Waltel Branco "Mancini Tambem E Samba" (Mocambo, 1966/Musicdisc, 2005)

Waltel Branco "Meu Balanco" (EMI, 1975/Mr. Bongo, 1995)
Despite the cheerleading from the acid-jazz contingent, I found little on this all-instrumental album to get excited about. The opening tracks are kind of funky, in a '70s fusion kind of way, but then it starts to dip into the softer language of Philly soul and soundtrack music. There are some OK, mellow grooves, but way too heavy on the fusion/easy listening tip, and not that vigorous overall. I mean, I'd prefer a plain old LA Express album to most of this album... and that's not necessarily meant as a compliment to Tom Scott! Still, retroholics and slee-zee listening aficianados will find a lot to get excited about here...

Leci Brandao "Antes Que Eu Volte As Ser Nada" (Copacabana/Marcus Pereira, 1975)
A fine debut by this from this younger member of the Mangueira samba school... Although the arrangements are a little lackluster, her vocals are quite rich and expressive. The album is also more stylistically varied than some of her later work, which tended to hew more closely to the upbeat pagode acoustic samba sound... Here she sinks her teeth into emotional ballads and even a bit of jazz scatting, and even a bit of a Carmen Miranda-like lightness and lilt. Over half of the songs are her original compositions, while others are from lesser-known composers such as Dede, Toco and Sueli Costa. It's all quite nice. If you want to check out Brandao's work, this is a fine starting place... and may wind up being your favorite of her records! Recommended.

Leci Brandao "Questao De Gosto" (Polydor, 1976)

Leci Brandao "Coisas Do Meu Pessoal" (Polydor, 1977)
Straight-ahead acoustic-based samba, with a driving, relentlessly upbeat feel. As a singer, Brandao has a fair resemblance to Alcione: strong, confident, clear female vocals. She's also quite a songwriter: most of her material on this and other albums is stuff she herself has written. Recommended!

Leci Brandao "Metades" (Polydor, 1978)

Leci Brandao "Esa Tal Criatura" (Polydor, 1980)

Leci Brandao "Leci Brandao" (Copacabana, 1985)
This disc starts off on a solid acoustic footing, with some dazzling (but, sadly, uncredited) cavaquinho work on the opening tracks. The arrangements get progressively slicker, but at heart this disc retains an honest old-school pagode feel; Brandao is very much walking in the foosteps of the late Clara Nunes, with a strong vocal and stylistic similarity on many tracks. About half the songs on here are Brandao originals; other tunes include Martinho Da Vila's "Ta Quase Odara" and a Brazilianized version of Violetta Parra's "Gracias A La Vida," also courtesy of Da Vila. Nice record -- definitely worth tracking down.

Leci Brandao "Dignidade" (Copacabana, 1987)
Still solidly in the samba school sound, though there are some dips into more soul-tinged MPB territory. On the whole, quite solid.

Leci Brandao "Um Beijo No Seu Coracao" (Copacabana, 1988)

Leci Brandao "As Coisas Que Mamae Me Ensinou" (Copacabana, 1989)

Leci Brandao "Cidada Brasileira" (Copacabana, 1990)

Leci Brandao "Comprometida" (Copacabana, 1992)

Leci Brandao "Atitudes" (RGE, 1993)

Leci Brandao "Anjos Da Guarda" (RGE, 1995)

Leci Brandao "Somos Da Mesma Tribo" (Movieplay, 1996)
One of her finest records, and one that is most true to the acoustic samba style she excels at. In addition to many brisk, alluring, upbeat numbers, there are several grandly sweeping songs towards the album's end that sound, for all the world, like classic tracks from Clara Nunes. A fine release -- highly recommended!

Leci Brandao "Auto Estima" (Trama, 1999)

Leci Brandao "Eu Sou Assim" (Trama, 2000)
A live album which finds Brandao still in fine voice (with the same being true of her fans, who happily sing along on most of these songs...) Occasionally the performances are too brisk or abrupt, or drift into overly poppy terrain, but for the most part this is another fine modern samba album, with Brandao's trademark air of authority and strength. Definitely worth checking out.

