volume has its own character, with the remixes and new stuff peaking on Volume 4, then giving way again to the retro, crate-digging vibe on later volumes. This really is an impressive collection -- even an old coot like myself who isn't that into the rap, techno and retro-fusion-disco tunes can find lots of to appreciate here, and music fans who use compilations as signposts to discover new artists and styles will find this box set a treasure trove that they can mine more deeply for years to come. Highly recommended!

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (Disc 1 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (Disc 2 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (Disc 3 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (Disc 4 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (Disc 5 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS" (Disc 6 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BEATS BROOKLYN" (Disc 7 of 7) (Mr. Bongo Records, 2007)

Various Artists "BRAZIL CHORO: SAXOPHONE, WHY CRY?" (EMI Hemisphere, 1999)
A nice solid collection of latter-day choro recordings, including old-timers like Pixinguinha, Radames Gnattali and Waldir Azevedo, as well as younger acolytes like Deo Rian, Severino Araujo and Paulinho Da Viola. This set is mainly from the 1960s and '70s, well after the heyday of the genre -- it's a bit on the flowery side, but still pretty darn good. If you can find it, it's a good introduction to the modern side of the style. Great liner notes, packed with concise, informative biographies of all the artists.

Various Artists "BRAZIL CLASSICS 1: TROPICALIA" (Sire/Fly Records, 1989)
You couldn't ask for a better sampler of post-bossa nova pop than this. Well, you could, but it'd be darned hard to find. In 1989, ex-Talking Head David Byrne spearheaded the "Brazil Classics" compilation series, which later became the foundation of his Luaka Bop label. He did a stupendous job cherry-picking the best of '70s and early '80s MPB, throwing in several super-catchy tunes such as Jorge Ben's "Umbabarauma" and Caetano Veloso's "Ile Ale," songs which really stick in your head and win you over. Also included: "Sonho Meu," perhaps the sweetest song recorded by either Gal Costa or Maria Bethania; several songs by Chico Buarque, including a wonderful duet with Milton Nascimento ("Calice"), and a couple of interesting tracks by the lesser-known female singer, Nazare Pereira. Admittedly, the second half of this record slides into cheesier terrain, but the slippage is relatively minor. This remains one of the best -- if not the best -- introduction to Brazilian pop available.

Various Artists "BRAZIL CLASSICS 2: O SAMBA -- SAMBA AND PAGODE" (Luaka Bop Records, 1989)
As stunning as the first volume -- maybe even moreso. Includes seductive vocals by big-name stars such as Clara Nunes, Beth Carvalho, Martinho da Vila and Almir Guineto, as well as tracks by lesser-known but also excellent artists. Another Byrne-produced album which has perfect pitch. Highly recommended, and sexy as all hell.

Various Artists "BRAZIL CLASSICS 3: FORRO, ETC." (Luaka Bop Records, 1991)
Really fun, catchy, accordion-based dance music from the Northeastern regions of Brazil. This collection features more pop-oriented material than other forro discs, and in some ways that makes it even better. Minor complaint: the liner notes describing forro are kind of lame. "A mixture of ska with polka in overdrive?" Oh, puh-lease!! Ska?!? (The Rough Guide To World Music makes the same error in trying to pitch forro to yankees by using comparisons which they think will sound familiar. They compare forro to Zydeco, another accordion-based genre...) Maybe a more accurate description might be a mix of polka, samba and Columbian cumbia. But why quibble? Regardless, this disc is a really cool collection! Among other things, it's got a classic track by Jackson Do Pandeiro on it. I want more!

Various Artists "BRAZIL CLASSICS: BELEZA TROPICAL 2" (Luaka Bop Records, 1998)
OOOPS. I stand corrected... Well, they've done it again. Although the cheesiness of Brazilian pop has continued unabated since the CLASSICS series started a decade ago, David Byrne has managed to pull several gems out of the murk, once again proving his skill as an anthologist. Along with the inclusion of a deceptively promising Gilberto Gil tune (his output has been terrible for decades), this disc also includes new stars such as Marisa Monte and Daniela Mercury, as well as relative unknowns such as the dreamy Lenine, and the rather Beat Happening-y Arnaldo Antunes. A couple of disastrous tracks (Sergio Mendes) but mostly a nice sampler of 1990s MPB that's worth checking out.

Various Artists "BRAZIL CLASSICS AT 20: ANTI-AGING SOLUTIONS REVEALED" (LP) (Luaka Bop, 2008)
Ah, vinyl. (Or, if you prefer, digital downloads...) Here's a vinyl-only (or, if you prefer, digital download...) homage to Luaka Bop's fab, seven-album series of compilation albums devoted to the wonders of Brazilian music. This album distills a baker's dozen of favorite songs from the Brazil Classics discs, stating with Jorge Ben's earthshaking soccer anthem, "Umbabarauma," then easing into great tracks by Chico Buarque, Gal Costa, Martinho Da Vila, Luiz Gonzaga, Marisa Monte and others... The only downside to this bounty of beautiful music is that these really are the creme-de-la-creme of classic Brazilian pop: you'll have to look long and hard to find the other stuff that lives up to this high standard!

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN BIG BANDS -- DANCING DAYS: 1904-1954" (Fremeaux & Associes, 2005)
Gafieira music, the lively, big band-influenced dance jazz of the pre-bossa nova nightclubs, is one of Brazil's least well-known styles, eclipsed by the suave glamour of the bossa crowd and the various waves of rock and samba crossovers that followed. Gafieiras were dancehalls, homes to dancers and dance bands, and (in the best Brazilian tradition) many of the best bandleaders, such as Severino Araujo, Radames Gnattali and Zacharias, drew on many sources to craft their music. They played the kinetic frevo and choro styles, incorporated the muscularity and elegance of North American swing, and eventually gave in to the wave of mellower pop instrumentals and vocal music of the so-called "radio singers" era. The artists on this sturdy 2-CD set include some of the best musicians of the post-World War Two era, and their complex, lively music helped frame the musical vocabulary of Tom Jobim and other pioneers of the bossa nova style. Also included are earlier examples of large-ensemble recordings, including a protean recording of Ernesto Nazareth's "Brejeiro," recorded in 1904 by the Banda Do Corpo Dos Bombeiros de RJ, and several tracks from the Orquestra Victor Brasileira in the 1930s, when samba hit the mainstream. The first disc is the strongest, the rawest, the most evocative, with rougher sound quality and more aggressive music. Disc Two largely charts the domestication of the music, with mellower, more mannered performances, swank arrangements that were closer to Stan Kenton and Doc Severinsen than to the street sambas of Rio and Bahia. But for students of Brazilian popular culture, particularly of Brazilian jazz, this collection is an invaluable treasure trove. Intelligently assembled and well documented, it helps fill a major gap in the hidden history of one of the world's most fertile musical cultures. Recommended!

Various Artists "THE BRAZILIAN FUNK EXPERIENCE" (Nascente Records, 2006)
Well, I guess one person's booty-shaking funk explosion is another person's fusion/soft-pop/soul serenade... Especially when one of them is a British club DJ, and the other is a yobbish Yank living near Oakland. Anyway, I'm not trying to say that DJ Patrick Forge doesn't know his stuff -- clearly he does, and this disc is a nice bit of cratedigging, picking out some interesting and occasionally atypical oldies from folks like Alaide Costa, Joao Donato, Joyce, Elza Soares and Marcos Valle -- it's just that most of these tracks are hardly what I would consider (or advertise) as "funk." To me, funk is more like George Clinton and Bootsy Collins, James Brown and The Bar-Kays, and less like Lionel Richie or Manhattan Transfer. (Okay, that's not an entirely fair contrast, but it's close...) Anyway, this set of tracks drawn from the Odeon vaults, with material dating from 1968-1980, and includes several rarities as well as some nice surprises (Djavan's 1978 recording of "Nereci," with duet vocals by Mariazinha, is an album highlight. I'm skeptical of the "funk" label -- I think it's pretty misleading -- but folks who like downtempo soul'n'samba will probably enjoy this quite a bit. Certainly worth checking out!

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN LOVE AFFAIR 3" (Far Out Records, 2002)
Lounge-y Brazilian electronica and soft funk-fusion. I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this album, although others may find it a bit cloying. There were only a couple of tunes I found irritating; otherwise this is a nicely programmed, completely listenable album, featuring several fairly well-known new artists (Otto, Max De Castro, Joyce and others), some old-timers who are trying their hands at the new sound, and several bands that are well off the radar. It's easy listening of a pretty classy caliber. Recommended.

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN LULLABY" (Ellipsis Arts, 1999)
It probably shouldn't surprise you if I were to tell you that this disc is a little on the sleepy side... soporific, in fact. Pursuing their typically offbeat interests, the folks at Ellipsis slow things down a bit with this gentle set of lusophone sleepy-time tunes. Those of you who find yourselves complaining about modern Brazilian music being too mellow might wanna pass on this one... But maybe a few of you out there have some little pals who need some sleep to grow on, and this may help out. Most of the artists on here are folks I've never heard of, other than Monica Salmaso and Arnaldo Antunes... his tune "Dorme," intoned in his trademark bullfrog grumble, is certainly one of the highlights of this collection.

Various Artists "BRAZILIAN PEBBLES: ACID, FLOWERS AND FUZZ GARAGE PSYCHEDELIA" (Baratos Afins, 2000)
Cool set of modern-day psychedelic and garage bands from Sao Paulo, ranging from "Secret Agent Man"-style surf-pop to totally trippy, echo-laden swirly stuff. A lot of variety and pretty cool bands. Particularly noteworthy are Nihilo, Os Espectros and Makina Du Tempo, who achieve the largest sounds on here, as well as the Superchunk-y Effervescing Elephant, whose "J. Jenie Junk" is pretty fun, despite being sung in English. Debts to numerous North American bands are plain, as are the inevitable nods towards hometown heroes, Os Mutantes. Well worth checking out, especially considering how little indiepop comes out of Brazil, and how good so much of it is. (NOTE: the Baratos Afins record store, which put this disc out, is probably the only place you're likely to find this album. Check out their website from the link above for mailorder info, as well as info on other Brazilian indie bands.)

Andy Votel/Various Artists "(ANDY VOTEL) BRAZILIKA" (Far Out Records, 2008)
A series of mash-ups and remixes of classic tropicalia and tropicalia-era rock and samba-pop, drawn from the archives of the RGE and Som Livre labels... In principle, I'm not that into the whole "remix" idea, though Votel does a nice job - this is listenable, and highlights a lot of well-chosen tracks. Still, it gets a little too "clubby" and beats-driven for me...

Various Artists "BRAZIL NOW" (Capitol/Metro Blue Records, 1998)
Brazilian pop, mostly recorded around 1996, though with a handful of "oldies" thrown in at the end. Cheesy, but solid, ballad-oriented pop. It does stick to the old school, though, with tracks by old-timers such as Maria Bethania, Lo Borges, Nana Caymmi, and only barely hints at the younger crowd. Worth checking out, though probably not for everyone.

Various Artists "BRESIL -- CHORO - SAMBA - FREVO: 1914-1945" (Fremeaux & Associates/France, 1998)
Colossal. Enthralling. Essential. Legendary figures from the dawn of samba such as Pixinguinha, Noel Rosa, Sinho and Ary Barroso may seem distant and antique, but this excellent French compilation brings their music back with resounding immediacy. Two CDs worth of catchy, classy, crazy, playful creativity with an old-timey, jazzy feel. A lot of this would work well alongside old big band tunes, or Django Reinhardt records. HIGHLY recommended. Also check out the similar BRESIL: SAMBA collection.

