Elis Regina - Elis Especial

 

Year : 1968

Label : Philips

Serie : De Luxe

Genre : Latin Jazz

Style : Bossa Nova, Samba

Among top of the best album by the Queen of Bossa higlithing her fabulous vocal skills, just recorded before her European tour. Conducted & arranged by pianist Erlon Chaves, "Elis Especial" offers a sublte blend of various Latin rhytms including rumba, samba, bossa nova, and a nice "spy jazz" touch reinforced by the strings ensemble. Elis perfoms songs of renowned Brazilian composers from Antônio Carlos Jobim, Baden Powell, and Edu Lobo to Chico Buarque, Roberto Menescal and Gilberto Gil. Titles include "Samba Do Perdão", a tribute to Jobim, the classic "Viramundo" of Gilberto Gil, two Elis' standards regularly performed in concert ("Corrida De Jangada", "Upa, Neguinho"), and another tribute to the Rio de Janeiro's district, the favela "Mangueira".

Antonio Adolfo - Viralata

Year : 2017/1979

Label : Far Out Recordings/Artezanal

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion, Samba

Essential album and timeless jazz funk classic from the Brazil '70 by the versatile pianist and arranger featuring bassist from Banda Black Rio, Jamil Joanes, Serginho Trombone and sound engineer Toninho Barbosa. "Viralata" is a pure fusion album including african rhythms and Adolfo's musical influences as well as jazz, marchinhas de carnavalbaião, Brazilian Nordeste music, MPB and funk. Antonio Adolfo started in classical music before embarking on the decisive musical turning point of the early 1960s in Brazil, the Bossa Nova, playing alongside its greatest actors in Jazz shows and tours among Leny Andrade, Carlos Lyra, Flora Purim, Wilson Simonal, Elis Regina and Milton Nascimento. In the seventies, he moved to US and recorded with  international renowned artists such as Sergio Mendes, Stevie Wonder, Herb Alpert, Earl Klugh, Dionne Warwick and many others.

Marcos Resende & Index

 

Year : 2021

Label : Far Out Recordings

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Jazz Funk, Samba, Smooth Jazz

Recorded in 1976, "Marcos Resende & Index" should have been the first official album of the group, long before "Festa Para Um Novo Rei" released in 1978. However, it will remain unreleased for over 40 years before Far Out Recordings convinced Marcos to come it out from the darkness. Innovative musician using as well Fender Rhodes as various synthesizers like the Minimoog, mixing Jazz, Electronic music with Samba, he was a pianist session in demand in Brazil, collaborating to recordings of the legends Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Edu Lobo or Gal Costa. In the early seventies, he formed the electronic progressive jazz group "Status", who opened shows for Stan Getz or Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. He recorded the album featuring Rubão Sabino (eb), Claudio Caribé (ds), the great saxophonist Oberdan Magalhães from Banda Black Rio and the legendary Toninho Barbosa, sound engineer on "Light As A Feather" by Azymuth, "Previsão Do Tempo" by Marcos Valle and "Quem É Quem" by João Donato.

Bop or Not Session #15 For Radio RAPTZ

The Be Hard Bop's show #15 for Parisian webradio RAPTZ, including Afro Cuban Jazz & Latin Fusion from Japan to US by Brazil featuring Bobby Hutcherson, Serge Gainsbourg, Candido, Akira Ishikawa, Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, Willie Bobo and many more... Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop for Radio Raptz

TRACKLiST : Bobby Hutcherson - Oyé Como Va - Serge Gainsbourg - Mambo Miam Miam - Les Chakachas - Yo Soy Cubano - Ben & The Platano Group - Salute Tu Santa - Nico Gomez And His Afro Percussion Inc. - Cuba Libre - Candido - St. Thomas - Emilio Santiago - La Mulata - Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo - Guantanamera - Mongo Santamaria - Para Ti - Ray Barretto - Pastime Paradise - Willie Bobo - Evil Ways - Tadaaki Misago & Conjunto Barbaro - Azucar - Os Novos Baianos - Outro Mambo, Outro Mundo - Joe Torres - Get Out Of My Way - Di Melo - Kilariô - Les Chakachas - Vendo Mango - Mikio « Mickey » Masuda - Corazon - Shunzo Ohno - Antares Part. 2

 LiSTEN TO MiXCLOUD - FOLLOW ON RADiO RAPTZ

Various - Tchic, Tchic ~ French Bossa Nova 1963-1974

 