Leci Brandao "...E Convidados" (Trama, 2001)
Another live album, this time with a slew of guest performers, ranging from old timers like the Demonios Da Garoa, Almir Guineto and Jair Rodrigues to numerous lesser-known performers. Some songs are a little on the poppy side, but overall this is another fine, unpretentious release by this modern samba star.

Leci Brandao "A Filha Da Dona Leci" (Universal, 2001)

Leci Brandao "Auto Estima" (Trama, 2001)

Leci Brandao "Cancoes Afirmativas -- Ao Vivo" (2006)

Leci Brandao "Cara De Povo" (EMI, 2007)

Leci Brandao "Sucessos" (Copacabana)
A nice overview of her work on the Copacabana label, with a few tracks that are aesthetically a bit iffy, though plenty of others sound just great. A wide stylistic range, but always presented with the sense that there's a real, normal person behind it all. Recommended!

Leci Brandao "20 Preferidas" (1997)

Leci Brandao "Serie Raizes Do Samba" (EMI, 1999)

Leci Brandao "Serie Millennium" (Universal, 2003)

Brasil & Company "Brasil & Company" (Cathexis, 2000)
Vocalist Vera Mara and guitarist Paul Meyers front this jazz-oriented New Jersey ensemble. Mara ably fills the role of samba-jazz chantuese, particularly on a sprightly version of the Carmen Miranda hit, "Tico-Tico No Fuba". Other songs include a pair of relatively obscure Jobim tunes, several luso-tinged jazz tunes by the likes of Wayne Shorter and Hermeto Pascoal, and a cover of Pixinguinha's instrumental classic, "1x0". Fairly lite overall, but a much stronger album than I expected on an independent jazz release. (You can contact the band directly through Jazz Corners.)

Vitor Assis Brasil "Trajeto" (Equipe, 1968)
On his second album as a bandleader, saxophonist Vitor Assis Brasil proved himself one of Brazil's most capabale jazz players... These sessions, drenched in the moody, textured post-bop of composers such as Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk, are miles apart from the rushed, clattersome drag-racing of the jazz trios associated with the bossa nova scene of the late 'Fifties and early 'Sixties. There's much greater subtlety and depth, and a more cohesive, controlled feel overall. That being said, I myself am not a huge fan of straight jazz to begin with, so this isn't something that I'd recommend, per se and perhaps it's a bit out of my line of expertise to say just how good a jazz set this is... But compared to all those damn trios, it's quite a nice change of pace. Among the side players accompanying Brasil are Edson Maciel on trombone, bassist Sergio Barroso and Claudio Roditi, as well as Paulo Moura, who plays alto sax on one track. Worth checking out if jazz in Brazil is kinda your bag.

The Brazil All-Stars "Rio Strut" (Fantasy, 2002)
A fairly slick collaborative effort featuring a host of Brazil's jazz-pop fusion elite... Joao Donato, Dom Um Romao and Eumir Deodato preside as the grand old men of this lavish project; a dozen other artists pitch in, including the songbirdish Ithamara Koorax, Claudio Roditi, Thuiago de Mello, Dino Rangel and others. For the most part this album is too glossy and fusion-y for my tastes, but there are several lovely ballads tucked away amid the many songs with larger arrangements. These moments of grace were enough to keep my attention...

Os Brazoes "Os Brazoes" (RGE, 1969)
Historically cool, but musically flawed, this fuzz-laden, tropicalia-era acid-rock band hewed closely to the trail blazed by Gilberto Gil and Os Mutantes, in particular to the spacy, improvisational style that Gil fell into in the early '70s. Apparently, these guys were Gal Costa's backup band during her wildest freak-out years; but like her renowned psychedelic albums from 1968-69, this disc actually isn't that much fun to listen to. It's ill-formed, sluggish at times, and dimly concieved. A genuine relic of the times, and amazing in its own way, but not as compelling as the truly great records of the time were. That being said, I'll definitely hang on to my copy!