Various Artists "BRESIL -- LE CHANT DU NORDESTE: 1928-1950" (Fremeaux & Associates, 2003)

Various Artists "SAMBA -- BATUQUE - PARTIDO ALTO - SAMBA-CANCAO: 1917-1947" (Fremeaux & Associates, 1998)
The second in this fabulous archival series of early Brazilian pop songs. Of course, this 2-CD collection has a tasty sampling of early Carmen Miranda recordings, but better yet are the two dozen other tracks featuring fabulous artists whose work has been next to impossible to find for decades. Noel Rosa, Bahianho, Mario Reis, Cyro Monteiro and others are all represented -- this is a HIGHLY recommended collection!!

Various Artists "CHORO: 1906-1947" (Fremeaux & Associates/France, 1998)
Another stunner in this incredible French series. A beautiful collection of mostly-instrumental music, featuring the legendary Pixinguinha and acoustic jazz pioneer, mandolinist Jacob do Bandolim. There is some teensy overlap between this and the first BRESIL comp, but it's pretty negligible considering how great both collections are. This collection is indispensable for anyone looking into the roots of Brazilian samba.

Various Artists "BRIZZI DO BRASIL" (Amitata Records, 2004)
The songs of Aldo Brizzi, an Italian MPB enthusiast who writes some pretty nice stuff, covered here by Arnaldo Antunes, Zeca Baleiro, Carlinhos Brown, Gilberto Gil, Margareth Menezes, Caetano Veloso and others among the cream of modern Brazilian singers. The only weak moment on here was Virginia Rodrigues's take on the song "Cat's" -- I guess I just have to face up to the fact that I just don't like her voice, which I find precious and cloying. Otherwise, this is a very rich, sumptuous record -- well worth checking out!

Various Artists "CANTORES DO RADIO v.1" (EMI-Brasil, 2000)
Various Artists "CANTORES DO RADIO v.2" (EMI-Brasil, 2000)
Two double-CD collections, which feature several of the greatest stars of the 1920s, '30s and '40s, legendary figures such as Joao do Barro, Aracy de Almeida, Noel Rosa and Carmen Miranda who rose to fame as stars of radio and film in the pre-bossa nova, pre-TV era. Mostly this is gorgeous stuff, jam packed with classic samba cancao material and big band-y vocals. The tracks on the second volume are of slightly later vintage - a handful of songs from the 1930s, and a few tilting into the 1970s, featuring artists like the Trio Do Ouro, Os Guaranis, Odette Amaral and even Cauby Peixoto (who is credited as being the first Brazilian vocalist to record a rock'n'roll tune). These two collections are part of EMI's impressive reissue series, Cantores Do Radio, which includes over two dozen separate titles. Recommended!!

Various Artists "CAPOEIRA MATA UM: THE RHYTHM OF BAHIA/THE SOUND OF THE WORLD" (Tropical Music, 2001)
A strikingly varied set of songs based on the beat and boing-boing-boing of Bahia's homegrown martial arts form, capoeira. This is a much richer and more melodic set than most capoeira albums, which tend to stick to the rhythms and can get a little repetitious. Here, by contrast, artists from throughout the world modernize and play around with this distinctive sound -- there's fairly traditional material, mixed in with funk, samba, techno and pop stylizations... there's even one improbable free jazz track! This album is both challenging and a lulling delight to hear... Recommended!

Various Artists "CARNAVAL BRESILIEN: 1930-1956" (Fremeaux)

Various Artists "CARTOLA: O SOL NASCERA" (Revivendo)
A stunning collection of antique samba recordings, written by Angenor de Oliveira (aka Cartola), one of the great early sambistas and a founder of the Estacao Primeira de Mangueira, one of Brazil's largest samba schools. Most of these recordings are from the early 1930s, although it spans into the early '80s as well. If you enjoy old Carmen Miranda records, then this disc full of forgotten singers such as Sylvio Caldas, Arnaldo Amaral and crooner Francisco Alves will be a real treat. Also includes a sprinkling of Cartola's own rare recordings -- which are lovely. A few tracks towards the end are a bit goopy, and the "medley" at the end is clumsily edited, but these are only minor imperfections in an otherwise killer historical record.

Various Artists "CASA DA MAE JOANA" (Blue Jackel/Natasha Records, 1998)
Beautiful acoustic music -- one of the best modern collections you can find, if you're searching for the gentle balladry style of yesteryear. These are new recordings, but include several old masters, such as Ze Keti, Nelson Sargento and Wilson Moreira. Gorgeous songs and gentle sambas, with more emphasis on the melody than the rhythm... This brings to mind the wonderful albums made by the acoustic sambistas of the early '70s. Recommended!

Various Artists "CASA EDISON E SEU TEMPO" (CD/Book/DVD) (Biscoito Fino, 2002)
Until 1928, there was only one recording studio in Brazil, the Casa Edison in Rio de Janeiro, a business that grew out of an appliance store that sold refrigerators, typewriters and phonograms. The store's owner, Fred Figner, cut deals with Odeon and Parlaphone to provide Brazilian music, and became the locus for the birth of a national music culture. This massive book/CD/DVD collection is an insanely valuable historical resource, documenting the lifespan of the Casa Edison whirlwind. It includes massive amounts of primary source material: reproduced on the DVDs are thousands of scanned photographs and documents -- Figner's correspondence with labels and clients, various sales catalogs from the 1910's, '20s and '30s (including those for sound equipment such as the gorgeous trumpet-shaped gramophones, as well as the other items sold in the Edison stock), reproductions of labels on dozens of ancient 78s, typed and handwritten lyric sheets for dozens of early samba songs, and photos of numerous dimly-remembered music stars of yesteryear. For musicians, one of the greatest bonanzas is a DVD devoted to the original sheet music to dozens of old samba and choro tunes (including the original artwork, which, in true Brazilian fashion, sometimes included revealingly sensual or racially-tinged imagery.) The book is massive, and a bit unwieldy, but gorgeous and packed with valuable information. Best of all, there are four CDs worth of primal Brazilian pop -- old-school sambas, various half-forgotten styles, and musicians who beckon back to the misty origins of the modern Brazilian musical scene. Super-cool, if you are heavily into the early years of Brazilian music.

Various Artists "CAYMMI: 90 ANOS -- MAR E TERRA" (BMG, 2004)
A pleasant, solid set of songs written by the great samba cancao composer, Dorival Caymmi. This 2-CD anthology is only partly a usual suspects gathering, with MPB heavyweights such as Maria Bethania and Gal Costa and samba revivalists such as Paulinho Da Viola and Ivone Lara; what makes this collection so valuable, though, is the inclusion of numerous tracks from the golden years of the samba cancao and the "radio singers" era, performances from the 1940s and '50s by Anjos De Inferno, Trio De Ouro, Francisco Carlos, Angela Maria and others, antique recordings (with great sound quality, coming straight from the original major label vaults), skillfully programmed alongside more modern recordings by the likes of Fafa De Belem, Elba Ramalho, Almir Sater, Jussara Silveira and Angela Ro-Ro. The selections are kind of capricious or unexpected -- there's even a track by Sarah Vaughan (and nothing by Caymmi himself, or any of his family) -- but what's most remarkable is the album's overall listenabilty... There are perhaps two or three tracks that I found icky and saccharine, whereas the rest of the record was quite nice... That's a pretty good batting average for an MPB set... Definitely worth picking up!

Various Artists "OS CHOROS DOS CHOROES" (RCA, 1977)
A delightful collection of the best, classic Brazilian choro recordings. This nostalgia album originally came out in 1977, packed with lively performances from four giants of the choro style, saxophonist Pixinguinha, flautist Benedicto Lacerda, mandolin master Jacob Do Bandolim and bandleader Canhoto, all recorded in top form between 1946-52. This disc is a perfect introduction to the best of the genre, and is a delight to listen to... Highly recommended!

Various Artists "CHOROS: SUCESSOS INESQUECIVEIS" (Copacabana, 1998)
An interesting multi-label collection of latter-day choro recordings... Things kick off with an electrified version of Pixinguinha's, "Odeon," with a fuzzed-out guitar wailing away over the chugging rhythm. Blasphemy, right? Yeah, totally -- except that the blasphemer in question is actually Pixinguinha himself, on one of his early 1970s revival albums... There are also later recordings by the likes of Severino Araujo, Waldir Azevedo, Altamiro Carrilho, Abel Ferreira and Deo Rian, as well as revivalists such as Os Choroes and Joel Nascimento, and even some nostalgia-trip numbers by rockers Lo Borges and Beto Guedes... A few tunes are painfully saccharine, but these thankfully are in the minority -- and though the overall tone is a bit too smooth and modern, there are still some lovely tracks here... High marks go to Os Choroes for the dazzling virtuoso flute work on their 1971 recording of "Bentevi Atre-Vido..." Whew! Now that's some real showboating!!

Various Artists "CITY OF GOD" (Soundtrack) (Milan Records, 2003)
The soundtrack to Fernando Meirelles' hard-hitting, gritty feature film about life in the favela slums. An excellent collection of vintage "Black Rio" Brazilian soul, including tracks by Tim Maia, crooner Hyldon and Wilson Simonal's hipsterdelic "Nao Vem Que Nao Tem," which was previously anthologized on the SAMBA SOUL '70 album reviewed below. Also included are sweet samba tunes from Cartola, an elder of the Mangueira samba school, and the anthemic "Metamorfose Ambulante," by rocker Raul Seixas. It's a fine set of classic songs to start with, but the new material that augments and connects these tracks is also pretty cool, '70s-styled funksploitation instrumentals by Antonio Pinto and Ed Cortez, along with a new samba-soul song by Seu Jorge, one of the best new artists in the style. This is a really groovy collection, definitely worth checking out!

Various Artists "COISAS MINHAS: LUPICINIO RODRIGUES - 90 ANOS" (RCA-BMG, 2004)
This 2-CD tribute to songwriter Lupicinio Rodrigues (1914-1974) highlights the contrasts of his work, from the stylistic differences between his more upbeat samba cancao and the slower romantic material that seems influenced by the Latin American boleros, to the different approaches artists have taken to his songs over the years. Disc One tilts towards older recordings, with artists from the golden age of samba cancao and the "radio singer" era -- Isaura Garcia, Nelson Goncalves, Cyro Monteiro, Orlando Silva, et. al. -- while Disc Two begins in the 1960s and works through recordings made in the '70s, '80s and '90s, showing the durability of his songwriting. While much of this collection is a bit florid and sleek, it's also pretty classy. Worth checking out.

Various Artists "DANCE MUSIC FROM BRAZIL: CHOROS AND FORRO" (Nimbus Records, 2000)
A far-flung but fairly wimpy 4-CD set that features about four hours of mostly-instrumental music drawn from this label's vast catalog. It's not actually a proper compilation so much as a collection of albums... each disc features a separate group: Os Ingenuos, Oficina De Cordas, Camarao, and the Fred Dantas/Ailton Reiner ensemble each tackle a separate style -- choro, forro, etc. Like many choro albums, this disc might be best taken in small dose, but there is some truly fabulous musical virtuosity on display here. The forro disc has the greatest variety, but they're all worth checking out. A great introduction to the styles, and the label.