Year : 2020

Label : Born Bad Records

Genre : Latin Jazz, Pop

Style : Bossa Nova, Samba, Chanson Française 

 

The French Bossa Nova boom startded at the end of fifities through the paris jazz connection with contibutions of  Pierre Barouh and his Camara Trio, Georges Mousatki or the great Baden Powell settled in the city of lights during the seventies. Compiled by DJ Afrobrasileiro, "Tchic-Tchic" includes a variety of samba expressions played by pop & jazz aces featuring icons Sophia Lauren, Marpessa Dawn, (actress from Marcel Camus' Black Orpheus film), Baden Powell, Pierre Vassiliu (Les Masques feat. Camara Trio) or Jean-Pierre Sabar from french pop rock Balthazar. Titles include also reinterpretations of Brazilian MPB classics "Shirley Sexy" by Claudette Soares (Hlm Et Cine Roman), "O Cafona" by Marcos Valle (Cent Mille Poissons Dans Ton Filet), "Aquarela" by Ary Barroso, "Samba Da Minia Terra" by Joao Gilberto (Pas Tant D'chichi Ponpon), "Casa Forte" by Edu Lobo.

Yuji Ohno - The Boss & His Piano Vol. 3 ~ Selected Works 2000 - 2012

 

Volume 3 of the compilation series dedicated to the japanese jazz pianist Yuji Ohno including the classics "Zenigata March", "Magnum Dance" and others original songs recorded for the soundtrack of the annual Lupin III TV Special. It features his usual line-up during the 2000 decade including "Yuji Ohno Trio" & the "Lupintic Five" with Hisatsugu Suzuki (sax), Keiji Matsushima (trumpet), Satoshi Izumi (electric guitar), Yoshihito Eto (drums), Yosuke Inoue & Masayuki Tawarayama (bass) and guests among guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto and flutist Masami Nakagawa. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Copa 7 ‎- O Som Do Copa 7 Vol. 2

 

Year : 2001/1980

Label : Whatmusic.com/Top Tape

Genre : Jazz, Latin, Funk/Soul

Style : Jazz Funk, Boogie, Latin Jazz, Samba Funk

 

Between the Banda Black Rio & Azymuth, "Copa 7" is a brazilian samba funk collective who grew up during the Black Rio movement era. Indeed "Do Copa 7 Vol. 2", their second album, incoporates all the elements of the typical sounds from the Brazil '70, including samba, performed  in the pure "brass band" spirit. Titles include samba songs based on funk ("O Circo", "Som Do Copa No2"), boogie (Tõ Maluco), jazz funk (Pintar O 7), some scat vocals, lush synths, mighty baile grooves (Levanta Poeira), and of course the club killers "Maria Joana", "Agora E Minha Vez".

Azymuth ‎- Águia Não Come Mosca

 

Year : 2019/1977

Label : Mr Bongo/Atlantic

Genre : Jazz, Latin

Style : Latin Jazz, Jazz Funk, Samba Funk

The second master stroke by Brazilian Jazz Funk band No. 1 recorded during the golden era of the brazilian funk called "Black Rio", was realeased the same year and on same label as the other classic "Maria Fumaça" by Banda Black Rio. "Agua Nao Come Mosca" was a big success that launched their international career and brought them to join Milestone records for all the following decade. Performed by the magic trio including Alex Malheiros (eb, eg, vo), José Roberto Bertrami (keys, vo) and Ivan “Mamao” Conti (ds, perc, vo), it features also percussionists Ariovaldo Contesini Ganzá (triangle, tamborim), Neném Da Cuica (cuica) and saxophonist Paulo Moura from Bossa Rio. Titles include soulful moods ("Águia Não Come Mosca"), samba-boogie-funk (A Presa), lush soundscapes (Tamborim, Cuíca, Ganzá, Berimbau), floating synths' sounds ("Vôo Sobre O Horizonte", "Tarde"), and the inimitable drum grooves with insane rhythms from Mamao (the crazy batucada "Aguia Negra X Dragao Negro"). A classic !

