quête:marcos valle

A studio album recorded by Gilberto with arrangements by for Verve in 1967, Astrud Eumir Deodato and Don Sebesky, Beach
Samba successfully showcases the singer’s soft, soothing, playful, ethereal voice. The program consists of laid-back beach bossa nova tunes. The opening track, “Stay”, is a true highlight, while
“Beach Samba” is a wordless delight and “Canoeiro” rolls the Portuguese lyrics into a snaking rhythm. A real standout is “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice,” a duet with her then-six-yearold son. Gilberto’s vocals are backed by a sumptuous Brazil pop-cum-U.S.
orchestration feel (Ron Carter and Toots Thielemans are among the sidemen, as well as Brazilian stars Marcos Valle and Claudio Slon). Some of the more pop choices are also remarkable, particularly
Tim Hardin’s gorgeous “Misty Roses.” Beach Samba was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

This one takes us back! We originally reissued Waltel Branco's 'Meu Balanço' in 1995, it was one of the first releases to come out on Mr Bongo. It is a much-requested title with original copies becoming ever more-scarce and the price tag increasingly rising, so it feels fitting to present this stunning record once again for all to enjoy.

Waltel Branco was born in Paranaguá, Brazil in 1929 and died in Rio de Janeiro in 2018. During his triumphant career he accumulated an impressive musical portfolio. A true maestro who from the 1950s onwards appeared on productions as a guitarist, writer, conductor, composer, and arranger. He worked with some of the greats of Brazilian music including Elis Regina, Dom Um Romao, Bossa Três, Marcos Valle and Tony Bizarro to name just a few.

'Meu Balanço' was originally released on CBS Records Brazil in 1975. It is Brazilian big band, orchestrated jazz-funk at its finest. Echoing the library and film productions created in Europe and the USA at the time, it also displays the hallmarks of Waltel’s heritage with distinct threads of Brazilian flavour running throughout. The musicians on the record include under-the-radar players that were the backbone of the Brazilian music industry in the 1970s including Luizão Maia on bass, Edmundo Maciel on trombone and Paulinho Braga on drums.

The album flirts between jazz-funk, cinematic library excursions, breaks and beats, easy-listening, and 70s cop show instrumentals. It is a breezy ride into Waltel's world, wonderfully nostalgic and of another time and place, yet snippets of the production echo the beats of contemporary hip-hop iconic artists such as Madlib, knxwledge and The Alchemist.

Rare Groove Collection Explore the fusion of world music with soul, funk and disco through the Rare Groove Collection. With this new volume, discover unique groove tracks straight from Jamaica! Fully remastered original versions Brazilian RARE GROOVE Discover the wonders of Brazilian music from 60s, 70s & 80s. A wave of modernity invades the country and Soul, Funk & Disco influences merge with traditional genres such as Bossa Nova, Samba or Batucada. This union led to a colorful and cheerful groove symbolizing the transformation of Brazil.

Favorite Recordings presents a reissue of Lucas Arruda's first album, Sambadi.

Lucas Arruda’s born in 1983, in a Brazilian state called Espírito Santo, near Rio de Janeiro. Coming from a musical family (his dad and older brother are musicians) he started playing and listening to music very young. At the age of 13, he was also playing professionally already.
After studying electric guitar and playing in various bands, Lucas passion quickly turned into Rhodes and keyboards, expanding his musical range of skills. At the same time he started a project called Du Black, with his older brother Thiago, quickly receiving various local support from people like Ed Motta, William Magalhães (Banda Black Rio), Robert Lamm (Chicago) or Hyldon (Brazilian soul legend).
From the growing notoriety obtained, the band began to work with various other artists and singers such as Tamy Macedo, or Bossa Nova’s legend, Leila Pinheiro, leading Lucas to build a recording studio with Thiago in 2011. Now 2 years after he launched this home-studio, here comes “Sambadi”, first solo album by Lucas Arruda!
On this recording he also started to team up with Fabricio di Monaco (Modo Solar), who clearly became a fundamental piece, as Lucas relates: “Fabricio introduced me to Pascal Rioux at Favorite Recordings, as they released his EP few years ago. He’s a brilliant musician and a great human being.”
In Lucas’ words, Sambadi is highly inspired by Rio de Janeiro. As for the musical side, the album almost sounds like a tribute to his longtime heroes like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Marcos Valle, Azymuth, or Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. And Lucas also humbly concludes: “I really hope to honor all the guys who influenced me.”

Discover the wonders of Brazilian music from 60s, 70s & 80s. A wave of modernity invades the country and Soul, Funk & Disco influences merge with traditional genres such as Bossa Nova, Samba or Batucada. This union led to a colorful and cheerful groove symbolizing the transformation of Brazil.

First Word Records is pleased to welcome back Souleance with a brand new single for Summer 2022!

'GUILI GUILI' is a double AA side 7" single, with an additional remix by Art Of Tones on the digital version.

French slang for "tickle", 'GUILI' is an epic disco-funk piece inspired by the likes of Azymuth, Herbie Hancock and Marcos Valle, but incorporated with Souleance's trademark sounds of fuzzy bass-heavy electronica, synths and samples, giving the track a fresh contemporary twist. Meanwhile, the (digital only) Art Of Tones mix ramps up the disco elements heavily, incorporating some vocals, strings and horn stabs to create some sure fire heat for the summertime. The flipside 'TORO' is a much more tweaked-out, synth-heavy bomb, influenced by artists such as Prince, Parliament and French electronic club music. All tracks mark the evolution of the duo into a full live band, whilst remaining true to their sonic mission of producing music crafted especially for the dancefloor.

The band have been performing live at various festivals and venues across Europe, with upcoming appearances scheduled at the Pura Vida Festival, Greece in August and Jazz à Vienne in July.