Various Artists "DAORA: UNDERGROUND SOUNDS OF URBAN BRASIL" (Mais Um Discos, 2013)

Various Artists "DESTINATION: BRAZIL" (Sugo Music/National Geographic, 2001)
Part of an interesting series of musical "journeys" sponsored by the National Geographic. This has a nice selection of modern artists: Caetano Veloso, his niece Belo Velloso, Bebel Gilberto, Suba, Ana Caram and the like. The Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum provides a more traditionalist link to old-school bossa nova, and Fatima Guedes to the older acoustic sambas... The coolest part of this disc is the accompanying geographic/social info: a brief timeline of Brazilian history, descriptions of major musical styles and instruments, tips on various music festivals and, of course, one of those great National Geographic maps. Pretty mainstream, overall, but a nice introductory collection.

Various Artists "O DOUTOR DO BAIAO: HUMBERTO TEXEIRA" (Biscoito Fino, 2003)
A splendid live tribute to composer Humberto Texeira, one of the great founders of modern Northeastern pop... Texeira's legacy tends to be overshadowed by his connection to forro star Luiz Gonzaga, but this fine concert album brings his work to the foreground, with rich, heartfelt renditions of his old baiao compositions from the middle the 20th Century. It's an all-star cast, packed with MPB royalty: Maria Bethania, Chico Buarque, Gal Costa and Gilberto Gil on call for the '70s old guard, Lenine and Rita Ribeiro representing the younger generation, Elba Ramalho and Fagner as Texeira's nordestinho stylistic stepchildren. High marks go to Caetano Veloso for his soft, piercing rendition of "Baiao De Dois," although one of the most surprising artists on here is alt-rocker Lenine, who gives a similarly gentle, exploratory performance. This entire album is quite nice, actually, highlighting the fun, playful, bouncy aspects of Texeira's work, while liberating it from the manic, hyperactive feel of the original, old-school baiao recordings of the 1940s and '50s. This disc does for Texeira's legacy what the BAIAO DE VIRAMUNDO collection did for Gonzaga in 2000: it shows the elasticity and enduring appeal of these gloriously catchy old pop tunes. Recommended!

Various Artists "ESCOLAS DE SAMBA" (RCA, 2002)
A great 2-CD collection of various Carnaval themes by the various escolas that dominate the parades from year to year. These are studio recordings, mainly drawn from the '80s and '90s, and are on the slick, poppy side, but still quite nice. Featured performers include Neguinho Da Beija-Flor, Jamelao, Quinho, Dede Da Portela, Dominguinhos Do Estacio and Sergio Do Porto. RCA has really been on a roll with all these "100 Anos" releases, and this is certainly one worth picking up if you want to check out the non-MPB end of the modern scene.

Various Artists "ESTACAO LAPA" (Deckdisc, 2005)
(Produced by Joao Augusto & Teresa Cristina)
A sweet set of acoustic samba performances and a smidge of choro, with a lovely repertoire curated by modern samba star Teresa Cristina. This album -- named after a Sao Paulo subway station -- features a great mix of performers, from old-timers such as Cristina Buarque, Dona Ivone Lara and Nilze Carvalho, to newer, more obscure players who are solidly in the contemporary roots samba scene. The record holds together well as an album, a delight to listen to from beginning to end. Recommended!!

Various Artists "ESTACAO LAPA, v.2" (Deckdisc, 2007)

EXPLOSAO DO SAMBA (series) - see series discography

Various Artists "FAVELA CHIC: POSTNOVE 1" (BMG-France, 2001)

Various Artists "FAVELA CHIC: POSTNOVE 2" (BMG-France, 2002)
This series was assembled by the DJs at a hip Parisian nightclub , where it's said to be all the rage. This volume opens with several well-selected 70s rock and soul numbers, by the likes of Trio Ternura, Rita Lee and Toni Tornado; it moves into more modern remix tracks from labels such as Trama and Natasha, and then alternates back and forth between classic tropicalia and contemporary novo-tronica. It's not bad!

Various Artists "FAVELA CHIC: POSTNOVE 3" (BMG-France, 2004)

Various Artists "FAVELA CHIC: POSTNOVE 4" (BMG-France, 2006)

Various Artists "FESTA BRASIL" (Putumayo, 2000)
Sadly, this contemporary samba cancao collection reverts to Putumayo's older style of goofy, safely synth-poppy "world music" vibe... leaning towards overproduced feel-good material, of varying degrees of interest. Some of it's perfectly fine, some of it's pretty drekky -- Braz-pop purists may find it a bit bland, but it could still be a nice stocking stuffer for an uninitiated pal. And it collects tracks such as Gal Costa's version of the forro oldie, "Chiclete Com Banana", which is better heard here than on the original Costa album (which is pretty awful). Other artists include Zeca Pagodinho, Ivete Sangolo, Pepeu Gomes and Rita Ribeiro.

Various Artists "FESTIVAIS v.1-2" (Globo, 1997)
The exact provenance of these recordings is a little unclear... the liner notes are laudatory and expansive, yet not very specific about recording dates, etc. Still, looking at some of the artists included, it's clear that these tracks are not strictly drawn from the golden years of the MPB song competitions (which ended in 1971), and most tracks do not appear to have been recorded live, either. My guess is that this is a set that draws in part on studio recordings of songs that were originally presented at the old MPB festivals, as well as from the lesser ranks of soft pop artists of the times. Some of this material is painfully sappy, although several gems are included, such as Caetano Veloso's early hit, "Alegria, Alegria," Gal Costa's version of "Divino Maravilhoso," and "Amigo e Pra," an actual live concert track by the MPB-4, which is one of the liveliest songs I've ever heard by them. An uneven 2-CD set which has a few cool tracks.

Various Artists "FOCUS: O ESSENCIAL DE ESCOLAS DE SAMBA" (BMG, 1999)
A nice collection of recent Carnaval themes, including some by stars such as Martinho da Vila, who helped shape the modern sound of the escolas. These are all themes of recent vintage, from 1980-99, but that's hardly a liability. The sound quality is great, the melodies are rich... Sure, the rhythm gets a bit repetitive if you listen to the whole album all at once, but taken in small doses, this is pretty fab. A recommended record from a neglected style.

Various Artists "FORRO: MUSIC FOR MAIDS AND TAXI DRIVERS" (Rounder Records, 1989)
Forro music isn't for everyone, but this is one of the best collections of this manic accordion-based music currently available in the US: if you want to check the style out, this is a great place to start. The artist selection is off the beaten track, and the emphasis is fairly rootsy (this is Rounder after all...) The title refers to the distain that many of the more cosmopolitan Brazilians hold for the rural forro style... As in, "What? You listen to forro? Good lord, why? Only taxi drivers listen to that!!" Sort of like Mexican ranchera music in California. . But, hey, judge for yourself. This is pretty solid collection, with plenty of super-catchy material. This collection centers on little-known younger amateur artists, including Duda Da Passira, Toinho De Alegras, Jose Orlando and Heleno Dos Oito Baixos... For information about more well-known artists, check out my forro section...

Various Artists "GAFIEIRA BRASIL" (BMG, 1999)
Wahoo!! Some truly swingin' big-bandish samba-jazz from the 1950s, '60s and '70s, dance music that hearkens back to older styles like the maxixe and baiao, while fusing them with a hard-edged, American bandstand jazz. It's a style of Brazilian pop I haven't heard much of, made by artists who have been largely forgotten over the years. Os Velhinhos Transviados, Ases Do Ritmo, Fats Elpidio and others are anthologized along with 1950s bandleader Aristides Zacharias, someone I'd only known before from cheapo, budget label LPs ("Romance In Rio!", etc.) and whose work I'd dismissed as kitschy, sell-out, faux-Braziliania made for the North American easy listening crowd way back when... Well, it turns out he really rocks! Modern-day Brazilians don't seem to care for these guys much either; this album is the only place I know of that you can get any of their work on CD... A pity, because it's fun stuff, and deserves a fuller exploration in the digital reissue age... There are also some more recent recordings from Paulo Moura, who I guess is the main modern exponent of the gafieira style... Anyway, if you can track this disc down, it's totally worth it. (I got my copy through SomLivre.com...) Recommended!

Various Artists "GLUCKLICH v.1" (Compost Records, 1999)
Various Artists "GLUCKLICH v.2" (Compost Records, 1999)
Various Artists "GLUCKLICH v.3" (Compost Records, 1999)
Various Artists "GLUCKLICH v.4" (Compost Records, 2000)
Various Artists "GLUCKLICH v.5" (Compost Records, 2002)
House-ish European takes on EZ-brazillica, some tracks with a vaguely Austin Powers/Sergio Mendes retro '60s feel. This kind of chill-room easy listening isn't entirely my cup of tea, but I suppose that for the style, these are strong collections. They include new recordings, as well as older, obscure recordings from the '70s and '80s. Highlights on v. 3 include Boozoo Bajou's swinging "Night Over Manaus" and "Ye Mele" by Brazil Selection. I have not heard the other volumes in this series, but imagine it is rather similar territory. [Check out the Compost website for more information.]

Various Artists "GERACAO ANOS 80: SINGLES, VOLUME 1" (Warner, 2007)
Synthesizer pop come to Brazil: here is a top-notch collection of genuine, spazzy '80s New Wave, Brazilian-style, with a slight punkish vibe. I'm not sure, but I think this might actually be a straight reissue of the singles sampler that brought Kid Abelha to the top of the charts, and also introduced bands such as Ira!, Titas and Ultraje A Rigor. Also included is an energetic (though dorky) single by Lulu Santos, as well as tunes by AgentSS, Azul 29, the R&B-ish Brylho and (no, not the same band) Magazine. Anyone who would like to learn more about Brazilian new wave and punk/rock would do well to check this compilation out... It's pretty strong, even considering the genre. Amazing that Kid Abelha did so well, though: Paula Toller sounded just awwwwwful on these early recordings!

Various Artists "HAIR" (Brazilian Soundtrack) (Fermata, 1969)
A cultural curio, but an unimpressive recording... The singers and the band are uniformly mediocre, at best. A fan of the original production might get a kick out of hearing it translated into Portuguese, but other than that there's really no "there" there. (Side note: apparently actress Sonia Braga was in the original cast; I'm not sure if she sings on this album...)

Various Artists "HEARTS OF STONE/CORACOES DE PEDRA" (Magica, 2000)
Yeah, baby!! Brazilian beat from the mid-'60s, with plenty of cover tunes but also a healthy dose of originals. The best known groups on here are (of course) Renato e Seus Blue Caps and Os Beat Boys, but mainly this is for-real, off-the-beaten-track, honest-to-goodness teen beat from the British Invasion days. For those of us who like kitschy cover tunes that don't suck, and who are trying to delve into the dim, misty past of Brazil's pre-tropicalia rock scene, this is an ultra-invaluable find. Plus, it's even got (gasp!) great, well-written liner notes. Okay, so when's volume dois come out?

Various Artists "HIP HOP: CULTURA NA RUA" (Eldorado, 1988)
This was, apparently, the first hip-hop collection in Brazil, featuring Thaide & DJ Hum, and others...