Carlinhos Brown - see artist discography

Ze Bruno "Big Circle" (Tonga Productions, 1999)
Glossy, but percussion-heavy, MPB from a Los Angeles-based Carioca expatriate... Percussionist Ze Bruno is a well-known session player who's worked with several big Brazilian stars -- the favor is repaid here by guest appearances from Ney Matogrosso and Leila Pinheiro; Pinheiro's vocals on a version of Baden Powell's "Conolacao" is one of the album's high points. While the glitzier aspects of the production -- the tinkly, soca tinged keyboards, and the like -- are not really my cup of tea, Bruno's muscular drumming underpins the album quite nicely. If you like slick stuff, you might enjoy checking this one out.

Chico Buarque - see artist discography

Cristina Buarque "Cristina" (RCA, 1974)

Cristina Buarque "Prato E Faca" (RCA, 1976)
Chico Buarque's younger sister, Cristina delved deep into the cultural life of the Portela samba escola, recording numerous songs by lesser-known composers and helping maintain the Velha Guarda ensemble of older musicians. Here, she performs amid solid, understated accompaniment by a battery of samba school musicians. Milton Banana, Abel Ferrara and Monarco are among the celebrity performers, though the main band is made up of lesser-known locals. The songs are nice enough, although it's hard to get past how out of tune Cristina vocals are... Still, the material is quite nice and you may be won over by the album's end. Certainly worth checking out, though her voice may not be for everyone.

Cristina Buarque "Arrebem" (Continental, 1979)

Cristina Buarque "Vejo Amanhecer" (Ariola, 1980)

Cristina Buarque "Cristina" (Ariola, 1981)

Cristina Buarque "...E Mauro Duarte" (Coomusa, 1985)

Cristina Buarque "Resgate" (Saci, 1994)

Cristina Buarque & Henrique Cazes "Sem Tostao... A Crise Nao E Botao: Cancoes De Noel Rosa" (Kuarup, 1995)
A tribute to samba-cancao legend Noel Rosa

Cristina Buarque "Ganha-Se Pouco, Mas E Divertido: Cristina Buarque Canta Wilson Batista" (Eldorado/Jam, 2000)
An homage to samba composer Wilston Batista.

Cristina Buarque & Henrique Cazes "Sem Tostao, v.2: A Crise Continua" (Kuarup, 2001)
More classics by Noel Rosa...

Burnier & Cartier "Burnier & Cartier " (RCA, 1974)
Singer-guitarists Octavio Burnier and Claudio Cartier had a glitzy, breezy pop-samba fusion sound, with a decidedly early-'70s cheerfulness that's reminiscent of the so-called "sunshine pop" style pioneered by the studio wizards in Los Angeles. Sort of an Association-meets-Jorge Ben-meets-George Benson kinda vibe. Although I'd be very embarassed and mortified to be caught listening to this at home, after a while it grew on me... Joao Bosco comes to mind right off the bat... Luiz Bonfa plays on a couple of tunes, and Paulo Moura adds some sax riffs...

Burnier & Carter "Burnier & Carter " (Odeon, 1976)

Olivia Byington "A Dama Do Encantado" (Universal, 1998)
A tribute to samba-cancao star Araci De Almeida... (Reissued on the Biscoito Fino label...)

Olivia Byington "Dois Momentos" (WEA, 2002)

Olivia Byington "Cancao Do Amor Demais" (Biscoito Fino, 2003)
A stately, somewhat classicist MPB reading of thirteen standards written by Vinicius De Moraes and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Surrounded by piano, flute and other relaxed, acoustic instrumentation, Byington has a light, slightly piercing voice, but a reserved style that perhaps calls for a more emphatic, emotive delivery. Not bad, by any means, but it didn't completely grab me. Joao Lyra and Dirceu Liete are among the musicians backing her up on this outing.

Charlie Byrd - see Bossa Nova Jazz

Brazilian Music - Letter "C"

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