This two-track vinyl 7" / three-track digi-single is released on First Word Records, worldwide on May 27th 2022. Another essential one for your record bags.

Credits:

Bass guitar, synths and programming by Fulgeance.

Scratches and programming by Soulist.

Wurlitzer, Moog grandmother, ASM Hydra synth & Roland Juno 60 by Vincent Choquet.

Mastered by DJ VAS.

The Mankunku Quartet's 1968 album 'Yakhal' Inkomo’ clocks in at just over 30 minutes of jazz perfection. This compact, and to-the-point, album would sit comfortably in amongst some of the best works in the catalogues of any of the quintessential jazz labels such as Blue Note, Prestige and Impulse. 'Yakhal' Inkomo’, however, was originally released on the South African record label World Record Co., which resulted in it becoming an elusive and sought-after piece for jazz collectors. First press copies sometimes fetch as much as £1,000 on the collectors' market. It has been long regarded as one of the finest South African jazz albums and DJ / broadcaster Gilles Peterson cemented this when he included it in his "best of genre" focussed radio show, 'The 20 - South African Jazz'.

Tenor saxophonist Winston "Mankunku" Ngozi recorded the session on 23rd July 1968 at the Manley van Niekerk Studios, in Johannesburg. It was recorded by Dave Challen and produced by Ray Nkwe. The session is built up of two original works by Mankunku on the A-side, 'Yakhal' Inkomo' & 'Dedication (To Daddy Trane and Brother Shorter)', and on the B-side, the Horace Silver composition 'Doodlin', and a John Coltrane number 'Bessie's Blues'. What is striking is how the Mankunku-penned compositions not only hold their own next to Silver and Coltrane but they are, arguably, the better tracks on the record - a testament to the beautiful writing and playing of Mankunku.

'Yakhal' Inkomo' features the great musicians; Agrippa Magwaza on bass, drummer Early Mabuza, and pianist Lionel Pillay. Pillay was of Indian descent, making this a mixed-race group, thus the very recording of the album was an act of resistance as it broke the apartheid restrictions of the time. The title of 'Yakhal’ Inkomo' means “the bellow of the bull”, the Black audience would have understood this as coded community symbolism and an act of protest but it escaped the attention of the white government.

For this edition, we have enlisted the services of Abbey Road Studios mastering, and lacquer-cutting engineer Miles Showell to cut a special half-speed master from the audio taken off the original master tapes. Miles has previously worked on our Arthur Verocai, Marcos Valle and Ian Carr re-issues, and once again we are blown away by the richness and clarity of Miles' work. We have also presented it as a replica copy using the cover artwork and labels from the primary World Record Co. original version.

On the sleeve notes, Ray Nkwe the producer and the President of the Jazz Appreciation Society of South Africa writes "This is the LP that every jazz fan has been waiting for" and Ray was not wrong, it's a stone-cold timeless jazz classic.


• Half-speed mastering at Abbey Road Studios

• Repressed with an OBI strip as well as a deluxe tip-on sleeve

• One of the finest South African jazz albums

• "This is the LP that every jazz fan has been waiting for" Ray Nkwe

When producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Diogo Strausz arrived in France for the first time, he already had an impressive CV. First, as part of the duo Balako, his music was released on Razor-N-Tape, Barefoot Beats and Greco-Roman after gaining the attention of Joe Goddard of Hot Chip. His tracks also have been played by Gilles Peterson on BBC 6. He also produced Brazilian indie artists such as Castello Branco and Alice Caymmi and remixed a track by Brazilian legend Gal Costa. Arrived in France, it is by signing the co-production of the disc "Les Bruits de la Ville" of Voyou or tracks for Julia Jean-Baptiste that he drew attention.

Freshly signed on Goutte d'Or Records, affiliated label of Cracki Records, to whom we can thank for Agar Agar, Saint DX or Alma Elste, Diogo Strausz will present his first EP Flight of Sagittarius in April 2022. Flight of Sagittarius is both retro and current. Between the old school boogie of Marcos Valle and the jazz funk of Azymuth but also the sunny groove of Nu Genea or the electro-funk productions of Guts.

As the final chapter in the initial run of Jazz Is Dead releases, Remixes JID010 continues the creative catharsis of an exhilarating new chapter in jazz music. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad tapped nine iconic creators to reimagine their personal favorites from Jazz Is Dead’s catalogue to-date, who created striking new versions by Cut Chemist, DJ Spinna, Georgie Anne Muldrow, Akili, Shigeto, Pink Siiffu, Dibiase, Natureboy Flako, and Kaidi Tathum. It’s a family affair.

As the final chapter in the initial run of Jazz Is Dead releases, Remixes JID010 continues the creative catharsis of an exhilarating new chapter in jazz music. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad tapped nine iconic creators to reimagine their personal favorites from Jazz Is Dead’s catalogue to-date, who created striking new versions by Cut Chemist, DJ Spinna, Georgie Anne Muldrow, Akili, Shigeto, Pink Siiffu, Dibiase, Natureboy Flako, and Kaidi Tathum. It’s a family affair.

Beyond their highly sought after 1978 album Festa Para Um Novo Rei­ - home to the mystical jazz-funk classic ‘Vidigal’ and released on Philips’ iconic Musica Popular Brasileira Contemporanea series (MPBC) - little is known about Marcos Resende & Index, even to aficionados of obscure Brazilian music. Far Out Recordings is immensely proud to present their previously unreleased self-titled debut album from 1976, contributing a crucial missing work from the glory days of progressive Brazilian instrumental music.

Born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil in 1947, Marcos Resende was a prodigious child who learned to play the accordion at the age of two, and the piano aged six. In spite of his immense musical potential, he travelled to Lisbon in the 60s to study medicine. Yet continuing to explore his musical passion on the side, he formed a trio which went on to open for Dexter Gordon at the Cascais Jazz Festival in 1971. From here he formed the electronic oriented prog-jazz group Status, who opened shows for the likes of Elton John, Phil Woods, Stan Getz, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, but in spite of their relative live success they have no known recordings.