Various Artists "HIP HOP: CULTURA NA RUA, v.2" (Eldorado)

Various Artists "HIP HOP: O PODER DE TRANSFORMACAO" (Paradoxx, 1997)

Various Artists "HISTORIA DA ODEON: 1902-1952 - AS PRIMEIRAS MUSICAS DO SECULO XX" (EMI-Brasil, 2003)
Wow! This is easily one of the best and most exciting Brazilian reissues in recent years, a sweeping, 3-CD set that covers the first five decades of the Odeon label's illustrious career in Brazil. For a comprehensive, compelling look at the giddy, dynamic early years of samba cancao and other Brazilian pop, this collection is hard to beat. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Various Artists "HISTORIA DA ODEON, v.2" (EMI-Brasil, 2007)
This 3-CD set is a much-welcome, but too-brief followup to the earlier HISTORIA collection, which traced the history of the Odeon label in Brazil, from 1902-1952. That first volume is one of the finest archival releases to come out of Brazil in the digital era, and I've been greatly looking forward to this second set. In some regards, it's a little disappointing, largely because of the embarrassment of musical riches in the post-bossa nova era. EMI was at the forefront of the jazz-pop crossovers of the classic "Musica Popular Brasileira" (MPB) scene of the late 1960s and '70s, recording key artists such as Luiz Gonzaga, Jr., Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento Marcos Valle, and others, as well as samba revivalists like pagode diva Clara Nunes and acoustic virtuoso Paulinho Da Viola. Accordingly, they rush into these years and largely gloss over the pre-bossa "radio singers" of the 1950s, and even pay scant attention to the bossa years, even though they had some great artists in their bossa nova roster. (The first recordings of Joao Gilberto, the master of the style, remain tied up in legal snarls, so his groundbreaking classic, "Chega De Saudade," is, sadly, not included here, and there are some other omissions, though nothing else as fundamental as Gilberto...) Once in the thick of the MPB years, the selection is, of necessity, all too short, and subject to endless second-guessing and criticism. Odeon had an astonishing surplus of top talent and innovative musicianship in the early '70s, and for any given artist the choice of which single song to choose is maddening. They manage to include a few relative obscurities in alongside the stars (and this is good, since obscurities and new discoveries are what I look for in box sets...) but the time flies by quickly -- MPB's golden years are bracketed on the other side by an equally cursory overview of the 1980s and '90s, when rock and rap crept into the Brazilian pop scene, and the slick stuff got even slicker. Here again, the scope of the era -- from 1982-2002 -- is too much to do justice in a single CD. Several noteworthy artists are sampled, including rockers such as Os Paralamas Do Sucesso and Blitz, soul singers and modern pop stars, some obscure and some mainstream. With such a daunting sweep, and wit so much more music recorded in the second half of the century, as opposed to the first, perhaps EMI would have done well to divide this project into even more than these six discs -- the '70s MPB scene along could easily accommodate three of its own. Still, as a general overview of one of Brazil's greatest labels, this is an impressive collection, and a great introduction to dozens of great artists. Worth checking out, although fans of old-school samba will want to track down the first volume as well.

Various Artists "HISTORIA DEL CARNAVAL, v.1" (Ubatuqui, 1992)

Various Artists "HISTORIA DEL CARNAVAL, v.2" (Ubatuqui, 1992)

Various Artists "HISTORIA DEL CARNAVAL, v.3: 1902-1952" (Ubatuqui, 1992)
A nice set of formal, studio-based recordings of various Carnaval theme songs... Although this series ranges from 1902 forward, this third disc actually only spans the last part of the dates listed: here are some groovy Carnaval themes from 1941-52, many of which have obvious and interesting elements of North American-style big band swing, particularly with the complex brass arrangements. These versions are generally by big-name samba-cancao stars such as Anjos do Inferno, Aracy de Almeida, Atualfo Alves, Francisco Alves, Carlos Galhardo, Orlando Silva and Trio Irakitan. There are also several less well-known, more generic artists (which is in keeping with later Caranval recordings) such as 4 Ases & Un Coringa, Joel & Escola and Vocalistas Tropicais... Also included in this list (and the main reason I picked this collection up) is the much vaunted avant-classical producer-arranger, Rogerio Duprat, who was apparently booked in 1950 and '52 to record some Carnaval themes ("O General Da Banda" and "Lata D'Agua". His arrangements are, frankly, a bit generic and don't really give much indication of the wild, genre-defying inventiveness he would contribute to the 1960s tropicalia scene, but it's still interesting to see a bit of his early roots. Sadly, the liner notes are confined to a general essay about the history of Carnaval as a Brazilian cultural phenomenon, and don't add much in the way of recording info, other than the years each song was written and recorded, and the names of the authors and performers. Similar in scope (if not breadth) to the Revivendo label's extensive Carnaval series.

Various Artists "HOME OF SAMBA" (Universal/Pure Brazil, 2004)
A strong set of live, in-concert duets that pair major-league samba stars with Brazilian pop singers... These shows were originally recorded in the late 1990s and released as the four-volume "Casa De Samba" series, but they still sound as classy, vibrant and lively now as they did nearly a decade ago... The collaborators include Jorge Ben & Ivete Sangelo, Beth Carvalho & Zelia Duncan, Simone & Marthinho Da Vila, Nelson Sargento & Chico Cesar, and numerous other combinations... Caetano Veloso, who was in a particularly fruitful phase of his career, sings on a couple of tracks, bringing an irrepressible joyfulness to his parts... Some of the songs on this album drift into the overly-lavish pop styles of the MPB scene, but for the most part these are pretty solid, compelling performances. Worth checking out!

Various Artists "JACKSON DO PANDEIRO: RETRATO E SAMPLEADO" (BMG-Brasil, 1999)
This tribute to forro legend Jackson do Pandeiro features a bunch of younger contemporary Brazilian artists, along with old-timers such as Gal Costa, Chico Buarque and Elba Ramalho. Soul, trip-hop, dancehall and rap weave throughout about half of these tracks; the rest stick more closely to traditional forro arrangements. The two tracks by Lenine are disappointing, but on balance this is a nice set, with surprisingly few weak moments.

Various Artists "JOAO BATISTA DO VALE" (RCA, 1995)
(Produced by Chico Buarque, S�rgio Carvalho & Jose Milton)
A nice all-star homage to songwriter Joao do Vale, organized by Chico Buarque, who kicks things off with a swank version of "Minha Historia" and is joined by other MPB luminaries: Alcione, Geraldo Azevedo, Maria Bethania, Joao Bosco, Paulinho da Viola, Raimundo Fagner, Edu Lobo and many others. The performances are uniformly solid (though at times a bit sedate) with Do Vale's forro roots weaving in and out in song after song. I'm not sure if all the songs on here were made specially for this compilation, or if some were taken from individual artists' albums. A nice spin on some great old songs.

Various Artists "JOVEM GUARDA" (Polydor, 1999)
Well, THIS was a huge disappointment. I took one look at the cover in the stores and got all giddy: it's just what I was looking for!! A sampler of all the goofy Brazilian roqueiro acts that appeared on Roberto Carlos' 1960s TV show, Jovem Guarda! How cool is that?? Not very, as it turns out. Who would have ever imagined that, instead of putting out a collection of Mod-era oldies, Polygram would instead get all these geezers together for a 1995 studio session to re-record their songs? Yeah, many of the big names are here -- Erasmo Carlos, Wanderlea, the Fevers, Renato e Seus Bluecaps -- but in watery, smoothed out modern form, with all the vigor of an ABBA cover band playing at the county fair with a hangover. Sigh. The only mildly noteworthy track is Caetano Veloso relaxing and having a toss at a version of "Road Hog," a song that Roberto Carlos used to do back in the day. Roberto, himself, is notably absent from this project.

Various Artists "(AS 16 MAIS DA) JOVEM GUARDA" (Globo/Universal, 2000)
And ditto for this disc, which even has some overlap with the one mentioned above. The only improvement is the cooler cover art... but then again, that might not be such a great thing, after all, since you don't want to buy this disc either. Sigh.

Herivelto Martins/Various Artists "JUBILEU HERIVELTO" (RCA Victor, 1957)
This is a tribute album released in 1957, honoring the career of Brazilian pop songwriter Herivelto Martins. Martins doesn't actually perform on the record, but the artists who do -- Nelson Goncalves, Dircinha & Linda Batista, Ivon Curi, Carlos Galhardo, Trio De Ouro, etc. -- represent the creme-de-la-creme of the pre-bossa "radio singers" era. If you like old-fashioned nostalgic music, this is a wonderful collection. Nice instrumental choro/jazz turns from Jacob Do Bandolim and Zaccarias, as well!

Carlos Cachaca/Various Artists "MANGUEIRA: SAMBAS DE TERREIRO E OUTROS SAMBAS" (Arquivo Geral da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, 1999)
This 2-LP set gathers historical recordings of a number of Mangueira samba school members, including a handful of recordings Cachaca made in the 1940s and '50s. The artists include Cartola, Jacob Do Bandolim, Nelson Cavaquinho, Clementina de Jesus, Ze Keti and many others who are more obscure; the music is mostly pretty awesome.

Various Artists "O MELHOR DA JOVEM GUARDA" (Som Livre, 2002)
Yay! This 3-CD set is perhaps the best-programmed of the major label JG collections, spanning the teenybopper back-catalogs of several different labels, and thankfully avoiding the bulk of their drippy-sounding, slower ballads. Plenty of rock'n'roll cover tunes, all at mid- to moderate tempo, with performances by plenty of well-known JG stars and tons of more obscure one-hit wonders such as Os Caculas, Dori Edson, Joelma, Giane, Vox Deorum, etc. The edition I got came packaged in a kooky metal tin, but I suspect the three discs may also be offered individually. At any rate, this is a top-flight collection, well worth looking for if you're curious about the Brazilian bubblegum beat. Fun stuff!

Various Artists "MUQUIFO RECORDS APRESENTA: COMP_01|02 - ORGANICO | SINTETICO" (Muquifo, 2001)
A nice, 2-CD sampler of Brazilian electronica, with artists such as Superagua, DJ Dolores, Sons Of The Beat, etc., and erstwhile indie-rockers like Jupiter Apple in tow as well. The first disc ("Organico") is mellower, more melodic stuff, and while it isn't until the end of the disc that we start hearing sounds that seem distinctly "Brazilian," it's a nice little chill room set. The "Sintetico" disc, predictably, is a little harder and more mechanical -- a fairly generic set of uptempo house music. Nothing special there, unless you're into that scene, in which case I suppose this is pretty decent. (But honestly, how the hell can anyone tell the difference between these artists?) Nice to know Brazilians are as capable of making club music as anyone else. I liked the first disc.

Various Artists "MUSICANOSSA" (Forma, 1968)
(Arranged by Ugo Marotta)
This album seems to have been a project of Roberto Menescal, attempting to get something cooking in the post-bossa era. There are two tracks by his Conjunto Roberto Menescal and organist Ugo Marotta is credited as the album's arranger -- also, the backing on all the vocalists sounds pretty similar, so I'm thinking that's his band backing them as well. The singers are a mixed bag: a group called Agora 4 are chirpy and charming, while solo singers Magda and Regininha are both rather lackluster. Likewise with romantic singer Jorge Nery, who does a great duet with Johnny Alf (the lively, intricate "Ponto De Vista") but who sounds pretty drippy on his own. Lastly, there's a guy named Ze Luis, who's also kind of blah. This is okay in a time-capsule kind of way, worth listening to if you're digging deep into '60s Brazil, even though this set sounds kind of dated for '68. You don't have to knock yourself out tracking this disc down, although a handful of tracks are fun.

