This is the CD reissue of the third solo album recorded by Alceu Valença in 1977. Here he had also consolidated his style, a mix of strong references to his northeastern roots and electric pop/rock, and it's swinging and hot throughout. While later albums sometimes slipped to some inexpressive commercial pop effects, this release is fully dedicated to artistic creation, where Valença really achieved important results for the advancement of the tradition. The album brings "Espelho Cristalino," collected and adapted from the folklore of Alagoas, which became a hit.

Chico Buarque's fifth album for Philips is a classic, where nearly all the songs became hits. Buarque was featured in an acoustic setting, almost completely aloof from the tropicália movement (the courageous orchestration of Construção is very reminiscent of the influential work by Rogério Duprat). He delved into the Brazilian tradition of sambas and romantic or doleful songs, coming up with "Deus Lhe Pague" and "Construção," both having strong lyrics subliminally criticizing the military dictatorship; "Cotidiano," existentially thematic, revolving around the man-woman relationship routine; "Olha Maria" (written with Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes), a sad separation farewell; "Samba de Orly," a reference to the French airport and city that became paradigms of the exiled Brazilians; "Valsinha," a beautiful love story; and other immortal songs in which the genius of the composer meets sensitively and reverently the heart of the Brazilian feel.

Vinicius de Moraes was the lyricist for many of Antonio Carlos Jobim's most durable melodies, and his death in 1980 understandably dealt the great Brazilian composer a devastating blow. That he greatly missed de Moraes is quite obvious in this lovingly performed, posthumously released concert, recorded (upon the tenth anniversary of de Moraes' death) at Rio's Centro Cultural do Brasil with just a chamber-sized selection of players from Jobim's band of family and friends. A few well-known pieces are included - there is a very touching rendition of "Insensatez" that makes this often-played tune seem freshly minted - but most of the selections are among the less familiar fruits of the collaboration, along with a few songs that de Moraes wrote with Carlos Lyra and Toquinho…

Joyce Moreno (who long performed simply as Joyce) is a globally renowned singer, composer, arranger, and guitarist from Brazil. Declared "one of the greatest singers" by Antônio Carlos Jobim, her sound is at once sophisticated and welcoming, cutting across samba and bossa nova to MPB, jazz, and Brazilian folk forms. In 1967, her song "Me Disseram" caused a national controversy: It was the first composition by a Brazilian woman written from the viewpoint of the first-person feminine gender. Her recording career has resulted in more than 35 albums and 400 original songs, many of which have been recorded by some of the world's greatest singers and musicians. 1980's Feminina is widely considered a classic for its joyous celebration of the feminine experience, while future award winners Água e Luz and Tardes Cariocas underscored that approach.

Bossa Nova translated as the "new beat" or "the new style", grew out of Rio De Janeiro in 1958. The instigators were a handful of artists with a desire to break from tradition, developing the samba rhythms with the influence of cool American jazz to find a music with such a warm soul and natural rhythm that no-one can help but tap and sway to its beat. Bossa Nova is palm trees swaying, it is like melting sugar in hot coffee, it is the setting sun and warm sand underfoot. It is the sound and beat of Brazil, it is one of the world's coolest musical styles and it remains to this day one of the world's great musical treasures.

Finally Blue Note issues a Latin collection from its Italian (Italiana SPA) and Brazilian (EMI-Odeon) vaults that reveals the true diversity of its catalog and exploits some of the serious sensuous grooves that DJs have been spinning for over a decade. This is the first of three volumes, all of which feature the rarest most representative tracks from the various trends in jazz that grew out of Brazilian pop in the '60s, '70s, and even '80s. For starters, there's the mean brass swagger of Luis Amuda Perez on "Upa Neguinho," which was written by Edu Lobo. Besides being a popular dance tune (you can hear that in the opening measures), it is a masterpiece of Brazilian big band arrangement. Also featured is the stellar "Noa Noa," a trademark of Sergio Mendez. This is a tough bossa nova trio jam, with arpeggiated piano figures cutting right through the rhythms in the tune. In addition, Mandrake Som's "Beriambu" was the first to utilize in a swinging pop jazz context the use of the one string percussion instrument – there's also a very soul-jazzy sax solo in the break. This set's full of warm, frighteningly good examples of bossa, samba, and even the MPB and Joven Guarda rhythms as they inform folk and jazz melodies and modal figures.

"So Nao Toca Quem Nao Quer" (1987) was another brilliant album by the genius of Brazilian music. It's longer than any of his other studio album, which means there is even more catchy melodies than usual. Special guests are this time a.o. accordeonist Dominguinhos, guitarist Raphael Rabello and bassist Arismar do Espirito Santo. Group efforts are sandwitched by piano - vocal duets. Included is also choir that consists apparently of bandmembers relatives and friends. I think this was originally a 2-LP set, which was released by instrumental music label from Sao Paolo called Som da Gente.

Marcos Valle was the Renaissance man of Brazilian pop, a singer/songwriter/producer who straddled the country's music world from the early days of the bossa nova craze well into the fusion-soaked sound of '80s MPB. Though his reputation in America never quite compared to contemporaries like Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, or even Tom Ze, Valle is one of the most important and popular performers in the history of Brazilian pop.

Sylvia (Silvia) Telles was the first female bossa nova singer; with Dolores Duran and Maysa, the most influential of her generation. She was the finest interpreter of the songs of one of the greatest songwriters of the twentieth century, the Brazilian master, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and she was his favourite vocalist.
Amor De Gente Moça (Young Love) is Sylvia's wonderful 1959 album devoted entirely to recordings of Jobim works and the first really complete showcase of the nascent bossa nova style which would soon revolutionise international popular music. It includes remarkable songs which the composer wrote with Sylvia's voice specifically in mind, including her first major domestic hit, Dindi.

Expresso 2222, Gilberto Gil's first album back in Brazil after spending two years in exile, is a spirited return to form, filled with driving, funky bass, hammering piano, and percussive guitar work. Gil's compositions are on par with the best of his 1968 and 1969 self-titled albums, but is a more even overall affair forsaking the outright diversity Gil showed on those previous albums for a more cohesive set of songs, and while the performances aren't as outrageously groundbreaking, with Expresso 2222 Gil had already proved how far he was capable of pushing the envelope, and so the insane arrangements were no longer necessary. This makes Expresso 2222 one of Gil's most immediately palatable releases of his entire career, and compared to the standards of global rock & roll it is of the most compelling and complex yet accessible albums released in the 20th century. Gil's compositions are melodic and beautiful, and his arrangements are imaginative as always; from using a chorus of backing vocals to great effect on "O Canto de Ema" and "Sai do Sereno" to the rhythmic interplay between Gil's guitar, vocals, and layered percussion on the title track, Gil is in top form throughout the album.

Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Beat features 11 tracks that cover the spectrum of MPB, or Brazilian popular music, in its current forms. Of course, bossa nova and samba are here, virtually part of the nation's musical DNA by now. Some of it's not even Brazilian – BungaLove, for example, are Italian, but play perfectly convincing Brazilian music, while singer Monica da Silva was born in the U.S. yet manages a laid-back, suave groove on "Ai Então." There's plenty of Brazilian-flavored funk, with both Bruna Caram and Rogê carrying on and updating the '70s sound, adding more beats to the mix. What's apparent from this selection is that there is plenty of good Brazilian music around, building on the traditions that have been forged over the years, and that in artists like Tita Lima and Fino Coletivo the future is in sure hands.