Brazilian Tapestry Vol. 7 ~ O Mundo De Jorge Ben

Volume 7 of the compilation series dedicated to the essential sound of the Brazil '70, including Latin Jazz, Samba Funk/Soul and MPB. This volume is devoted to the iconic Brazilian maestro of "samba-rock" style (mix of samba with modern music), bringing together his most popular cover songs from "Mas Que Nada" to "Chove Chuva" by "Pais Tropical". It features brazilian all stars musicians such as Gal Costa, Osmar Milito, Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66, Tamba Trio, Bossa Rio, Wilson Simonal and Jorge Ben in charge of the opening and ending songs. All tracks recorded between 1963-1973, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Les Chakachas - Eso Es El Amor

Year : 1977
Label : RCA Victor
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Afro-Cuban Jazz, Pop

Compilation bringing together various titles recorded between 1958 and 1969 from the funny Belgium latin band "Les Chakachas". The group was formed in 1958 by Belgium musicians Gaston Bogaert (percussion, drums), Henri Breyre (guitar), Bill Raymond (bass), Christian Mare (piano), Charlie Lots (trumpet), Dutch saxophonist Victor Ingeveldt and Cuban songstress Kari Kenton, sometimes supported by Nico Gomez as composer and guitarist. Les Chakachas mostly played Latin American music in all of its variation including Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambo, Rumba or Bossa Nova, mixing it also with pop music. Their first big success was "Eso Es El amor" which reached first rank in the Belgium music charts of the 1958 year, a title regularly recorded in various versions all along their career. In the seventies, the band incorporated Afro-American music elements in their compositions including R&B, Funk and Soul whose the most iconic song was "Jungle Fever", returned into the spotlight thanks to the Paul Thomas Anderson's film "Boogie Nights" in 1997 and the "Grand Theft Auto San Andreas" video game.

Marcos Valle ‎- Mustang Côr De Sangue

Year : 1969
Label : Odeon
Genre : Latin Jazz, Pop
Style : MPB, Psychedelia

The album that opens the Valle's psychedelic pop era including six masterpieces released from 1970 to 1974, whose the iconic "Bed Album" (the Marcos Valle self-titled album in 1970), "Garra" in 1971 and "O Fabuloso Fittipaldi Original Soundtrack" introducing the Brazilian Jazz Funk band "Azymüth" in 1973. "Mustang Côr De Sangue" is a sublime baroque-pop album tinged by Soul, Jazz and Samba elements, comprising a variation on the Bossa Nova standard "Summer Samba" (Samba De Verão 2), the up-tempo drum song "Frêvo Novo", the killer instrumental jazz-samba "Azimuth" (inspired the name of the same band), the latin pop tune "Mentira Carioca". Titles include also various collaborations with some major figures of the seventies Brazilian music scene such as arranger Eumir Deodato on "Dia De Vitória" featuring the Golden Boys quartet, guitarist/singer Milton Nascimento on "Diálogo", the percussionist Naná Vasconcelos, and bassist Novelli from Mário Castro Neves & Samba S.A., among others.

Marcos Valle - Vontade De Rever Você

Year : 2017/1981
Label : ViNiLiSSSiMO/Som Livre
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Boogie Funk, MPB

Recorded at the end of the disco era and during the smooth jazz climax, "Vontade De Rever Você" is the first Marcos Valle's album released after his Californian stay to escape to the Brazilian censorship between 1975-1980. Marcos brought back with him the north american "sound" including boogie-funk and disco music to take a new artistic direction, recruiting R&B songwriter Leon Ware, one Marvin Gaye's collaborator. Other talented musicians surround him, such as the founder members of american jazz-funk collective "Chicago" (Peter Cetera, Walter Parazaider, James Pankow), and a Brazilian stellars crew with saxophonist Oberdan & bassist Jamil Joanes from Banda Black Rio, jazz percussionist Airto Moreira, Robson Jorge on guitar, José Roberto Bertrami from Azymuth on keyboards and accordionist Sivuca. Titles include "Paraiba Nao E Chicago" (his own variation on the Leon Ware's "Baby Don't Stop Me"), "Garimpando", the disco-funk gem cut for the dancefloor "Velhos Surfistas Querendo Voar", the samba interlude "Campina Grande", the sublime latin pop ballad "Sei La" and an up-tempo song "Pecados De Amor", originally composed for Cristina Camargo and previously released as "Mortal Tem Hora" in 1980.