Various Artists "MUSIQUE DU NORDESTE v. 1: 1916-1945" (Buda Music/France, 1999)
Various Artists "MUSIQUE DU NORDESTE v. 2: 1928-1946" (Buda Music/France, 1999)
Two stunning CDs of distinctive and primordial music from the Northeastern states, including some of the earliest forro classics. This series is very similar to the Fremeaux collections listed above, though if anything, it digs a bit deeper, and has a stronger regional flavor. Most folks will enjoy the second disc more -- its melodies are more modern and gentle, whereas the first disc is a little starker and has a close affinity to the style of Portuguese fados and ballads found on the Heritage label. Featuring long-lost artists such as Luperce Miranda, Joao Pernambuco, Irmaos Valenca and -- of course -- forro founding father, Luiz Gonzaga. Highly recommended!

Mario Lago/Various Artists "NADA ALEM" (Som Livre, 1991)
Guest performers abound in this heartfelt tribute to velha guarda poet-actor-songwriter Mario Lago, whose professional career began in the 1930s, when samba cancao stars such as Atualfo Alves, Carmen Miranda, Mario Reis and Orlando Silva recorded his early hits. The songs have a very distinctive feel to them; Lago certainly had a "sound," which I suppose could be typified as not-too-lachrymose saudade, a romantic sense of longing and sadness... Although Lago is pictured on the album cover, I don't think he actually performs on the disc -- no matter, with elegant performances by Gal Costa, Paulinho Da Viola, Nelson Goncalves, Ivone Lara and Raphael Rabello, this tribute disc has its share of talent... Most of the arrangements are cheesy, but some are real gems, particularly Costa's reading of the title track, "Nada Alem."

Various Artists "NANDE REKO ARANDU: MEMORIA VIVA GUARANI" (MCD Music World, 2000)
Contemporary composers take the music of the Guarani Indians into modern studios, giving the indigenous culture of the Amazon jungle a modern facelift in this intriguing set of tunes, sung by a children's chorus atop sleek modern arrangements... I had expected this album would either be filled with tacky "remixes" or it would be a set of dry, shrill field recordings. As it turns out, it's neither: the production sounds quite clean, and the songs are surprisingly listenable. The basic beat remains quite static -- a light, simple thump-thump-thump-thump on all the tunes-- and the melodies aren't terribly complex, yet there's a simplicity and sincerity to the project that comes through on the recordings, and even though it's not super-groovy or mind-blowingly rapturous, it's kind of sweet and compelling. Worth checking out, though you have to be in the right frame of mind.

Various Artists "NA ONDE DO IE-IE-IE v. 1" (EMI/Copacabana, 2000)
Various Artists "NA ONDE DO IE-IE-IE v. 2" (EMI/Copacabana, 2000)
Two excellent 2-CD sets of some of the best early-60s jovem guarda teenybopper rock. Other collections, particularly those on Polygram, tend to be a bit tepid, although these are packed with the chirpiness and spunk I was hoping for. If you want to check out the pre-tropicalia teen scene, with all its Fabian 'n' Funicello-esque charm, this is the collection I would recommend. Sure, it's not earth-shattering or Elvis, but these recordings are still fun and cute.

Various Artists "NAQUELE TEMPO" (Som Livre, 2004)
A budget-line 4-CD set looking back at the good old days of the "radio singers" era... This collection bridges over several different record labels, and includes well-known artists such as Elizeth Cardoso, Vincente Celestino, Nelson Goncalves, Dick Farney, Angela Maria, Nora Ney, Cauby Peixoto and Orlando Silvam, as well as a slew of less-well remembered old-schoolers -- Wilma Bentivegna, Juca Chaves, Conjunto Farroupilha, Leny Eversong, Fernanda, Elza Laranjeira, Helena Lima, Rosana Toledo, and others. By and large, the song selection is not the strongest... it tilts towards the florid and overblown, and while I haven't heard tons of this old stuff, I'm sure a stronger set could have been compiled. Still, it's a valuable glimpse back into the pre-bossa nova olden days, and even if many of these artists were second- and third-stringers, it's nice to be able to hear their work.

Pixinguinha/Various Artists "NAQUELE TEMPO: CHOROS E VALSAS" (Revivendo, 1998)
Wartime and postwar chororecordings featuring duets with Pixinguinha and flautist Benedito Lacerda, as well as other choro and valsa stars, such as Custodio Mesquita and the legendary pre-bossa nova guitarist, Garoto. A great deal of the old-world gentility of the style is preserved in these recordings, which were made well after the style's real heyday in the 1920s, with the delicate society band fragility of the music fully intact. It's also easier to parse the music out, as these later renditions also have superior sound quality to the rollicking originals... Also of interest is the Hawaiian-style slide guitar employed by Garoto on several tracks made in the mid-'40s. Great stuff... Highly recommended!

Various Artists "NATIVE BRAZILIAN MUSIC, v.1 (Columbia, 1942) (78 RPM album)
One of the great "lost" classics of world music history, these two folios of 78s -- a total of seventeen songs on eight discs -- are the only official U.S. release (to date) of a legendary recording session staged by classical music conductor Leopold Stokowski during a 1940 "good neighbor policy" trip to Brazil. Stokowski was an self-professed fan of Brazilian music and asked his colleague, composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, to invite some of the best local musicians he could find to take part in the session. And what a lineup he got! Onhand were choro and samba legends such as Cartola, Donga, Luiz Americano, Pixinguinha, Joao do Bahiana, Ze Espinguela, Ze da Zilda and other elite members of the classic early samba schools. This two-part collection represents only about half the forty tracks Stokowski recorded -- the other songs are apparently still in the Sony vaults, awaiting the day when the label will give them a proper digital-age release. Music scholar Daniella Thompson has led a fifteen-year effort of track the masters down and persuade the folks at Sony to reissue these songs (including the twenty-three unreleased tracks). Here's a link to an article she wrote about her quest as well as a petition on the Sony Legacy website, urging them to open their vaults.

Various Artists "NATIVE BRAZILIAN MUSIC, v.2" (Columbia, 1942) (78 RPM album)

Various Artists "NATIVE BRAZILIAN MUSIC" (MVL, 1987) (LP)
This was a Brazilian-edition LP, mastered from existing 78s from the original release. (Apparently the masters do still exist, they're just buried away somewhere up the the US...)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.1 (FarOut Records, 2008)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.2 (FarOut Records, 2009)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.3 (FarOut Records, 2011)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.4 (FarOut Records, 2012)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.5 (FarOut Records, 2013)

Jair Rodrigues/Various Artists "OBA OBA '84" (Maracana, 1985)
(Produced by Gianni Daldello)
(Artistic directors: Franco Fontana & Luzie Mathias)
This was one of a series of albums commemorating, I believe, a European carnaval show (held annually in Italy? anyone know more about it?) that brought Brazilian artists to the Continent. Jair Rodrigues seems to have been the headliner in '84, with Chico Buarque singing on one song and bandolim virtuosa Nilze Carvalho playing a couple of beautiful tunes. The spotlight was really on vocalist Eliana Estevao, though: she sings several duets with Rodrigues and with Buarque, as well as one solo... She's got an okay voice, and I'm guessing she was part of Rodrigues's stage show at the time. The arrangements are generally pretty cheesy -- standard-issue, synth-heavy soft-jazz/funk MPB typical of the era... Side Two of the album is taken up with a gigantic potpourri medley of the kind Rodrigues all-too-often indulged in... He also sings a couple of solo songs, though his vocals are kind of inconsistent, especially on the fast-paced medley track.

Various Artists "O CAFONA (Soundtrack)" (Som Livre, 1971/2001)
See, if I were more thoroughly attuned to the whole '60s-soundtrack kitsch factor, I would probably "get" stuff like this and seem much cooler than I do. And sure, this soap opera soundtrack has its moments, mainly in an early Tim Maia funk/early '70s soft pop vein, but it's also a bit facile and musically unformed. The artists involved are mainly second-and-third stringers, with Carlos Lyra towards the top and numerous others holding up the lower rungs... But if you're already into the whole Italian & French sleazy-listening scene, then this Brazilian material should appeal to you as well... Recommended, sort of, even though it's not really my cuppa tea. This disc is part of a series of twenty soundtrack albums reissued in by Som Livre in an overview of many of Brazil's best TV programs.

Various Artists "OI! A NOVA MUSICA BRASILEIRA" (Mais Um Discos, 2010)
A far-reaching, 2-CD sampler of modern Brazilian music, much of it with heavy pop, rock and electronica influences... I haven't heard this one yet, but look forward to checking it out!

Various Artists "PHONO 73: O CANTO DE UM POVO" (CD & DVD) (Universal Music, 2005)
This 2-CD/1 DVD collection is a remarkable document of an incredible concert, held in 1973 at the Palacio do Anhembi, with superstars such as Jorge Ben, Maria Bethania, Chico Buarque, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Nara Leao, Ivan Lins, Elis Regina, Jair Rodrigues, Sergio Sampaiao, Raul Seixas, Caetano Veloso, Toquinho & Vinicius De Moraes (and others) all performing in protest of the cultural bans of the military dictatorship then in power. It was an amazing festival, packed with Brazil's top talent. Along with the two discs of live music is a trove of film clips taken from various performances - the footage is fragmentary and poorly edited (tragically so) but utterly compelling, an absolute must-see movie for fans of this era of Brazilian pop. These are the giants of the era, many of them at their youthful peak. Jorge Ben is electrifying; Gilberto Gil is a playful god; Chico Buarque is arresting though remote (plus you get to see him play a faux-rock song!); Caetano Veloso (singing his revival of the forro classic, "Asa Branca") is at his artiest, most elfin and most indulgent. One of the wildest performances is by rocker Raul Seixas, who blasts through American rock oldies like "Tutti Frutti" and his own crazy Brazilian hard-rock adaptations and his glam-rock persona is intense: you have to see it to believe it. The video content is frustrating but crucial, particularly since there isn't much footage like it to be seen anywhere today... It would be wonderful to see more complete versions of these performances (or anything of similar vintage) but I'm glad I got a chance to see the material that's on here. It's super-cool stuff.

Various Artists "POSICOES" (Odeon, 1971)
Mercifully short, this compilation EP explored the fringier fringes of Brazilian experimental rock -- a real find for freak-folk fans, but pretty wanky and irritating for the rest of us. This disc includes four bands: A Tribo was a short-lived supergroup that included Nelson Angelo, Joyce, Toninho Horta and Nana Vasconcelos, as well as Novelli... This disc includes two songs, "Kyrie" and "Peba E Pobo," from A Tribo's lone release, a double single which also contained two other songs. Also on here are the psychedelic band Modulo 1000 (two songs also included on the CD reissue of their legendary album), the fusion-y Som Imaginario and a rock band called Equipe Mercado. It's all weird stuff, but hard to get into, at least for those of us who are not on drugs. Probably for a lot of you who are, as well. But a historical curio, for sure!

Various Artists "PRAZER EM CONHECA-LO" (Funarte, 1986)
(Produced by Cristovao Bastos)
An homage to composer/pianist Custodio Mesquita... A cheerful, if somewhat goofy set, with theatrical, almost vaudevillian arrangements, and vocals by Amelia Rabello, Marcos Sacramento and old-timers Marlene and Rosana Toledo, with piano backing from producer Cristovao Bastos (who also contributes a lovely instrumental version of "Enquanto Houver Saudade") This didn't completely curl my toes, although there are a couple of songs that really stood out. Definitely worth checking out if you're into the swankier side of modern MPB (from artists such as Maria Bethania and Nana Caymmi, for example...) The title track was apparently written by samba-cancao legend Noel Rosa.

