Demetrius "Demetrius Canta... Com Amor E Mocidade" (Continental, 1961)

Demetrius "Idolo Da Juventude" (Continental, 1962)

Demetrius "Demetrius" (Continental, 1963)

Demetrius "O Ritmo Da Chuva" (Continental, 1964)

Demetrius "O Idolo Que Volta" (Continental, 1967)

Demetrius "Viver Por Viver" (Continental, 1968)

Demetrius "Encontro" (RCA Victor, 1973)

Demetrius "Grandes Sucessos" (BMG, 2000)

Deny & Dino "Coruja" (Odeon, 1966/2005)
(Produced by Tony Campello)
Consistently fun; this teen-oriented pop-rock record is a minor gem from the jovem guarda era. JG veteran Tony Campello produced this album, and as is often the case, he proved much more savvy and sympathetic in presenting American-style rock than did the old-guard samba and radio singer-era producers who cranked out so many other jovem guarda releases. Although Deny & Dino cover "Girl" (translated by Ronnie Von as "Meu Bem"), the shadow of the Beatles is surprisingly light here... More striking is their version of "As Tears Go By," which hits just the right emotional tone, as do many of Deny & Dino's jangly original tunes. The Searchers, The Hollies, and Jan & Dean seem like their main models -- softer, harmony-oriented pop with much more subtlety and depth than the Big Bopper-meets-Mancini tossoffs that cluttered the JG scene. Seriously, this is one of the best jovem guarda albums I've heard yet... Worth checking out!

Deny & Dino "Deny & Dino" (Odeon, 1967/2005)
(Produced by Milton Miranda)
Considering the freshness and groovy feel of their pleasant debut, this disc was a big disappointment. Deny & Dino still look incredibly hip and happening, with their muttonchops and goatees, but the arrangements on this album are more staid and forced than before, a reversion to the out-of-touch pop sensibilities of Brazil's old-school studio heads... Tony Campello stepped aside and the electric guitars went with him -- greater prominence is given to chugging brass samba beats and string sections, pretty much the same old stuff that other JG records suffered with. Which isn't to say this record sucks... It's still pretty good, but it isn't fun the way the first one was, and it isn't as listenable from start to finish. Here you have to hunt and peck for the good songs, though while there is a newfound measure of tedium, the cool stuff is still pretty cool. The bonus tracks on the 2005 CD reissue add a lot, particularly the groovy, spacy "Coisas Que Acontecem Sempre," which now closes the album. Worth checking out, but in comparative terms, a bit of a downer.

Deny & Dino "Deny & Dino" (Odeon, 1969)

Deny & Dino "Serie Bis -- Jovem Guarda" (EMI, 2000)

Eumir Deodato - see artist discography

Agenor De Oliveira "Bafafa" (Rob Digital, 2002)

Agenor De Oliveira "...Canta Noel Rosa" (Tratore, 2005)

Agenor De Oliveira "E Banto" (Joaninha, 2006)

Aloysio De Oliveira "Cantem Conosco Com O Coro Odeon" (EMI-Odeon, 1960)
Best known as a fabled arranger and record producer, and as the founder of the influential Elenco record label, Aloysio De Oliveira had a performing background as part of the samba-cancao group, Bando Da Lua, and as Carmen Miranda's bandleader when she emigrated to the USA. Here, he steps out of the studio booth and returns to the microphone for a set that mostly includes oldies and traditional tunes... The accompaniment is a little lethargic, with modest percussion, a tootling accordion and an earnest, large male chorus that evokes a college glee club choir more than, say, the Four Freshmen. De Oliveira seems content to hide behind their booming, resolutely square vocal arrangements -- he doesn't emerge as a soloist and the record never really takes off, remaining sedate and melodically flat throughout. The album's an interesting historical curio, but I wouldn't go koo-koo trying to track it down. Probably the most intriguing track here is an early version of Tom Jobim's foundational bossa nova tune, "Chega De Saudade." (De Oliviera produced the original, earth-shattering single with Joao Gilberto, the year before...) Sadly, though, this version is just as stuffy and static as the rest of the record, but it's still kind of cool, in an archival kinda way.

Dalva De Oliveira "Dalva" (EMI, 1973)
Yeesh. Dalva De Oliveira (1917-72) was a star in the pre-bossa nova "radio singer" era; she was married to songwriter Herivelto Martins, and performed with him in the popular Trio De Ouro in the 1930s and '40s. Near as I can figure, this disc is a collection of her solo work that originally came out not long after she had passed away in 1972, packed with boloeros and schmaltzy ballads galore... The arrangements are either too busy or two florid for me, and I can't say I'm a big fan of her voice, either. It's a bit shrill and overly melodramatic. Some of these tracks could grow on me, though... Hmmm. I'll keep you posted.

Dalva De Oliveira "A Inesquecivel Em Tangos" (Revivendo, 2001)

Dalva De Oliveira "Colecao 10 Polegadas" (Revivendo, 2006)
With backing by the Roberto Ingles orchestra.

Dalva De Oliveira "Canta Dalva" (Revivendo, 2007)

Dalva De Oliveira "Raizes Nordestinas" (EMI, 1999)

Dalva De Oliveira "Serie Bis" (EMI, 2001)

Dalva De Oliveira "O Talento De..." (EMI, 2004)

Consuelo De Paula "Samba, Seresta & Baiao" (Dabliu, 1999)
A gentle exploration of several acoustic styles... For want of a better vocabulary, I'd have to say that De Paula has a sort of classic "folk" flavor to her sound; although this music is solidly Brazilian, there's also a hint of Judy Collins floating around in there. Closer to home, she also shares a winnow-y similarity to Gal Costa, if Costa were to stick to more traditional material. Pleasant to hear, and also a bit unusual in its approach... worth checking out.