Now established as a highly regarded keyboardist, composer, and innovative electronic musician, Resende returned home to Brazil following Portugal’s Revolução dos Cravos in 1974. Inspired by US jazz and British progressive rock he’d experienced while residing in Europe, Resende went all out acquiring a keyboard arsenal to be reckoned with, which included the Prophet 5, Yamaha CP-708 and Mini Moog. Determined to integrate his newfound inspirations with Brazilian rhythms and jazz traditions, he formed a new quartet with Rubão Sabino (bass), Claudio Caribé (drums) and the late great Oberdan Magalhães, of Banda Black Rio and Cry Babies fame. Marcos Resende & Index recorded their self-titled debut at Sonoviso Studios with the legendary sound engineer Toninho Barbosa, known as the ‘Brazilian Rudy Van Gelder’ whose impressive resumé includes the era defining classics Light As A Feather by Azymuth, Previsão Do Tempo by Marcos Valle, and Quem É Quem by João Donato. Marcos Resende & Index fits perfectly amongst these masterpieces, sharing both the timeless ethereal qualities as well as the progressive and futuristic ideals of Light As A Feather in particular.

Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 2 is another solid collection of re-works and re-imaginings taking in a broad range of classic tracks, traversing jazz funk rarities, balearic digs, latin groovers and more. Backed by a stellar group of Melbourne musicians including members of The Bamboos & Menagerie, Lance continues the tradition of creating "live re-edits" demonstrated on the initial volume - all pulled off with an inimitable style and playfulness, though always with an obvious love for the foundations.

As Lance says: "Some of these versions can almost be looked at as DJ re-edits, sometimes we're extending what may be a really short track into something longer, or teasing out the elements in a song that really make it work on a dance-floor. It's essentially what someone does with a club re-edit, except we went the extra step and re-recorded the whole thing with a live band"

From Carly Simon through to Mongo Santamaria via Marcos Valle and Pat Metheny - and following the championing of Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 1 by the likes of Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles, Jazz FM and more - this second volume of Lance Ferguson's Rare Groove Spectrum is sure to hit the sweet spot.

Stargazing from the sands of the Niterói beach, Tempos Futuros is low-end-led Brazilian futurism from one of Brazil’s most prolific and influential bassmen. As one third of legendary trio Azymuth, Alex Malheiros has pioneered a unique fusion of space-funk, samba and jazz since the early seventies. His playing can be heard on the records of Jorge Ben, Milton Nascimento, Roberto Carlos, Marcos Valle, and Mark Murphy (to name a few), and he’s performed and toured with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Chick Corea.

Written and recorded in Niterói, Brazil, overlooking Guanabara and the beaches, mountains and forests of Rio de Janeiro, Tempos Futuros has deep roots in Brazilian soil. The rhythms of Malheiros’ homeland have always permeated his music. But just like the Oscar Niemeyer designed Niterói Contemporary Art Museum which stands spaceship-like over the water, Tempos Futuros - while inspired by terrestrial forms, reaches out, deep into the great unknown.

Produced by acclaimed London-based producer Daniel Maunick, who has worked with Marcos Valle, Azymuth, Terry Callier, and Ivan Conti, the funk comes full circle. Daniel’s father Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and Alex Malheiros shared a reciprocal stream of influence throughout the 80s, between London and Rio; Azymuth and Incognito; brit-funk and samba-funk. But just as with Azymuth’s music, you can also hear the influence of stateside jazz-funk masters like Roy Ayers, Weather Report, Lonnie Liston Smith, Mtume and Pleasure.

Tempos Futuros features Alex’s daughter, a Brazilian star in her own right, vocalist Sabrina Malheiros, Brazilian percussion master Sidinho Moreira, London based saxophonist Sean Khan, Marcos Valle’s go-to drummer Massa, and Brazilian keyboard player Dudu Viana. Featuring the late Azymuth keyboard maestro Jose Roberto Bertami on Fender Rhodes, the title track “Tempos Futuros” was originally recorded as a demo in 1995. On this finished version, Alex Malheiros used Bertami’s original keyboard take, explaining the posthumous release.

Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge are best known for their collaborations with vocalists and MCs, but these two multi-instrumentalists and producers excel in their ability to conjure musical moods with or without vocal accompaniment. Similarly, the musical legends that these two handpicked to collaborate with across this series are all jazz legends equally at home crafting unadorned compositions as they are collaborating with vocalists. This collection presents exclusive instrumental versions of songs originally released on the Jazz Is Dead albums; Roy Ayers JID002, Marcos Valle JID003, Gary Bartz JID006, and Joao Donato JID007. More than the previous eight Jazz Is Dead releases Instrumentals JID009 delivers on Adrian and Ali's original promise of showcasing the music made with their heroes, laying bare the inspired compositions created when different generations of musicians come together to collaborate in the studio. For nearly all of these songs, Adrian and Ali began with sketches and elements of songs that they developed alongside the featured musicians live in Adrian Younge's Linear Labs studio located in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Edu Lobo has to be considered one of the great mysteries of MPB. Already in the early hours of Bossa Nova, he has mainly worked for the renewal and development of the Brazilian Bossa Nova post. Edu Lobo remains a character in the shadows, discreet but effective. Known as a writer "complex and sophisticated", he is part of the circle of composers "melodist" like Tom Jobim, Marcos Valle and Francis Hime. On this 1981 album the duo with Anton Jobim works perfectly, offering classical repertoire played in sobriety. The complicity between the two composers is sincere and it is quite fascinating to see that they interchanged easily their seats.

Who cares, who cares?!