Various Artists "LES PRECURSEURS DE LA BOSSA NOVA: 1948-1957" (Fremeaux & Associes, 2008)
The history of Brazilian popular music is often seen to hinge on the release of a single song, Joao Gilberto's transcendent, revolutionary "Chega De Saudade," a gentle, intoxicating ditty written by Tom Jobim that made bossa nova the new national music of Brazil, back in 1958, when it came out as a single. But like any other country, Brazil's cultural history is complex and multi-layered and obviously Gilberto and Jobim didn't just come out of nowhere. This magnificent 2-CD set -- compiled by the ever-fab French archival label, Fremeaux -- documents the many crosscurrents and interconnections that set the stage for bossa nova to explode in the late 1950s, first in Brazil and then across the globe. Both Jobim and Gilberto had long careers in the years before their ascent into the heavens: many of the rare tracks gathered here show their early work with other artists, including early versions of Jobim songs performed by the stars of the 1950's "radio singers" era, while other tracks feature Gilberto backing famous singers or, similarly, show Jobim acting as bandleader on various sessions. At some point, their paths collided, and Gilberto (for a while) became Jobim's voice, while Jobim was Gilberto's muse. Although "Chega De Saudade" is seen as the song that sparked a musical revolution, there are several other songs and albums that are considered "the first bossa nova record," chief among these is perhaps the 1957 album Cancao Do Amor Demais, where Joao Gilberto backed romantic singer Elizete Cardoso on a series of newly-minted bossa classics. (The results are mixed: while the album was Gilberto's first big break, Cardoso is a pretty old-fashioned, corny singer... I've never been that fond of the record; turns out Gilberto didn't like it that much, either...) Bossa nova was a distillation of many trends in Brazilian music -- classic samba-cancao, the romanticism of boleros, and the influence of cool, melodic jazz and American-style pop vocals taken up by singers such as Dick Farney and Johnny Alf. Also gathered here are fabled pre-bossa artists such as guitarist Garoto (one of Joao Gilberto's idols) and his group Trio Surdina, as well as the vocal group Os Cariocas and divas and crooners such as Sylvia Telles, Doris Monteiro, Lucio Alves and Tito Madi... Even in this golden era of digital reissues, the songs on this collection remain hard to find and expensive to own, so having them all together in such as compact, well-curated collection is a rare treat indeed. Highly recommended -- a great way to explore deeper into the history of Brazilian popular song.

Various Artists "PROIBIDO C.V. -- FORBIDDEN GANG FUNK FROM RIO DE JANEIRO" (Sublime Frequencies, 2007)

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: ACOUSTIC BRAZIL" (Putumayo, 2005)
This is a swell album of pretty-sounding acoustic tunes running the gamut from superstars such as Chico Buarque, Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso to less well-known newcomers like Marcio Faracao and Glaucia Nasser. The collection is very well selected and has a nice, cohesive feel, tuning into the prettiest, most delicate aspects of Brazil's samba and bossa traditions. Highlights include magical tunes by up-and-coming stars such as samba singer Tesesa Cristina, and surprisingly soft contributions by rockers like Lucas Santtana. This is a record that lovers of Brazilian music will enjoy, and that they can give to folks who aren't already familiar with the styles... It's very listenable and mellow, but it also has a real emotional and stylistic depth... It's a very nice set. Recommended.

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: BOSSA NOVA AROUND THE WORLD" (Putumayo, 2011)
A nice mellow set of neo-bossa nova from all across the world -- from Brazil (of course), Canada, Cape Verde, Mexico and even Norway and Serbia (where they probably really need the sunny vibes...) There are several tracks by French artists -- that nouvelle scene is still going strong, and very bossa-friendly -- although sadly nothing by Japanese guitarist Lisa Ono, who is an icon of non-Brazilian bossa worship. As with the best of these various-artist outings, this introduces listeners to several previously unknown artists; for me perhaps the biggest discovery was the German indie/agitpop duo, 2raumwohnung, who apparently have several really fun albums out. Time for a trip to the old Record Hut to track a couple down! Overall, another nice set from the folks at Putumayo -- didn't blow my mind, but it sure sounds nice on the stereo.

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: BRASILEIRO" (Putumayo, 1999)
A very nice collection, emphasizing sweeter, melodically-oriented tunes. Features a nice selection of tunes by big-name stars -- Jorge Ben, Clara Nunes, Joao Bosco, Beth Carvalho -- as well as several newer or lesser known artists such as Celso Machado and Nazare Pereira. In addition to sounding all-around nice, this collection has great liner notes... a welcome antidote to the normal dearth of information on Brazilian imports. One of several recent Putamayo releases pointing towards a new vigor in their song selection.

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: BRAZILIAN CAFE" (Putumayo, 2009)
(Various Producers)
A mellow, acoustic-oriented set of modern Brazilian ballads. For the most part this is a collection of less well-known artists, which I personally appreciate. The album kicks off with a relatively restrained track by the MPB superstar Djavan, but after that the next most famous artist is guitarist-vocalist Rosa Passos. All the tracks are quite nice, and this is another wonderfully listenable collection from Putumayo, not gooey or cloying crossover stuff, but a rather classy collection that knowledgeably explores the contemporary Brazilian acoustic scene. The current trad-samba revival is represented by Teresa Cristina and Ana Costa (two great artists whose work is well worth tracking down) while more pop and bossa-oriented music is also well represented. Nice record; definitely worth a spin!

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: BRAZILIAN LOUNGE" (Putumayo, 2006)
Nice...! A really beautiful set of mellow, modern bossa-electronica-samba crossovers, easy on the ears yet musically rich and spiritually fulfilling. There are plenty of heavy-hitters on here, including bossa elder Marcos Valle, Bebel Gilberto, Paula Morelenbaum (of the Jobim-Morelenbaum Quartet), manguebeat heroes Mundo Livre S/A (in a pleasantly mellow mood) and several hot younger artists such as Bossacucanova, BiD and the uber-mellow Katia B, as well as several fine artists I'd never heard of before (but will look into soon!). From start to finish, this is a well-programmed, revelatory set, relaxing but not somnambulent... It's one of those discs that wound up stuck in my stereo for a lot longer than I'd expected, getting played over and over, while delivering the goods every time. Recommended!

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: SAMBA BOSSA NOVA" (Putumayo, 2002)
Putumayo scores another hit with this excellent collection of sleek modern balladeers and Brazilian pop innovators... Included are Da Lata, Rossa Passos, Jussara Silveira, Rita Ribero, and my personal hero, Moreno Veloso (the son of the great Caetano Veloso). There are also several less well known artists on here, but the level of quality is consistently very high. This is a really nice, really listenable album... Highly recommended for anyone who wants to check out some more recent Brazilian material.

Various Artists "QUARTIN" (Far Out Records, 1997)
Music from Roberto Quartin's early-'70s jazz-oriented Quartin label... A little too jazz-oriented for my tastes... This disc includes a few tracks off Jose Mauro's excellent Obnoxius album, and some interesting instrumentals by guitarist Piri (backed up by Wilson Das Neves and a young Danilo Caymmi) ... Unfortunately, it also contains most of the tracks off of an instrumental jazz Jobim tribute album by alto sax player Victor Assis Brasil, every one of which I found to be tedious -- a braz-jazz cross between Charlie Parker and Kenny G, perhaps. I was able to part with this disc without much sorrow, especially considering the entire Mauro album is also available as a reissue.

Various Artists "RACA BRASILEIRA" (Som Livre, 1985)
A nice, solid modern samba album, featuring the likes of Zeca Pagodinho and Jovelina Perola Negra. Not mind-blowing but catchy and pleasant. Recommended.

Various Artists "RED HOT + LISBON: ONDA SONORA" (Bar None Records, 1999)
Wow! Another winner in the "Red Hot" AIDS charity series. This follow-up to RED HOT AND RIO focuses on contemporary Portuguese pop, but the influences are overwhelmingly Brazilian. The highlight here is a bilingual duet between David Byrne and Caetano Veloso (who, as it turns out, have very similar voices...) Lisbon's sizable immigrant community is represented by several interesting traces of African traditional and pop music, including a collaboration between Angola's pop legend, Bonga, and Brazil's Marisa Monte and Carlinhos Brown. There are also heavy doses of club and ambient electronica. Some of these efforts are fluid and seductive; others are disappointing. In particular, the talents of DJ Spooky seem poorly utilized, and the lusophone rap of General D is predictably lackluster (he's no MC Solaar); probably the worst track on here is an insufferable fado by the ever-schmaltzy k.d. lang. Overall, though, this is an excellent album, well worth checking out. New to me: Smoke City, who are sort of a Portuguese Portsihead. Recommended!

Various Artists "RED HOT AND RIO" (Verve Antilles, 1996)
An ambitious and often lovely mix of Jobim standards with modern production and styles. Heavyweights such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, etc. team up with various U.S. hipsters, soul singers and rappers, to varying degrees of success. Everything But The Girl's version of "Corcovado," David Byrne's duet with Marisa Monte or Stereolab teamed up with Herbie Mann are among the highlights. The efforts of "quiet storm" soul singers such as Maxwell and Incognito are less satisfying, though I'm sure their fans will appreciate them. Overall, this is a nice, far-reaching effort, very much in the spirit of experimentation and inclusion which makes MPB so exciting to begin with. (PS - this disc is a benefit for AIDS research, for the Red Hot foundation.)

Various Artists "RED HOT AND RIO 2:" (Entertainment One, 2011)
An impressive lineup of indie/pop/electronic artists step up for this tribute to the wild, eclectic Brazilian tropicalia scene of the 1960s and early '70s. Many of the original tropicalistas are on board as well, notably Caetano Veloso, Tom Ze, Rita Lee and the recently-reformed Os Mutantes. They inspire and interact with an avalanche of modern talent, including non-Brazilian hipsters like Beck, Of Montreal, Alice Smith, Mia Doi Todd (and numerous electronica artists) as well as younger Brazilian stars, such as Apollo Nove, Ceu, Bebel Gilberto, Seu Jorge, Curumin, Vanesa de Mata and others... Presiding as elders over this great cross-cultural confluence are Caetano Veloso (whose cosmic, ambient "3 Mellowtrons In A Quiet Room" update of "Terra" is an album highlight) and his longtime friend David Byrne, whose expansive, enthusiastic "Brazil Classics" series sparked popular interest in a wide variety of Brazilian styles back in the '80s and '90s: they do a groovy duet on "Dreamworld/Marco De Canaveses," while numerous artists cover Veloso's work. High marks go to Marisa Monte (always a fave) for her version of "Nu Com A Minha Musica," Superhuman Happiness for their electro-JPop take on "Ile Aye," and Curumin, who really nails it on his reggaefied version of Gilberto Gil's "Ela." Marisa Monte contributes a typically gorgeous performance on "Nu Com A Minha Musica" (a duet with Devendra Banhart) and Mia Doi Todd's contributions are also pretty solid. Not all of this 2-CD set appealed to me -- the stuff on the more electronic and R&B end of the spectrum wasn't my cup of tea (particularly John Legend's jazzy, well-intentioned "Love I've Never Known") but hey, variety is the spice of life, as the tropicalistas cheerfully taught us, lo those many decades past. Some cool stuff on here, with a little bit of something for everyone. Worth a spin!