Irio De Paula "Sozinho" (Philology, 1995)

Irio De Paula "Jazz-Samba Ao Vivo" (NelJazz, 1997)

Irio De Paula "Sarava Jobim" (Pacific Time, 2000)
Tom Jobim's canonical compositions get an extra-gooey workthrough, with guitarist De Paula -- who has worked with several major jazz players, including Chet Baker, Gato Barbieri and Eumir Deodato -- leading a mellow ensemble, augmented by string arrangements worthy of the master. In some ways, this is a bit much, but also quite inviting. Depends on your tolerance for "easy listening," I suppose... But I think this is well within the tradition set down by the master, and Jobim fans will probably thrill to the interplay of the guitar and Riccardo Ballerini's sprightly arrangements. Not bad!

Irio De Paula "Sem Batera: 2002" (Azzurra, 2002)

Irio De Paula "Amigo Baden" (Azzurra, 2002)

Irio De Paula "Samba Jazz" (Azzurra, 2007)

Irio De Paula "Viajando" (Azzurra, 2007)

Irio De Paula "Retrato Do Rio" (Blue Music, 2007)

Roberto De Recife "Satisfacao" (Philips, 1981)
Mildly "new wave" rock, with power-poppy hand claps and ringing guitars. That description may actually sound more enticing than I'd like, but all things considered, this album actually isn't as horrific as one might imagine. Kinda borderline, which, for Brazilian MPB of the time, can be taken as high praise.

Sandra De Sa "Sandra De Sa" (Braziloid, 1988)
An appallingly drekky soft-soul, retro-disco flavored album, at least five years out of date by the time it was made. Plus, her voice just isn't that good. Skip it.

Sandra De Sa "Sandra De Sa" (RCA, 1990)
Touted as a soul singer, Sandra Sa is more of a Whitney Houston or Sade than a Chaka Khan. Not my cup of tea, but if you go for that Quiet Storm "R&B" style, then this might be an interesting variation on the theme. The Afro-Brazilian drum troupe Olodum is brought in the provide some rhythmic oomph on one track, but mostly this is a pretty syrupy affair.

Sandra De Sa "Focus: O Essential De Sandra De Sa" (BMG, 1999)
I kinda hate to admit it, but for the style this ain't bad... Taken as a whole, this set of tunes from 1986-1998 presents her in a much better light than any of the regular albums I've heard so far. It's not a type of music I'm fond of, but this collection does do a good job presenting her as a legitmate heir to the soft-soul sound pioneered by Tim Maia, Cassiano Hyldon and the like... This is probably the disc to shoot for if you want to give her a shot.

Sandra De Sa "Serie 100 Anos De Musica" (BMG-RCA, 2001)
Another simply dreadful set, this time a 2-CD collection of her hits... Ugh. It's prefab and pre-drab, lifeless synthy soul, with a few smatterings of canned funk riffs thrown in from time to time, just for the heck of it. It's really just awful.

Wanda De Sah - see "Wanda Sa"

Raul De Souza (Raulzinho) "A Vontade Mesmo" (RCA, 1965)
I'm sure the role of the trombone as a lead instrument has been a constant source of contention among jazz fans, but I have to say that it doesn't do much for me here. Still, this is the bandleading debut of one of Brazil's most successful mainstream jazz players, Raul De Souza, who later emigrated to the US and became a leading session player. Here he works through a primarily homegrown set, including one of his own early compositions alongside material by the likes of Tom Jobim, Carlos Lyra and (for exotic effect) Duke Jordan. I'm no jazz critic, but this album mostly strikes me as a bit unsubtle and overly energetic. Also on board are many of the early leading lights of Brazil's jazz scene, including pianist Cesar Camargo Mariano and percussionist Airto Moreira, who kicks in with some nice Cuban-flavored percussion.

Raul De Souza (Raulzinho & Impacto 8) "International Hot" (Equipe, 1968)
A pretty funky set from an American-style party band whose sound never quite clicked with Brazilian music fans... Trombonist Raul De Souza led this soul-oriented octet, which also featured drummer Robertinho Da Silva, organ player Helio Celso and saxophonist Oberdan Magalhaes (later of Banda Black Rio). The "Black Rio" soul sound hadn't really hit Brazil yet, so these guys were kind of shooting in the dark... But it's a fun set, a mix of earnest funk and deliberate kitsch... They covered hits like "Spinning Wheel" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy," alongside giddy instrumentals with titles like "Fried Bananas" and "Cantelope Island." It's goofy, but better than I had expected... Worth checking out.

Raul De Souza "Rio" (Trama, 1998)

Raul De Souza "No Palco!" (Eldorado, 2000)

Rosalia De Souza "Garota Moderna: Nicola Conte Apresenta Rosalia De Souza" (Leeds Music/Avatar, 2003)
Many folks hail young Ms. De Souza as a new Bebel Gilberto, an electronic/trip-hop crossover diva... But while there are a few electro beats on some of these songs, I'd peg her as more akin to jazz-MPB queen Elis Regina, tackling bossa nova oldies and more modern compositions (many courtesy of Italian album producer Nicola Conte) with a brash, headstrong approach, subsuming many of the melodies to a propulsive, muscular sensibility. Works for me, mostly -- she has a nice enough voice and the arrangements are often new enough that you don't feel you're hearing just another bossa standards album. Again, I didn't think this was particularly clubby or danceable, but hey -- what do I know? I'm sure the remix record can't be far behind... In the meantime these relatively straightforward, well-produced renditions will suit most folks just fine. Worth checking out!

Rosalia De Souza "Garota Diferente" (Schema, 2004)
Remixes of the Garota Moderna album...

Rosalia De Souza "Brasil Precisa Balancar" (Schema, 2006)

Rosinha De Valenca - see artist discography

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