Tag: Brazilian
London’s Far Out Recordings has unearthed the previously unreleased 1976 self-titled debut jazz-funk album by Brazilian keyboardist, composer, and bandleader Marcos Resende and his group Index. This incredible album was recorded prior to the group’s only other release, the highly sought after 1978 album Festa Para Um Novo Rei.
Similar to the work that goes into reissuing a rare recording can probably also be said for a well-crafted compilation. Often years in the making, there are a number of elements, including discovery, theme, selection of tracks, licensing, and a complimentary editorial component. This past year, a number of brilliantly timeless and curated compilations were released, some highlighting a specific genre or region, while others focused on an artist or a label. Regardless, here are some of the favorites from the past twelve months.
Not only did we see a ton of great new music released in 2020, there was also an abundance of extremely hard-to-find recordings being reissued throughout the year. Similar to how difficult it was to put together the “Favorite Albums” list, it has been just as challenging to dive into all the great reissues, and generate a similar “Favorites” list.
Legendary UK deejay Colin Curtis presents the second volume of his superb Jazz Dance Fusion compilation series. Where the first record focused on seventies-era selections from the great vaults of Muse Records, volume two features a brilliant collection of vocal jazz and Latin-flavored cuts, all of which where previously never released on both vinyl or CD.
In what has been truly an incredible compilation series over the past few years, the good people at the Brighton-based label and record shop have put out the fourth volume of their extremely well-curated and highly-acclaimed Mr Bongo Record Club.
Legendary Brazilian jazz-funk and fusion band Azymuth have teamed up with Los Angeles based producers/multi-instrumentalists Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to release a brilliant new full-length album on the Younge and Muhammad’s Jazz Is Dead label.
Since the early 60s, Marcos Valle has established himself as one of the greatest Brazilian songwriters, arrangers, and performers of our time. Following last year’s superb 80s-influenced boogie release Sempre with London’s Far Out Recordings, the “original Rio beach boy” has teamed up with Los Angeles based producers and multi-instrumentalists Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (also of A Tribe Called Quest) to release a brilliant new album on the Jazz Is Dead label.
Just in time to catch the last few warm sunny days of what has to be the most bizarre summer of our lifetimes, the UK-based label WallenBink have released, for the first time officially on 7inch format, A Bossa Elétrica’s brilliant Brazilian fusion rendition of Roy Ayer’s 1976 essential jazz-funk classic “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”.
Due to continued demand, London’s Far Out Recordings has reissued for a second time in four years, pianist and composer Antonio Adolfo’s highly obscure 1979 Brazilian jazz-funk album Viralata.
Legally blind from birth, Brazilian keyboard player and composer Manfredo Fest contributed to a number of great recordings during the sixties and seventies, both as a solo artist and with the group Bossa Rio. London’s Far Out Recordings has just reissued, what arguably might be his greatest recording, in his 1976 jazz funk masterpiece Brazilian Dorian Dream.