Various Artists "AS REVELACOES DA GRANDE CHANCE, v.2" (Codil Ritmos, 1968) (LP)
An album commemorating the second "Grande Chance" competition hosted by TV Tupi, a talent show modeled after the popular "song contests" of the time, but concentrating solely on unknown artists. In this case, most of the artists were (and deservedly remain) really obscure, awkwardly performing romantic ballads and covers of current bossa hits and, in one case, a rock cover of the Peter Gunn TV theme. Nonetheless, the contestant who wound up winning became a genuine star and a champion of the roots-samba scene of the 1970s and '80s: singer Leci Brandao (credited as "Lecy" on the track listings) belts out an upbeat urban samba called "Riqueza, Pobreza," kind of in the style of Leny Andrade or Elza Soares. It's not a great record, but it's an interesting snapshot of the time, and hearing the youthful Brandao in '68 is cool. Also, I think the Fabiola who sings "Januaria" is the same guy who later on recorded some interesting psychedelic stuff, so that's of interest as well.

Various Artists "RIO BAILE FUNK: FAVELA BOOTY BEATS" (Essay Records, 2004)
A groovy, well-programmed collection of Brazilian party music, lively stuff that springs from a Brazilian fascination with the "Miami bass" style of dance/hip-hop music... As heard here, the insistent, often obnoxious baile funk doesn't always highlight the heavy low end of its Miami-based ancestors, but it does share a gleeful sense of hedonism, frivolity and abandon. This disc is a slick mix of no-brainer dancefloor favorites by artists such as Dennis DJ, Furacao 2000, MC Jack and others; although its hardly in the Brazilian pop mainstream, the baile funk scene had an explosive growth in the 1980s and '90s, fronting huge, rave-like dance parties amid monstrously large sound systems. As described in the album's liner notes, the scene fell prey to incidental violence and for a time the dances were legally procribed following a few notably disasterous shows. Still, it's hard to imagine such a spunky sound being kept down for long: I'm hardly a fan of club culture, dance music or 'lectro beats, but this is a fun album, with spazzy sampled beats, kooky, rapid-fire lyrics (often sampled and manipulated) that are more like rally chants than rapping or dancehall... The superfast, dat-datdat-daadad-dah beat somehow, miraculously falls short of simple monotony, and the whole effect is rather giddy and captivating. It's hardly your typical Brazilian pop, but it's definitely worth checking out.

Various Artists "RIO BAILE FUNK: MORE FAVELA BOOTY BEATS" (Essay Records, 2006)

Various Artists "RODA DE SAMBA DE PARTIDO ALTO" (Cedro Rosa, 2009)
(Produced by Virginia Carvalho)
Four younger artists -- backed by a cast of thousands -- recreate the funky, joyful vibe of the classic "partido de alto" albums of the roots-samba revival of the 1960s and '70s. Led by percussion and cavaquinho, singers Maquinhos China, Renatinho Partideiro, Serginho Procopio and Tiago Mocoto move jovially through a set of songs that recall the heyday of bands such as Os Originais do Samba, with surprisingly little in the way of modern, contemporary musical ornamentation. If you like the old style sound, you might really enjoy this loose, funky album.

Various Artists "ROUGH GUIDE TO BRAZILIAN ELECTRONICA" (Rough Guides, 2003)
Nice collection! The automatic compatibility of Brazilian bossa and samba with modern electronica has been taken as a given for many years, but the easy assumptions of many mixers -- particularly DJs in the European acid jazz/lounge/dance music cliques -- have not always borne the synthesis out. This collection stands out amidst the many bland "Brazilian" chill out discs, highlighting several artists with a genuine feel for Brazilian grooves and more to offer than the same old drum'n'bass sound and formless ambient meanderings. Interesting, creative stuff... well worth checking out, particularly as it will lead you to several of Brazil's more innovative modern artists, such as Fernanda Porto, Rebeca Matta and Ramiro Musotto. Recommended!

Various Artists "ROLE: NOVOS SONS DO BRAZIL" (Mais Um Discos, 2014)

Various Artists "ROUGH GUIDE TO BRAZILIAN MUSIC" (Rough Guides, 1998)
An odd, interesting mix of mainly modern musicians and styles. Not quite the sweeping overview the title might imply, but still a very interesting set. There are a few familiar names, such as Ivan Lins and Dominguinhos, but for the most part this disc is packed with artists that I had not previously heard of (and I'm reviewing this disc in 2003, so these songs, culled from the Pau Brasil, Velas and Atracao labels, is definitely off the beaten track...) A good look at some of the newer, more obscure music from the 1990s, including axe, glossy-sounding MPB, a little artier material and some escola- style percussion thrown in for good measure.

Various Artists "ROUGH GUIDE TO BRAZILIAN STREET PARTY" (Rough Guides, 2008)
A tasty mix of Jorge Ben-style samba-soul, modern electronica/dance and baile funk, rap, pagode and some bad soul music thrown is as well. An interesting mix of music, with many artists who are kind of off the beaten track. Definitely worth checking out!

Various Artists "ROUGH GUIDE TO SAMBA" (Rough Guides, 2001)
An excellent collection, beautifully sequenced, which covers a wide swath of modern samba artists, mainly folks such as Monarco, Cartola, Bezerra Da Silva, Nelson Sargento and Leci Brandao, who are connected either to the various samba schools or to the post-'60s acoustic samba revival. There are also a fair number of more obscure artists, which is quite welcome as far as I'm concerned. The album flows well; the only jarring moment comes with an intrusively loud, brash hip-hoppish track by Luciana Mello, which comes at the very end. Skip that one, and this disc is a gem.

Various Artists "SAMBA" (Arc Music, 2006)
Delightful! This is a sparkling set, energetic yet relaxed -- the kind of modern ('70s style) samba that drew me to Brazilian music in the first place. Features the work of Martinho Da Vila, Paulo Da Viola and Zeca Pagodinho, as well as well-selected tracks by a few artists such as Benito Di Paula, who are better known as cheesy pop singers (but who, obviously, had some really good songs in them as well...) This disc is highly recommended... It's the kind of thing you can put on and groove out to from start to finish. Great stuff.

Aracy De Almeida/Various Artists "SAMBA PEDE PASSAGEM" (Polydor, 1966)
(Produced by Joao Das Neves & Armando Costa)
(Arranged by Maestro Gaya)
This free-flowing album draws on material from the live "show," Samba Pede Passagem, which was mounted by Grupo Opinao in December, 1965. Samba-cancao old-timers Aracy De Almeida and Ismael Silva are the central stars of the album, joined by the recently-founded vocal quartet, MPB-4 as well as flautist Carlos Poyares and various samba musicians. Highlights include Aracy and Ismael's recreation of the classic "polemica" song-battles of Wilson Batista and Noel Rosa, basically a Brazilian version of "doing the dozens," where the artists trade good-natured jibes while trying to outshine each other musically. Admittedly, these performances seem a bit tame in comparison to the originals and in general this album has kind of a languid, overly controlled feel, although it's still pretty cool. The best moments come from the samba and choro players, particularly a couple of tracks that highlight Poyares as a soloist. The album is notably an early showcase for MPB-4 and while I've never been a big fan, at least here they are relatively laid-back and not trying to do a bunch of vocal gymnastics. Fans of old-school samba-cancao and Nara Leao's early albums might wanna check this out.

Various Artists "SAMBA SOUL '70" (Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees Records, 2001)
A pretty sweet set, and probably the best collection of Brazilian soul we're likely to see up in the States for some time to come. Apparently these guys didn't have access to the full Philips-PolyGram catalog, so there are major omissions - Tim Maia, Gershon King and Jorge Ben, to name a few - but what's in here is pretty tasty. The disc's major coup is the inclusion of Wilson Simonal's super-swinging "Nao Vem Que Nao Tem," a hip, Ray Charles-style zinger from the mid-'60s which mysteriously has never been included on any of Simonal's own best-ofs... There are also plenty of other rarities and odd inclusions (such as a funky disco-era track by former jovem guarda teen queen, Wanderlea...) along with staples of the samba-soul scene like Banda Black Rio, Dom Salvador and Trio Mocoto. The slant of this collection is somewhat lounge-y and acid-jazz-ish -- not as all-out disco or as sappy and Philly-Sound as it might have been. Overall it's pretty breezy and fun. It also has several impossible-to-find songs on it... Worth checking out!

Various Artists "SAMBISTAS" (Solid Air Music, 2008)
(Produced by Rildo Hora & Ady Harley)
A classy, old-school set of Brazilian MPB-samba songs, in the rich, romantic tradition of the samba-cancao style that dates back to the early 20th Century. Old-timers from the 1960s, like Jair Rodrigues and Elza Soares, headline this album, along with younger artists such as Luciana Mello and rising star Seu Jorge, crooning and belting out lush, expansive ballads, amid large, colorful arrangements. At first blush, the production may seem a bit bombastic or overripe, but this album swiftly pulled me in -- the backing isn't entirely my cup of tea, but the vocals are uniformly heartfelt and compelling. For MPB fans who like things a little slick and over the top, it doesn't get better than this. Recommended!

Various Artists "SAMPA NOVA: SAO PAULO A FLASH OF THE FUTURE" (Stern's Music, 2003)
A well-curated set that concentrates on modern-day artists (1990s/2000s) from musically vibrant Sao Paulo. Includes clubby musicians such as Max De Castro, DJ Dolores, Jair Oliveira, Otto, Fernanda Porto, Suba, and some other more oddball acts. Interesting selection, pitched at a European audience.

Various Artists "SAUDADE EM SAMBA: BRASIL: 1929-1942" (Kardum/Iris Music, 1998)
An excellent entry into the all-too-slight catalogue of pre-bossa oldies albums out there. This tasty set of old-school samba cancao features singers such as Orlando Silva, Francisco Alves, Sylvio Caldas and the ever-inevitable Carmen Miranda. A lot of really great stuff, and also a nice hint of how early Brazilian pop was heavily influenced by Argentinian tangos. Highly recommended!

Various Artists "THE SEXUAL LIFE OF THE SAVAGES: UNDERGROUND POST-PUNK FROM SAO PAULO, BRASIL" (Soul Jazz, 2005)
Make no mistake about it: this disc is a fascinating, well-researched and invaluable exploration of some of the rarest Brazilian rock -- jittery, angular, no-wave-ish art-rock from the early-'80s Sao Paulo underground scene. Generally speaking, punk and indie rock have historically made little traction in Brazil, particularly the bands of this era and this style of music, so a disc is of tremendous historical value, filled with way-off-the-radar bands such as Mercenarias (whoever they were...), Gang 90 (hunh?), and Akira S E As Garotas Que Erraram (hey wait, they're not in the Trouser Press Guide, either...!!) The trouble is, for me at least, that I never really liked this kind of music, even though half the people at my radio station dutifully venerated bands like ESG, James White, Gang Of Four, Lora Logic, et al., back when I was first immersed in the murky world of 1980s college radio... But man, if my artsy little pals had known about this collection back then...!! Wheeww... they really woulda wet themselves. Anyway, I've never been much for the arid, super-cerebral side of the punk and post-punk scene -- crunchy, messy guitars, snotty attitudes and sheer hormonal release were always kinda more my style. But it's instantly clear that these kids in Sao Paulo were really pretty hip and up-to-date, and they were getting all the "right" imports for the time... The spirits of Joy Division and Pere Ubu hang like patron saints over this remarkable album... Great liner notes, too, that delve into the particulars of the Brazilian punk/rock scene, including some info about the fabled Baratos Afins label and record shop... I doubt I'll ever really listen to this disc again, but I'm certainly not going to give up my copy any time soon...