Does anyone remember the great Barry Künzel?! Of the band Butter?! The funk-pop duo Q?! Or Fuschimuschi?! All this funk-, jazz- or hip-hop-influenced, wondrous psychedelic soul music from German lands?

A quarter of a century later, "Who Cares Who Cares" is the name of Wolfgang Pérez's solo debut album. In recent years, he was mainly busy as the keyboardist of the native German speaking pop band GOLF. Now he is preparing to leave the German pop worlds as a solo artist - supported by an opulent session band. As the son of a Spaniard, Wolfgang grew up multilingual anyway - an alien by nature, so to speak. His music, on the other hand - caught between indie pop, funk, jazz and tropicalismo - doesn't sound at all like coming from someone who doesn't know where he belongs. Quite the opposite: It sounds like the big wide interconnected world of pop out there and inside of us.

The result is some groovy music between Frank Ocean, The Whitest Boy Alive, Phoenix, Melvin Van Peebles, Marcos Valle and the record collection of a lovable jazz records collecting uncle. And Wolfgang is hailing from Essen in the Ruhr region, of all places. Yes, why not, or, to stay with the album title: Who cares, who cares?!

On the cover packshot we see the album title scrawled in countless variations. The short story: Wolfgang started the following call in his messenger portals one night:
- Write "Who cares who cares" at last 10 times now.
- Do it in your own style.
- You are free to vary a bit like using small letters or writing without spaces between the words.
- You don't have to go crazy, if you feel like it, keep it simple.

Released in 1983, Sandra Sá's 'Vale Tudo' is one of the essential Brazilian-boogie-funk records of the era. Pure class throughout, with a dream team of incredible musicians and producers behind the scenes. For some, this album is regarded as Sandra's magnum opus.

It is drenched in the essence of the Brazilian 80s boogie and funk sound. A driving force behind this is the writing, arrangement, and musicianship of Lincoln Olivetti, who was instrumental in forging this unique sound within Brazilian production at the time. It is heightened even further by the astonishing team that feature on the record. Brazilian icon and heavyweight Tim Maia, Robson Jorge, Serginho Trombone, Oberdan Magalhães, Claudio Stevenson and Jamil Joanes (of Banda Black Rio fame), Junior Mendes, the list goes on. This crew of musicians synergised perfectly with Sandra's vocal style, all complementing each other to create a classic.

One of our favourites from the album is the opening track 'Trem Da Central', an infectious groove that when paired with Sandra's cool and relaxed swaggering vocal resulted in an essential dancefloor jam! Equally delightful and dancefloor summoners are the catchy boogie funk of ‘Candura’, and the Earth, Wind & Fire sounding 'Pela Cidade'. Tim Maia features on the fast-paced duet 'Vale Tudo', which was written especially for Sandra to sing with Tim, who at the time was one of the biggest stars in Brazilian music. These boogie and funk compositions are balanced by fine slow jams giving the album a satisfyingly well-rounded feel.

Sandra had been working in music since the 70s and continues to do so to this day, but this period of the early 80s was a rich and prolific time for her. If you are a fan of Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti's self-titled album from 1982 or Marcos Valle's 1983 album featuring the song 'Estrelar', then this one is definitely for you. 'Vale Tudo' is a must-have record from a talented artist at the top of her game and Sandra makes it all sound so effortless.

Daniel Maunick returns with a new EP, Musica Encantada via Far Out Recordings. Continuing the theme of his debut album Macumba Quebrada – which saw support from the likes of Moodymann, Ron Trent, Gilles Peterson, and Benji B – Maunick draws on the deep-rooted Brazilian influences from the many years he has spent in the country, producing records with Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Ivan 'Mamão' Conti.

The bossa-jazz house smash ‘Black Magic’ stays exclusive to the vinyl, while the percussive deep-house roller ‘A Chance To See Again’, the tight and groovy ‘Hurt Feelings’, and the slow-mo Brazilian Balearic ‘Africana’ will all see a limited vinyl and digital release on the 23rd October 2020.

Coastlines is the self-titled long player from the new Japanese production unit of DJ and producer Masanori Ikeda and solo artist, session musician and Cro-Magnon keyboard player Takumi Kaneko.

Masanori and Takumi have been part of the Japanese dance music scene for years and Coastlines was born out of their working together on soundtracks for video projects. The pair wanted to make laid-back listening music for now, laying Takumi’s playful keys over Masanori’s widescreen balearic jazz-fusion to conjure beautiful and breathtaking “coastlines”.

A couple of two-track 7"s put out in late 2018 and early 2019 on Japanese house music label Flower Records soon sold out. Those four tracks were expanded to a full album of music, “a joyous, relaxing, summery soundtrack for everyone’s after hours wind down” that was released just in time for summer. It soundtracked many a Be With BBQ in 2019.

The album opens in the horizontal with the sophisticated, cocktails-by-the-pool groove of “Sunset Reflection”. A lush, beatless wonder. Their re-imagining of Ralph MacDonald’s “East Dry River” removes all the original’s bells and whistles (quite literally) and re-gears it with a subtle balearic chug. The result is a percussive gem.

“Coastline” is a beach-jazz noodle. “Drifting Ice” is as chilled and glacial as its title would suggest, yet Masanori’s head-nod slo-mo house beats throb not far below the surface. “My Fire” is another soft killer, all swelling, swirling organ over muted kicks and snares. An elegant boom-bap.

A pair of insistent tunes of the deeply balearic variety raise the tempo, but not by too much of course. On “Woods And My Guitar” a half-heard vocal refrain breathes life into the synthetic xylophone and guitar. Deft piano-work turns “Half Moon Shadow” into lounge-house for the sophisticated beach bum. A classy duo.

