The Uruguayans’ first, best Milestone album — Airto producing, Hermeto Pascoal guesting, with the jazz-dance bomb African Bird. A buzzing, seamless blend of jazz-fusion flash with diverse rootical influences.

José Roberto Bertrami from Azymuth (and Tatuí, a small city in the Brazilian state of São Paulo) — not to mention his work for Elis Regina, George Duke, Sarah Vaughn, Jorge Ben, Eddie Palmieri, Milton Nascimento, Flora Purim, and Erasmo Carlos, among countless others — playing piano alongside his bro Claudio on double bass, a horn section, and an organist. With compositions by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Roberto Menescal, Carlos Lyra, Durval Ferreira, and Adilson Godoy, the album also features Bertrami’s own A Bossa Do Zé Roberto, mesmerising bossa jazz which ensconces him amongst the bossa greats, even at the age of nineteen.

Legendary, occult musical reverie about the I Ching, psychedelically loaded with fuzz guitars, dirty percussion, Echoplex delay, and Ingmar Bergman, concocted by Italian artist Roberto Campadello and Brazilian guitarist Luis Carlini, leader of Rita Lee’s band Tutti Frutti. Originally released as a 10” in 1975, boxed with a game, candles and a magic mirror; now remastered from the original tapes, adding two tracks from a cassette-only release on the side. With a 24-page booklet containing rare graphics, photos, press clippings and Campadello’s artworks, besides extensive notes (including information about the celebrated Persona Bar which Campadello and Carmen Flores ran in the late 70s in São Paulo’s Bixiga neighbourhood); and the LP with the iconic cover as a poster.

The dramatic, rough-hewn, brilliant debut recordings of the Quintet from 1961. Two original LPs — the first mostly AP arrangements, the second mostly his compositions, including Adios Nonino, on his dad’s death.

Aka baile funk.

‘This third solo album is a deep, widescreen exploration in classic Brazilian song with all the subtlety and delicacy you’d expect from the pioneers of Musica Popular Brasileira, coupled with a thoroughly 21st century sensibility and sonic innovativeness. Layers of intricate instrumentation and arrangement make for spellbound, excavatory listening.
‘Recorded following Gomes’ move from Rio to Lisbon, the album is imbued with a sense of unease and cultural dislocation. A number of songs based on the Samba Ostinato explicitly celebrate Brazil’s musical heritage and culture.
‘Led by Gomes’ gentle and dreamy voice, the music is often reminiscent of mighty trailblazers like Caetano Veloso, João Bosco, or Edu Lobo, though it takes unexpected lines of flight into more experimental territory. An element of drone underpinning the whole album takes full charge on Fllux and Transição; and the finale is molten, raging hardcore.
‘A sun-drenched, balmy dream from start to finish.’

Her classic, debut album from 2005; now out on vinyl for the first time.
A precociously masterful collection of sambas and bossas, featuring some of Brazil’s very best musicians, including Azymuth crew.

The great Argentinean bandoneon player in his first purely solo recording for more than thirty years.
‘A powerful reminder of Dino’s gifts as a musical storyteller of great subtlety. His pieces in this intimate recording reach back to early memories: Don Caye, subtitled Variations on the work of Cayetano Saluzzi, is a most touching dedication to his father. Throughout, the bandoneonist reflects upon the fleeting passage of time.’
Wonderful music, warmly recommended.