Various Artists "O SILENCIO DO GALAXIE: CAUSAS E CONSEQUENCIAS" (Midsummer Madness, 2000)
A couple of years ago I wrote a letter to a little Brazilian underground indie label I had heard of, saying "hey! hi! send us your records and we would love to review them...!" Well, I hadn't necessarily expected a response, so boy was I shocked when ages later they sent a copy of this lovely CD compilation, wrapped in construction paper and featuring over a dozen swell Brazilian indie bands that are certainly below the radar for folks here in the old EU. Fans of the Spanish label, Siesta Records, might want to sit up and take notice of Midsummer Madness -- it's another earnest, genuinely independent label (and fanzine) that follows its own heart and issues music that it loves. This CD (Volume Two in a series) collects tracks from several 7" singles by bands such as The Gilbertos, Grenade, Stellar and Vibrosensores, presumably the cream of the Brazilian indie scene. It's mostly recognizable, charmingly derivative guitar rock, with hints of old Sonic Youth, Sarah label and new romantic haircut bands from years gone by... and it easily holds its own with similar fare from across the world. This is stuff you won't be able to find anywhere else -- other than possibly on Brazil's online station, Trama Radio -- and it's all pretty nice. I especially like the opening track by Feedback Club, which has a pleasantly Sonic Youth/Jesus And Mary Chain feel to it. Several songs are sung in English, some are bilingual, and some (my faves) are in Portuguese... The rock revolution is alive and well in Rio de Janeiro, and now you can check it out for yourself.

Various Artists "SINFONIA DE PARDAIS: UMA HOMAGEM A HERVIELTO MARTINS" (Som Livre, 1999)

Various Artists "SKA BRASIL" (Aztlan Records, 1997)

Various Artists "THE STORY OF BOSSA NOVA" (Capitol/Metro Blue Records, 2000)
A good sampling of EMI-Odeon's 1960s (and post-'60s) catalog, which even during the late '50s/early '60s heyday of the bossa nova scene often tilted towards an overlay of North American-style "pop" stylings. Hence, a lot of what's on here may seem a bit staid in comparison to the looser-limbed material that producers over at Philips favored. For some reason, U.S. copyright on Joao Gilberto's old stuff has gotten fouled up in recent years, so his groundbreaking, pivotal work on Odeon is omitted from this collection, which is a real shame. Nonetheless, this includes early recordings by crucial artists such as Marcos Valle, Luis Eca and Sylvia Telles (who was the first star to record many of Jobim's best bossa material...), and graciously mines the older stuff in favor of later interpretations from the '80s and '90s (which are included as well).

Various Artists "SUPER-POPULAR: ANOS 70" (Mercury-Universal, 2002)
A fairly representative 2-CD set of brega-style soft-pop from the 1970s, with tracks by artists such as Odair Jose, Jerry Adriani, Paulo Diniz and Sidney Magal, many of whom had occupied the wimpier end of the jovem guarda teen-pop spectrum in the '60s, and settled into full cheeseball mode in the following decade. A lot of this stuff sounds suspiciously like bad Italian pop music from the same era: it's a bland accommodation to the softer side of the American Top 40 sound, wherein a song like The Fever's cover version of "Candida" stands out as one of the more vigorous selections (yikes!!) Some of this I can almost get into, but if the truth be told, should someone ever walk in on me while I had this on the stereo, I would be compelled to commit ritual seppuku to atone for my shame.

Various Artists "THIS IS SAMBA, v. 1" (Rounder Records, 2000)
Various Artists "THIS IS SAMBA, v. 2" (Rounder Records, 2000)
An absolutely superior, top-flight collection of late-'80s recordings of upbeat, acoustic samba cancao, with contributions by stars of the various Rio de Janeiro escolas (such as Portela, Mangueira and Deixa Falar). Included is the traditionalist group Velha Guarda Da Portela (which is becoming known as "the Buena Vista Social Club of Brazil"...) and even several of the composers and performers from the 1930s golden age of samba cancao. Don't let the Putumayo-esque artwork throw you: this is first-class stuff, recalling the best recordings from the early '70s samba revival.

Various Artists "TROPICALIA: A REVOLUTION IN SOUND" (Soul Jazz Records, 2006)
A top-notch collection of Brazilian psychedelic classics, featuring all the big-name stars of the brief-lived tropicalia scene of the late '60s and early '70s. I haven't actually laid eyes (or ears) on this disc, and probably won't anytime soon, since it's kinda pricey and I've also already heard pretty much all the music that's gathered here. But for an introduction to some of Brazil's greatest musicians -- Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Jorge Ben and others -- this is a pretty cool set. Definitely worth checking out if you're curious about the style.

Various Artists "TROPICALIA: A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT IN SOUND" (Universal Latino, 2007)

Various Artists "TROPICALIA ESSENTIALS" (MCA/Hip-O Records, 1999)
I guess with the latest corporate shake-up/merger mania, The Corporation gave these guys the nod to put out their domestic reissues of classic tropicalia material. So far, so good. Even though the sound on here doesn't seem as crisp as the Philips originals, the song selection is good, although it sticks to the softer, more melodic side of the genre... This is all pretty classic material from Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Os Mutantes, and others. (It's a pity they didn't consider Jorge Ben's late-'60s stuff to officially be part of the tropicalia scene, 'cause that's the one thing that's really missing from here.) One nice rarities inclusion is a track from famed arranger Rogerio Duprat's elusive solo album... Also, the liner notes have a nice essay from Ricardo Pessanha, co-author of the fabulous book, The Brazilian Sound... If you're looking for an introduction to tropicalia, this is a fine place to start.

Various Artists: "TROPICALIA: OU PANIS ET CIRCENSIS" (Polygram, 1968)
(Produced by Rogerio Duprat)
A collaborative statement of purpose for the hippie-ish tropicalia movement, with contributions from Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes, Nara Leao, and Caetano Veloso. Gal Costa sings on four of the twelve tracks, and her vocals are consistently pleasant, although this is really a songwriting and stylistic showcase album which overshadows vocalists. Overall, this record radiates youthfulness and a playful, experimental artistic zeal. Recommended!

Various Artists "UM BANQUINHO E UM VIOLAO, v.1" (EMI/Copacabana, 1999)
Brazilian pop -- and bossa nova in particular -- has inspired a plenitude of soft, goopy easy listening, and not all of the schlock comes from outside of Brazil. Witness this collection: a 2-CD set mainly from the 'Sixties that funnels the cool of bossa through the filters of Robert Goulet and Mantovanni. Oh sure, there are a bunch of top-tier artists on here, including Luiz Bonfa, Elizeth Cardoso, Eumir Deodato, Doris Monteiro and Walter Wanderley, but there are also some generic EZ ensembles such as the Ipanema Pop Orchestra and Quarteto Nostalgia, with the bulk of the recordings tilting decisively towards the cheesier end of the spectrum. This collection has some noteworthy rarities and material by little-known artists, but it's probably a little too softcore for many listeners.

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.1 (FarOut Records, 2008)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.2 (FarOut Records, 2009)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.3 (FarOut Records, 2011)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.4 (FarOut Records, 2012)

Various Artists "NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS: VIAGEM, v.5 (FarOut Records, 2013)

Various Artists "VIRA-LATAS: TRIBUTO A COLERA" (Voice Music, 2003)
A tribute to pioneering Brazilian punk band, Colera...

Various Artists "VISOM: CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FROM BRAZIL" (Windham Hill Records, 1993)
With Nando Carneiro, Ulisses Rocha, Aquarela Carioca, Olmir Stocker, No Em Pingo D'Agua and others...

Various Artists "VIVENDO VINICIUS: AO VIVO" (BMG-RCA, 1999)
(Produced by Jose Milton & Jorge Davidson)
Four big-name MPB stars -- Baden Powell, Carlos Lyra, Miucha and Toquinho -- pay tribute to bossa nova founding father Vinicius de Moraes in a 2-CD live set recorded in June, 1999 at Rio's Teatro Joao Caetano. It's an all-star lineup, but if truth be told, the performances are a bit fusty and un-electrifying -- classical, old-school bossa, with the extra layers of slickness and pretension that the MPB elders acquired over the years. Vinicius's longtime partner Toquinho is the most syrupy of the performers; there are some good tracks spread out through the concert, but a lot of cloying material as well. This is okay, but it didn't really resonate with me; this is great material that can be heard elsewhere in much catchier versions.

Various Artists "WINDS OF BRAZIL (UM SOPRO DE BRASIL)" (Adventure Music, 2006)
This live concert disc celebrates wind instruments in Brazilian music, including the flute, clarinet, bassoon and brass, as well as a bit of harmonica music, courtesy of harpist Mauricio Einhorn. It's mostly a soft, classically-informed jazz set, with featured players such as the esteemed Altamiro Carrilho, Teco Cardoso, flautists Lea Freire and Mauro Rodrigues, trombonist Vittor Santos and others, supported by an ensemble led by pianist Benjamin Taubkin and bassist Zeca Assumpcao

Various Artists "WOMAN ON TOP" (Soundtrack) (Sony Classical, 2000)
Low-key, low impact bossa nova standards and the like, performed mainly by Paulinho Moska, along with tracks by better know folks such as Dori Caymmi, Maria Creuza and Baden Powell. Nothing overly exciting, though I'm sure it must have worked well in the film...

Various Artists "YELE BRAZIL" (EMI/Hemisphere Records, 1994)
A fairly solid (if sleek) collection of Afro-Brasilian pop tunes, featuring contemporary bands such as Ara Ketu, Banda Reflexu's, Os Paralamas and Marisa Monte. This also has several lesser-known artists and reaches into the not-so-distant past to include sambistas such as Clara Nunes. The emphasis is on African-tinged Bahian pop, and in many cases the Africanization approximates the same sort of studio sleekness that African artists themselves often favor. Also, there are outright stylistic swipes, such as the bouncy juju-reggae of Os Paralamos' "Alagados." This is worth checking out -- a little too poppy and not entirely my cup of tea, but pretty solid for the territory.

Various Artists "ZIRIGUIBOOM: NOW SOUND OF BRAZIL 2" (Six Degrees Records, 2006)
A nice representation of the Brazilian-tinged electro-lounge sounds of the Crammed Disc/Six Degrees empire... Most of these songs are taken from various albums that may already be on your record shelves, but there are four new tracks here -- all of equality to the previously released material -- the new material, along with the nice pacing of the set, makes this a bossa-techno disc worth owning. The the song selection is top-notch, putting the best face on this style (which I often find either too vacuous or monochromatic...) Here, each remix and rhythm track seems to have its place, and the musical ideas are well-developed and multi-textured. Bebel Gilberto leads the pack (naturally), along with Ziriguiboom stalwarts such as Bossacucanova, Cibelle, Celso Fonseca, Zuco 103, and others. For my money, this set is much stronger than Volume One, and is certainly worth checking out.

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World Music Index

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