The self-assured re-work of Azymuth’s “Last Summer In Rio” is arguably the album’s centrepiece. Ten minutes of casually propulsive slapped bass, steel pans and slick 80s soul beats. Cue the steel drum interlude of “Maracas Bay” before album closer “Down Town” transitions us one with a shuffling, string-hinted hit of ethereal, euphoric piano bliss. Gentle disco for the new decade.

As former Test Pressing scribe Dr. Rob observed on his ever-reliable Ban Ban Ton Ton blog, the Coastlines fusion is very much in conversation with their 80s counterparts, both at home and along the coastlines of different continents. So among the nods to revered Japanese artists like Hiroshi Sato, Sakamoto and Casiopea, there are also hints of Marcos Valle and Mtume, of the aforementioned Azymuth. “The production though is very much now, not then. Not retro, just proper”. We couldn’t put it better ourselves.

Coastlines was originally a CD release only available in Japan, with HMV putting out a super-limited vinyl version a few months later for Japanese Record Store Day. But this music is just too good, so when Be With was asked via Ken Hidaka to take care of a vinyl version for the rest of the world it wasn’t a tough decision.

Mastered by Simon Francis and cut by Pete Norman, just 500 copies of this double LP have been pressed by the good people at Record Industry.

The outstanding 1971 debut by piano player and arranger Osmar Milito features his amazing cover of Herbie Hancock's Cantaloupe Island plus several classic Brazilian songs by Marcos Valle, Jorge Ben and Ivan Lins among others. Fierce samba jazz and bossa all the way through! The line-up of performing artists could hardly be more impressive: Quarteto Forma on vocals, Luis Ea, Marcos Valle, Pascoal Meirelles. This brilliant album is up there with the best work of Arthur Verocai and Marcos Valle. Presented in facsimile artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl

During the 90s, a walk around London’s Camden Market inevitably meant listening to the music with groove that the most popular DJs had made fashionable at the time: soul jazz instrumentals and Brazilian music targeting the club dancefloors. Among all those songs that ended up becoming classics of the scene was the amazing cover version of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Cantaloupe Island’ that Osmar Milito had recorded in 1971. This song was probably the main reason that made his LP for Som Livre one of the most sought after Brazilian records by collectors from all over the world. Now we finally have a new opportunity to enjoy this album, reissued on vinyl for the first time.

Along with the aforementioned version of Herbie Hancock’s song, this first album by piano player and arranger Osmar Milito is full of versions of Brazilian classics, from Marcos Valle to Jorge Ben or Ivan Lins. Fierce samba jazz and bossa all the way through! Note that Milito spent the first years of his career as a member of the backing band of big artists such as Elis Regina, Jorge Ben, Nara Leão... and after two years working with Sergio Mendes in the United States, he returned to Brazil and recorded his first LP.

The line-up of performing artists on this album could hardly be more impressive: Quarteto Forma on the vocals, Luis Eça, Marcos Valle, Pascoal Meirelles (what an amazing drummer he is!)... and both sides of the record hide a seamless sequence of solid tune after solid tune with similar doses of instrumental and vocal tracks. Just listen to the magnificent ‘Garra’, ‘Que bandeira’ or ‘Rita Jeep’, or the sweet samba that gives its name to the record, and you will see why this LP should be up there, next to the best works of Arthur Verocai and Marcos Valle.

From Far Out Recordings’ in-house producer, Daniel Maunick’s debut solo album Macumba Quebrada conjures scenes of collective hedonism from start to finish. Spanning Afro-Brazilian spiritual dance ceremonies, late-eighties Detroit techno parties and jungle and broken beat raves in nineties London, Maunick celebrates our instinctive, age-old desire to come together and lose our sense of self.

Daniel Maunick practically grew up behind the mixing desk. As the son of Brit-funk legend Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick (of Incognito fame), he found himself immersed in music from an early age, and quickly became involved in London’s drum n’ bass, acid-jazz, house, broken beat and soul scenes, releasing his first production at the age of sixteen on Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay’s Talkin’ Loud label. Since then, he has produced albums by the likes of Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Terry Callier, Incognito, Ivan ‘Mamao’ Conti and Sabrina Malheiros.

Reflecting his dual residence between Rio de Janeiro and East London, Macumba Quebrada features deep house stompers and broken bangers littered with Brazilian rhythms - in the form of both dusty percussion and Maunick’s intricate drum programming. But the album sees Daniel draw inspiration from across the black music continuum, and the rich histories of communal celebration in Detroit techno, Chicago house, London D’n’B and New York disco. Bringing all this together in explosive peak-time club tracks, moments of eerie ambience, South American swing and tribal earthiness, Macumba Quebrada expands on Maunick’s recent vinyl-only EPs ‘A Vicious Circle’ and ‘Sombra Do Dragao’, with a 13-track double LP and 14-track CD and digital release.

Taking its title from a syncretism of South American spiritual practices, the cover art is photograph taken by acclaimed French photographer and self-taught ethnographer Pierre Verger, who travelled the world documenting civilizations that would soon be effaced by progress. Settling for good in Salvador, Brazil, Verger became initiated into the Candomblé religion, eventually officiating rituals and ceremonies within the community. Without having become an ordained priest, Daniel Maunick shares both Verger and Far Out Recordings’ love for Brazil: its people, its culture and its music.