Wilson Simonal - Alegria! Alegria! Vol. 4

Year : 1969
Label : Odeon
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : MPB, Bossa Nova, Samba Soul

Last act in the popular "Alegria! Alegria!" album series recorded between 1967-1969, by one of the finest Brazilian singer, including his smash hit "Pais Tropical" composed by his friend Jorge Ben. Since "Vou Deixar Cair" in 1966, Wilson Simonal is supported by the top latin jazz trio "Som Três", his regular backing band until 1969, lead by Cesar Camargo Mariano (p) featuring Sabá (b, vo) & Toninho Pinheiro (ds, vo). "Alegria! Alegria! Vol. 4" is a subtle blend of soulful music with jazz, samba, bossa and latin boogaloo sounds including beautiful strings arrangements directed by maestro Antonio Adolfo. Titles include gorgeous songs among the best ever recorded by Wilson Simonal, "Maquilagem", "Porque Hoje É Domingo", "Brasileira", "Canção Da Criança", "Eu Fui No Tororó", "Que Maravilha" (Jorge Ben), "Adios, Muchachos-Adios".

Bossa for Sofa (Bossa Nova, Jazz Samba And Screen Favorites)

Lean back in your sofa and listen these 23 musical pieces of Bossa Nova featuring european, japanese & american jazz musicians (Benny Golson, Cortex, Norio Maeda, Ron Carter, Helen Merrill among others), and compositions for various TV shows, series, advertising or others soundtracks. Titles include background music extracted from famous European music library labels such as KPM (England), Montparnasse 2000 (France) or Selected Sound (Germany). Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Tadaaki Misago & His Tokyo Cuban Boys - This Is Cuban Rock Sounds

Year : 1974
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Master Sonic Series
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Afro-Cuban Jazz, Jazz Rock

The kings of japanese mambo honored by the Cuba state, explore the world of rock 'n' roll, including psychedelia, mixing it with Latin Jazz. Formed and conducted by Tadaaki Misago, The Tokyo Cuban Boys is the oldest japanese jazz big band actives since 1949, which took advantage of the mambo's whirlwind that swept Japan in the 50s, to become a major big band in Latin Music in which emerged the famous japanese latin percussionnist, Yoshinori Nohmi. Indeed, Tadaaki Misago & His Tokyo Cuban Boys have contributed to the expansion of  latin music in Japan, recording over 200 albums between 1949 and 1980, the year of their dissolution. They have associated acts alongside Sharps & Flats, collaborated with various artists from Jazz such as Norio Maeda, Jiro Inagaki & Minoru Muraoka, to japanese folk and pop music as backing band for Michiya Mihashi, the "King of Enka" or actress Eri Chiemi. Titles include the great standards of Latin Music including Boléro (Bésame Mucho, Historia De Un Amor, Perfidia), Mambo (Siboney, Quién Será) or Bossa Nova styles (La Cancion De Orfe). All tracks arranged by Takeshi Koizumi.

Edson Frederico - Edson Frederico E A Transa

Year : 1975
Label : RCA, CAMDEN
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Jazz Funk, Samba

Killer samba/jazz funk gem "Edson Frederico E A Transa" including "Bobeira" selected by DJ Cliffy for the "Black Rio Compilation Vol. 2", released in 2009. Edson Frederico was a pianist and arranger who started as musical director of various brazilian TV programs and soundtracks. During his prolific career, he was sideman as pianist for the bossa nova legends Toquinho, Tom Jobim, Vinicius De Moraes or Elis Regina. In the 70s, he was an arranger very popular among MPB artists, collaborating with the Antônio Carlos and Jocáfi duo, Djavan, Jorge Ben, Sonia Santos, that earned him, thereafter, to be engaged by the biggest stars such as Roberto Carlos, Spanky Wilson or Sarah Vaughan ("Exclusivamente Brasil", 1980). Edson (keys) is supported by experienced musicians featuring percussionists Helcio Milito, Chico Batera & Luna Messina, Bebeto Castilho (b), singer Orlandivo (vo, perc), Raymundo Bittencourt (vo) from Aquarius and Wilson Das Neves (ds), in groups The Ipanemas and Os Gatos, formed by Eumir Deodato. Titles include pure samba songs like "Sambané" and the Jazz Funk tracks "Tava Mais Não Tava" and "Babuíno".

