Tag: Brazilian
Multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Lucas Arruda, who’s from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo (near Rio de Janeiro), has returned with his fourth and arguably best album to date for the superb French label Favorite Recordings, titled Ominira.
This Saturday, April 20th is Record Store Day 2024. I believe this international record store celebratory day has reverted back to just one day annually, which to me makes the most sense. Over the last several years, this has become the prime day in which many labels release limited-edition or never-before-released vinyl albums, singles, compilations and reissues. Sometimes it feels more like “record label day” or “new vinyl collectables day”, given how it’s evolved. While the day usually attracts many hardcore collectors, shops also often see a large influx of casual music fans and even a few that might be buying their first record. Regardless, these are all great things.
As with new music releases, 2023 was an outstanding year for reissues and previously unreleased recordings. It feels like with every great new release or artists that breaks through on the scene, there are still so many records from the past to still discover and dive into as a listener. The quality of the actual reissue releases themselves also seems to improve in time. The care and work that goes into many of these releases is astonishing and handled like the artifacts that they truly are.
Almost another year around the sun, and that means it’s that time again (hard to believe), where we revisit some of the best releases of the year. In regards of new music, 2023 was another incredible year. As always, it was admittedly extremely challenging pulling together a “best of” list, however I’m excited to have been able to expand to 40 releases, which still didn’t feel like enough. As always, I’m sure I missed a few worthy selections.
For over six decades, there has arguably not been a more pioneering duo that has brought together the sounds of Brazilian jazz, fusion, and samba more so than Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. Through their own collaborations and individual works, the legendary musical tag-team and longtime life partners have over time gained a vast global fan base that includes everything from UK’s jazz-funk and jazz dance scenes, to experimental jazz and Brazilian-rooted music fans. This month, the London-based label BBE is releasing the highly anticipated 5LP Box Set, titled A Celebration: 60 Years – Sounds, Dreams & Other Stories, highlighting some of their most notable tracks.
For over the past 30 years, the Brighton-based record shop and label Mr Bongo have been at the forefront of reissuing rare Brazilian gems from the past, from their Brazil 45 series to full-length albums, notably Arthur Verocai’s 1972 self-titled “holy grail”. Over the last month, they have recently added two more must-own releases to the list in Minas‘ 1983 private press bossa nova recording Num Dia Azul, and Mário Castro Neves and his group, Samba S. A.‘s 1967 breezy samba self-titled classic.
Following his incredible album Firebird, which was released earlier this year, legendary UK producer, deejay, and acid jazz pioneer Chris Bangs has put together an exciting new ensemble project, called Nova Vida. Ahead of the group’s highly-anticipated Spring 2024 full-length debut, they have recently released a brilliant new 7inch single titled My Only on BDQ Records.
After 20 years since the last volume was released, legendary German producer and DJ Rainer Trüby (formerly of A Forest Mighty Black) has just released the sixth compilation of his iconic Glücklich compilation series, unearthing rare Brazilian-influenced gems old and new from around the globe.
Following a string of sought-after 12inch releases and re-dits on labels like Barefoot Beats, Cocada Music, Kampana and others, Pará-based producer Bernardo Pinheiro has recently released an incredible new rendition of Marcos Valle and Azymuth’s classic jazz dance gem “Virabrequim”, from the 1973 soundtrack “O Fabuloso Fittipaldi”.
Following a string of essential releases in 2022, legendary UK jazz and Northern soul DJ Colin Curtis continues to add to his impressive “Presents” series by putting out EPs from two acts that are at the forefront of the current UK jazz dance scene in Roderick Stewart and Ben Sinkie-led Juju ensemble, and producer and percussionist Glenn Worthington, aka GeeW.