"He's been producing Azymuth and all kinds of great musicians in Brazil, and finally his debut album is about to be released." Gilles Peterson (BBC 6 Music)
"This one is a good one. Thanks!" Derrick Carter
"Wow couple of killers on there so it sounds!! Thanks a lot" ?? San Soda
"He is always brilliant!" Voclov (Neroli)
"Energetic, summery and full of groove. "It's like Theo Parrish went to Brazil and never decided to come back." Errol (Touching Bass)
"Super dope release from Daniel! proper Venom / Viper Squad vibes!!" Pablo Valentino (MCDE/Faces Records)
"Organic and bumpy...healthy dance music!" Mad Mats (Local Talk)
"really diverse, great sound" Chris Todd (Crazy P)
"super dope" Nick Tyson (XOA)
"Keep em coming man! ... Nice one" Earl Jeffers
"Feeling this! As always with Mr Maunick." Opolopo
"Dirty Trix is real nice!" Jkriv (Razor N' Tape)
"This is great!" Danny MoodyManc
"He's right on the money with this one, isn't he? Deep, profoundly funky stuff that Larry Heard would be proud of. You can feel it!!!!" Mark Webster (BBC 5 LIVE)
"this is so dope" Alex Attias (Visions Recordings)
"Love these tracks" Serkan Cetin (SunSplash)
"Great release, I love It! I-Robots approved!" I-Robots
"This is excellent. Dirty Trix and Somra Do Dragao are the ones!" Dane (The Love Below)

TThe melodically adventurous soul of Leon Ware continues its expression in his final opus Rainbow Deux, released on double vinyl on September 13th. The album features new songs recorded and performed by Leon before his health turned, leading to his transition on February 23rd 2017. Co-produced by Taylor Graves, it has stellar musical contributions from the likes of Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Ronald Bruner Jr, Rob Bacon and Wayne Linsey.

Taylor Graves came into Leon’s musical family in 2002 when he, his brother Cameron and the Bruner brothers Ronald Jr and Stephen (Thundercat) were playing along with their schoolmate Kamasi at an L.A. jazz club. Taylor, Cameron, Ronald and Stephen became Leon’s band for his debut shows in Japan in 2002 and Taylor continued to work with Leon as his mentor and collaborator over the next 15 years.

“Leon was ALWAYS writing something or developing his musical palette” his wife Carol Ware tells us, so it’s impossible to pinpoint any single moment of Rainbow Deux’s genesis. Six of the songs go back to 2012/2013 and were released in 2014 as part of Sigh, a Japan-only CD collection heavy with Rob Bacon’s tasteful licks and Wayne Linsey’s piano vibes. The rest of the material comes from Leon’s sessions with Taylor.

Describing Leon’s and his process, here’s Taylor: “We’d start by having some great homemade food! Then a glass of wine ‘to slow down time’. After we’d have our fill and smoked our joints we’d go into his studio room to listen and create.”

The album was finished-up around August of 2016 in a back-and-forth between Leon and his go-to mastering engineer Toni Economides in the UK.

Leon worked on Rainbow Deux with life’s greatest challenge looming over him, yet it is one of his most focused and cohesive solo offerings since the 1980s. The entire record is a vibe: mellow, deep and smooth as silk. The lyrical themes are eternal, and the music is elegant, soulful and sensual.

The album opens with the hypnotic throb of “For The Rainbow”, coming on like a percussive, slow-mo house shuffle. Gilles Peterson is a fan. The exotic “Let Love In” follows, with its gradual-build Island Funk, intricate guitar picks and sassy female vocals. It explodes when it hits its stride. “Sigh” is the stylish slow jam close-out to side A. Serene guitars and polished drums create neck snapping funk, with a swaggering finger-snap strut.

Side B opens with the easy-burning broken-beaty “The Darkest Night”, the centrepiece of the album. Kamasi Washington’s lurking sax, restrained and beautiful, unfurls into the dank, sticky atmosphere of Thundercat’s signature creeping bass laid over his brother’s in-the-pocket drums. Leon’s vocals are perfect, a masterclass in seductive sax-soul.

“Surrender Now” conjures waves of vocals to swell and wash over the glossy piano, subtly bumping hip-hop drums and bubbling synth-bass stabs. It’s got the trademark Leon layers. “Summer Is Her Name” has Kamasi’s effortless, melancholic sunshine sax give way to rising tempos and propulsive rhythms.

“Are You Ready” is a total highlight (and we’ve been playing it out for ages). It’s a nimble groove of piano and synth rolling around Theo Croker’s sensual trumpet playing. Digi-soul at its finest. With lush G-Funk sensibilities “Streets (Keep Me Runnin’)” sounds like a lost Dam-Funk produced gem. All tough kicks and snares and street sounds. Leon’s hood pass will be forever intact.

“Samba Dreams” is the first of two tracks that bring a little Rio magic to Rainbow Deux. Leon created a whole body of work in partnership with Brazilian legend Marcos Valle that includes “Rockin’ You Eternally” - a hit for Leon - and “Estrelar” – a hit for Marcos. Leon channels his obvious love of Brazilian music here through more of Croker’s sumptuous trumpet, played over loose percussion. “Let’s Go Deep” is next up. A dreamy between-the-sheets quiet storm anthem and a real showcase for Leon’s vocals.

The dripping, honeyed harp-funk of “We Should Be Laughin’” marks the star turn of the brilliant Kimbra. Leon first met her on-stage to do an impromptu duet of “Inside My Love” during an open-air celebration of Minnie Riperton in July of 2014. Kimbra was working with Taylor on her music and he brought her to Leon’s house to do some writing. This was the result.

Warm synths radiate shuffling samba soul on “Wishful Thinking” as those Brazilian rhythms return to bring Rainbow Deux to a close.

During an apartment move Leon and Carol rediscovered some watercolours Leon had done years ago. One of these paintings had been dubbed “Deux Hearts” and Leon decided it should be on the cover of Rainbow Deux, getting as far as approving a draft concept for the artwork.

Carol has overseen developing that draft into the final gatefold sleeve. It brings together quotes, photographs and tributes in what is a reflection on the music, relationships and philosophy of the sensual minister.

Gerry “the gov” Brown, Leon’s long-time sound engineer, was by his side throughout the project, recording and mixing. The album was mastered by Toni Economides and Simon Francis’ additional sensitive work makes sure this double LP sounds like it should on vinyl.