Ronald Mesquita E A Central Do Brasil - Brésil 72

Year : 2019/1972
Label : Mr Bongo/Barclay
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Jazz Samba, Bossa Nova

Brazilian gem recorded in France at studio Barclay in 1972, including killer song "Balanca Pema" sampled by Madlib for "Flight To Brazil" in 2010. Originally released as "Brésil 72", this album was also known as "Bossa Explosiva" and now reissued by Mr Bongo simply titled "Ronald Mesquita". Ronald Mesquita was best-known as the second drummer in Luis Carlos Vinhas's trio Bossa Três ("Os Reis Do Rítmo", "Em Forma", 1966), member of Bossa Rio produced by Sergio Mendes, and also sideman for Bola Sete, Tenório Jr. or Osmar Milito. "Brésil 72" echoes to famous Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 who contributed to popularize Bossa Nova in US or "Aquarius", another brazilian group perfectly cut for the jazz dancefloors. Ronald Mesquita & his Central Do Brazil take over songs from the masters of Bossa Nova featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim (Águas De Marco), Toquinho & Vinicius De Moraes (Tarde Em Itapôa), Edu Lobo (Zanzibar) or from the brazilian new wave of Samba among Gilberto Gil (Fechado Prá Balanço) or Jorge Ben (Balança Pema). The group is formed by Ronald Mesquita (ds, perc) featuring Marily Tavares (vo), Ricardo Do Canto (b), Rolando Faria (per, eg, vo), Gilson Peranzzetta (keys, perc, eg), Ricardo Pontes (fl, perc, as), supported by french sound engineers duo, Joachim Roy & Charles Rochko (active in music library and french pop music, working for Janko Nilovic, Ben & The Platano Group or Baden Powell).

Jorge Ben - Jorge Ben

Year : 1969
Label : Philips
Genre : Latin, Jazz
Style : Samba, MPB

Since his psychedelic samba pop album "O Bidú: Silêncio No Brooklin", recorded in 1967, which contributed to the Tropicália movement emergence, Jorge Ben released during more than a decade various essential pieces of the Brazilian pop music, including the masterworks from his esoteric trilogy, "A Tabúa De Esmeralda" in 1974 & "Africa-Brasil" at the top of his career in 1976. This self-titled album is likewise a part of these, the first recording of a three album series and one "on stage" including "Forca Bruta" & "Negro É Lindo", introducing the Trio Mocotó as his new backing band until 1972. With only one album, Jorge succeeded to influence the main Tropicália artits, writting & composing among his biggest classics  including "País Tropical", "Que Pena", "Take It Easy My brother Charles" or "Charles Anjo 45", which became instantly standards, covered among others Gal Costa ("Que Pena" with Gil), Astrud Gilberto & Som Três ("Take It Easy...") or  Caetano Veloso ("Charles Anjo 45").

Cravo & Canela - Preço e Cada Um

Year : 2011/1977
Label : Mr Bongo/Padrão
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Samba, MPB, Bossa Nova, Jazz Funk

Originally reissued by japanese label Production Dessinée, "Preço de Cada Um" is one of the most unknown and most wanted original album from the late seventies, recorded in the Brazilian Jazz Samba style. Cravo & Canela, successor of the Sergio Mendes '66, plays Samba fusion with MPB elements & Jazz Funk arrangements, with the soulful sound of electric piano in the same line as Deodato or Antonio Adolfo. The band is lead by Aramis Barros and formed around guitarist Lucio Nascimento, pianist Reinaldo Arias & his wife Fabiola. Produced, recorded and arranged by Oswaldo Cadaxo, "Preço de Cada Um" includes a skilled line-up with experienced studio musicians featuring Teo Lima (sideman for Antonio Adolfo, Sergio Mendes, Gilberto Gil or Oscar Castro-Neves) and guest star musician, the world famous brazilian accordion player, Sivuca, who worked for Airto Moreira, Miriam Makeba and Paul Simon among others.

Gal Costa - Índia

Year : 1973

Label : Philips

Genre : Latin Jazz

Style : Jazz Funk, MPB, Tango

The post-Tropicalia album by one of the female figure from Brazilian music, Gal Costa, including the tango-dance-groove "Relance", selected by Gilles Peterson for the famous Brazilica compilation series released in 1994 on Talkin' Loud label. It features outstanding musicians among Gilberto Gil, Roberto Menescal on guitar, Tenorio Jr., Wagner Tiso on organ, arrangers Rogério Duprat & Arthur Verocai. With "Índia", Gal Costa left the psychedelic rock to embrace the Jazz & the World Music. Backing to her roots from the Bossa Nova, she replaces accoustic guitar at the forefront of her artwork, supported by the accordion play of Dominguinhos and a musical direction by his soul brother, Gilberto Gil. The songs benefited of the sophisticated arrangements, the result of genious work from Arthur Verocai & Rogério Duprat, including a great variety of styles : tango for the title-track, afrobrasileiro music for the portuguese protest song  "Milho Verde", Bossa Nova with the Jobim's cover "Desafinado" or the Jazz Funk "Pontos De Luz".