Be With’s first ever release was Leon’s eponymous LP. Re-issuing that album planted the seed of a relationship that has grown to grant us the privilege of presenting his crowning achievement. We know that Leon’s fans all over the Earth will love Rainbow Deux. But we also hope that this album, the final entry in a phenomenal body of work, will reach new fans and find fresh conduits for the spirit of this oft-unsung hero of Soul.

Leon always said “they will get it when I'm gone.”

He also said that “the spirit never dies”…

The Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist Joyce Silveira Moreno was born and raised in the middle of Copacabana, a short beach stroll from the epicentre of the bossa nova universe.
Her father was a Dane that had settled in Brazil, but she was raised by her mother and step-father in a typical Portuguese-Brazilian household. Since her older brother was friendly with
leading lights of the bossa nova movement such as Roberto Menescal and Eumir Deodato, she was steeped in the form at an early age and witnessed its key evolution first-hand. At the
age of 16 in 1964, she was taken to the studio by Menescal to contribute to the coveted debut album by the mythical group Sambacana, assembled to record the work of composer Pacífico
Mascarenhas when the meagre budget would not allow the vocalists he preferred. Knowing that a full-time career in music was certainly not guaranteed, she began studying journalism
in 1967, shortly before her controversial song “Me Disseram” reached the finals of Rio’s second International Song Competition. The following year, her self-titled debut album was
released by Philips, produced by Armando Pittigliani, with orchestration by Dorival Caymmi and arrangements by Gaya; along with her own compositions, the album also featured songs
by her rising-star friends, including Caetano Veloso and Marcos Valle.

Difusion's Jamie McShane & Daniel Maunick hook up with the extremely talentented vocalist Ant Thomaz on two original killa tracks that brings their love of Jazz/Funk,Soul & House music all together.Includes a heavy remix from Daniel Maunick, producer of Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Incognito and many others! This is the first release of the newly relaunched Straight Talk Records, back after a 20 year hiatus, with 3 tracks full of soul & fire!

Born in 1949 in Recife (Brazil), Roberto De Melo Santos, despite a very light discography, is among
the true icons of the Brazilian Soul music under his artist alias, Di Melo. He’s indeed only needed an
eponymous album, released in 1975 on Odeon, to assert himself as a star in his native country, but
also as a legend for all collectors and connoisseurs of the world. More than 40 years after its release,
this famous album sells for several hundred euros in its original version, and even for the few
reissues that were offered. Not very active since then, Di Melo however returned in 2016 with the
album O Imorrível, released on the Brazilian label Casona Produções.
It is then that a year later, came a meeting with the French group Cotonete, that Florian Pellissier,
founding member and keyboard within the band tells us about: “On tour in Brazil with Cotonete, we
had a few days off in Sao Paulo and I really hoped to make a collaboration with an important artist or
band from the Brazilian funk scene. We had thought of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta or Ed Motta... but
Rafaela Prestes our Brazilian "sound ingineer/genious" told me she’d worked with Di Melo for his
recent comeback and gave me his number. No sooner said than done, as I'm a huge fan of Di Melo.
The next day he arrived at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in
front of us and gives us a private show of 3 hours… we cried the tears of joy. He had 400 original
songs never recorded, a gold mine. On the same night, we started working the arrangements for 2
days, followed by a rehearsal and two small gigs in Sao Paulo. Immediately after, we recorded in the
magical Epsilon B studio. This album is the summary of this moment, of these 5 days of madness
spent together between “the best band in the world” and the legend Roberto Di Melo… Simple,
beautiful, Brazilian-French, human music…”
Today, Atemporal found its final version in collaboration with Favorite Recordings and is proudly
presented as what we believe will become the genuine long-awaited follow-up to the classic Di
Melo’s LP.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75

Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.

Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.

These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.

One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.

When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.

On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

Credits:

Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75

Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.

Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.

These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.

One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.

When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.

On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

Credits:

Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD

The legendary 1972 album from Celia, arranged by Arthur Verocai.

Célia Regina Cruz recorded four self-titled albums for Continental between 1971 and 1977, 'Amor' in 1982 plus several more before she sadly passed away late in 2017. Célia was a Brazilian vocalist who worked frequently with master arranger-composer Arthur Verocai in her early years and many other heavyweights
over the course of her extensive career.

This, her second self-titled LP from 1972, features an all-star line up, including Arthur Verocai, Erasmo Carlos, Roberto Carlos, Marcos Valle, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Nonato Buzar and Vinicius de Moraes, among others.

Célia's version of 'Na Boca do Sol' - taken from this album - is arguably her most well-known and well-loved song. An incredible take on Verocai's original, featuring waling fuzz guitars, strings, piano, horns and drums.

Needless to say clean, original versions of this record now change hands for
silly money.

Official reissue in replica of original gatefold artwork.

Brazilian mid tempo boogie double header. We've been playing these two out for the last couple of years and they are firm favourites.
'E Novamente Mas Que Nada' is the opening track from Reseda's 1979 album on Som Livre. An ultra catchy vocal hook, boogie guitars and synths lead into a piano and cuica breakdown and horns to finish. One of the finest in the genre in our
opinion.
'Ginga' is taken from Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti's self-titled
masterpiece, reissued on Mr Bongo. Arguably the most immediate and club friendly track from the album, it always turns heads. Another premium example of Brazilian boogie from the masters of the sound and producers for the likes of Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more.



 

Having made her mark on Brazil's rich musical legacy with three best-selling albums to date, Rio's original nu-bossa queen returns with a tour de force of golden-era Brazilian soul music. From the spiritual swing of the early pioneers of modern Samba, to the dizzying hedonism of Brazil's eighties disco/boogie craze, Clareia is a life-affirming journey through the rich and varied sounds Sabrina Malheiros has been immersed in since she can remember. For her most up-lifting and danceable album to date, Sabrina has (as always) enlisted her father Alex Malheiros - bassist of samba jazz-funk legends Azymuth - and visionary London based producer Daniel Maunick (aka Dokta Venom), son of Incognito's Bluey.

Sabrina Malheiros' career has often been characterised by her place in the succession of those special Brazilian women who, with unmistakable talent and effortless grace, have encapsulated the magical energy of Brazil with their voices. Elis Regina, Astrud Gilberto, and Joyce all had it, and Sabrina Malheiros has it in spades.'(MOJO) With her debut album Equilibria in 2005, Sabrina arrived on a wave of instant acclaim, carving out her place as the pioneering voice of a new brand of Brazilian soul music, rooted in the traditions of samba and bossa, but with an edge of contemporary electronic sophistication. Sabrina's innovative nu-bossa sound would continue with the 2006 remix album 'Vibrasons' followed by sophomore 'New Morning' - declared the best album of summer 2008'(Evening Standard), before 2011's best-seller Dreaming.

Six years on, Sabrina returns with Clareia. Itmeans to clear, light, brighten or illuminate, which, after seeing Brazil and the rest of the world go through some very difficult times, is exactly what the writing of this album brought to my life.' All tracks are written by either Sabrina, or in collaboration with her father Alex Malheiros and producer Daniel Maunick. Written and recorded in Niteroi, Brazil, overlooking Gunabara Bay and Rio's beaches, mountains and forests, the music basks in its surroundings and sings of ecological beauty, peace and sanctuary. Echoing Sabrina's emphasis on clarity, Alex notes that the album's title represents an appeal to the minds of our civilization today, to clear our thoughts for good and for peace.'

This pursuit of clarity continued into the studio: It took a little longer than usual' notes Sabrina, which was good in way, as all my previous albums were recorded in rush and we usually had a week for pre-production and another week in the studio, which always gave me the feeling that I could do better. With this album it was different... we took our time.'

Sabrina's unmistakable voice has never sounded better. Packed out with high-octane swinging samba-soul, like the title-track and 'Salve O Mar', the album also features some bottom-heavy Brazilian boogie cuts, like rejoicing album opener 'Celebrar' which harks back to some of Marcos Valle's cult '80s disco output, and 'Sol Ceu E Mar' is a Tania Maria-esque future classic of scorching latin-funk. Mellower moments are found in 'Em Paz', on which Sabrina's beguiling harmonies find an anchor in the rhythmic acoustic guitar of Ze Carlos', who Sabrina heralds as being the best guitarist I have ever worked with'. Azymuth's keyboardist Kiko Continentino's deft Rhodes, piano, organ and synth playing, add ever more textures of distinctly Brazilian brilliance throughout, while tropical brass and flute arrangements on cool bossa-jazz movers 'Vai Maria' and 'Sandore', come from Brazilian saxophone legend Leo Gandleman, a man who has worked with everyone from Gal Costa to Gilberto Gil. The rhythm section combines Daniel Maunick's seamless drum programming and the organic polyrhythms of Brazilian percussion legend Jakare, all punctuated by Alex Malheiros' inimitable (occasionally slapped) jazz-funk bass, giving the album its irresistibly danceable pulse.

Set for release at the height of summer this year, Clareia is an intergenerational masterclass of Brazil's soulful spectrum, led by a pioneering voice of today's scene on the very top of her game. The up-lifting compositions, which take inspiration from the stunning natural beauty amongst which the album was made, and the call for the clarity of mind needed to preserve it, are enriched by this special team of some of Brazil's most established musicians. Like the sun breaking through tropical storm-clouds, Clareia is a vessel of joy, as Sabrina puts it simply, I hope Clareia brightens the soul of whoever listens to it. That's the spirit of this album.'

Since the release of his 2 first albums on Favorite Recordings, Lucas Arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul and Funk music.

In spring 2015, it was also not surprising to find Lucas Arruda back with a new LP called SOLAR, receiving great supports and feedbacks from international media and tastemakers. One of the highlight of the album was the song 'Melt the Night', on which Lucas asked legendary producer Leon Ware for his help, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil.

Today, Lucas Arruda and Favorite Recordings proudly present a brand new single, announcing the release of Lucas' third efforts later this year. This new opus is pursuing the music direction set with SOLAR, mixing touch of Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop, Soul and Brazilian styles together, and influenced by the path of legendary Brazilian producer Lincoln Olivetti, who recorded some of the biggest stars of Brazilian music (Marcos Valle, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia...).

In Lucas words: 'These two tracks represent the whole spirit of the new album. In this record I really wanted to honor Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. They are the main influence on this record. We recorded the basic tracks for the album in the same studio that Lincoln Olivetti did his last works. So, this was very important to capture the true essence of Brazilian Funk/AOR tradition. Hope you guys enjoy it!'

Since the release of his first album in 2013, Lucas Arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul and Funk music.

In spring 2015, it was also not surprising to find Lucas Arruda back with a new LP called SOLAR, receiving great supports and feedbacks from international medias and tastemakers. One of the highlight of SOLAR was the track 'Melt the Night', on which Lucas asked legendary producer Leon Ware for his help, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil.

Willing to enlighten even more this timeless song, which could easily be produced in the early-mid 80s, Favorite Recordings decided to give it a brand new suit and found the perfect tailor with Nu-Funk raising producer, XL Middleton. Part of the modern-funk movement and based in Pasadena, XL has released volumes of work, the sound of which embodies the party feel, bringing music back to where it was before it found its way into upscale clubs, while at the same time mixing it with a futuristic brand of funk inspired by legends such as George Clinton, Roger Troutman, or Morris Day.

The result is a stunning remix, bringing 'Melt the Night' into a futuristic Boogie-Funk world with massive basslines and heavy beats!! This great vinyl 12inch comes with Original and Instrumental Versions on the B-Side, to finalize a perfect package for DJs and diggers.