Latin | Brazil 34 Items

This electric compilation features Sorg who showcases his house inspiration, Zerolex Trio who continues their journey into the world of jazz-infused club music, Kopow who blends kenyan trap with silky beats by collaborating with Killer Bas, and Flow-er who engages in a funk-imbued discussion. As an exclusive combination of unique and exciting artists, Los Cumbabas will fit perfectly in your summer playlist. It's also an opportunity for the label to unveil Pierre Chiffonnier, our flagship project, involving the sweet melodies of the young duo Poligone.

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

With this new three 45 set, the second in our "Cumbia Sabrosa" series, Rocafort digs deep into the vaults of Discos Tropical to bring you six more vintage cumbia sound system bangers. Each 45 showcases a different type of flavor with the emphasis on big band brass (Pacho Galán, José Ramón Herrera), electric guitar (Super Combo Los Platinos, Cuarteto Del Mónaco), and accordion (Andrés Landero). Like its larger rivals Discos Fuentes and Sonolux, Tropical was one of the most influential in the development of cumbia as an important genre not only in its home country of Colombia, but also in Mexico (and beyond), participating in a cross-cultural exchange that would spawn Mexico's own domestic musical artists, sonidero DJs and sound systems, record collectors and a dance scene devoted to tropical music with Colombian roots.
Liner notes by writer and historian Pablo Yglesias aka DJ Bongohead (of Peace & Rhythm).

Now-Again Records presents catalog-wide reissues of Latin music propellant Joe Bataan’s legendary Ghetto Records. Next up in the series - La Fantastica. This brash, big band Latin orchestra from Brooklyn debuted on Ghetto Records with an underground Salsa album which also contains the beguiling, English-language Psychedelic Soul of "Latin Blues." Ghetto Records was Joe Bataan’s way to get over on “The Man” and out of the ‘hood, a bold move by an artist looking for independence and creative control in an industry that had exploited his talents and treated him like chattel. As Bataan puts it today, “Ghetto Records was part of my journey, a stepping stone to everything else that I’ve done. I learned enough that it enabled me to get out of the box with my thinking, it showed me how to deal with adversity.” Like many dreams and schemes born of the street, this one was audacious, perhaps even reckless to a fault. Hatched from desperation yet full of hope Ghetto Records came crashing down shortly after its inception. The seven albums in its discography languished out of print - until now. These are the definitive reissues of these albums, licensed from Joe Bataan, with his oversight and input into a 16 page oversize book by Pablo Yglesias that details Bataan’s larger-than-imagination life and his little Latin label that could.

With two critically acclaimed albums and a swathe of award-winning production turns under their belt, Ana Frango Elétrico present their most confident and accomplished work to date: Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua / Call Me They That I’m Yours. Gesturing to a tradition of Brazilian boogie music, but bouncing with modern pop ebullience, the album sees the Rio artist evolve from a captivating upstart into a surefooted scene leader in full stride.

At just 25, the prolific artist and producer has already garnered worldwide admirers. Ana’s sophomore Little Electric Chicken Heart was nominated at the 2020 Latin Grammys. Since then, standalone singles have received the WME ‘Best Music Producer’ Award, recognising Ana’s deep passion for music production – a passion which has led to collaborations with nascent Brazilian stars Dora Morelenbaum, Illy and Sophia Chablau. Most recently, Ana was hailed for their co-production of Bala Desejo’s 2022 Latin Grammy-winning album Sim Sim Sim.

The new album finds Ana at their most assured and full voiced. Album opener “Electric Fish”, with funky bass and shimmering backing vocals, sets a buoyant tone. “Boy of Stranger Things” is its bombastic counterpart. It’s the grooviest Ana has ever sounded. And the most brazen. Lyrically, where Ana was once oblique on personal matters, they are now forthright – lucidly exploring their gender identity, citing accessible cultural references, and often singing in English.

“I started this album in 2021 with the intention of showing, in means of sound, understandings and feelings about queer love, subjectively exposing myself,” the non-binary artist states – before qualifying that though “feeling was its driving force, the album is really about musical production.”

“There’s so many references to different decades,” Ana explains. “Seventies drums with eighties processing … Going back, getting beyond … Testing the limits of organic sounds”. Characteristically playful, on Me Chama, Ana takes vivid and rewarding detours through funk-inflected R&B (“Dela”) and art pop (“Dr. Sabe Tudo”). “Nuvem Vermelha” is a cinematic chanson with lush strings that recalls Arthur Verocai. Then, “Coisa Maluca” loafs with the indie insouciance of Canadian slacker Mac Demarco. Later, “Let's Go Before Again”, is a full-on drum machine workout evocative of Stereolab.

“Even if people don't find my own references here, they'll find theirs,” observes Ana. “Maybe that’s this record’s biggest goal.”

Mario Galeano's flagship project based in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, and well known for his work with the Minyo Crusaders, has released its first new album in 10 years! Ondatropica, Minyo Cumbiero... Frente Cumbielo is the flagship project of Mario Galeano, who has been working on a series of high-profile projects from Bogota, the capital of Colombia, with the keyword "cumbia". After 10 years since "frente Cumbiero Meets MAD Professor", the new album is finally available in physical format! Recorded by the same members as their legendary first Japan gig in 2018. Nine instrumental numbers that combine cumbia, polo, gaita, jazz, electronica, and dub, and the tight, heavy quartet sound that has been developed over two and a half years of touring around the world! The band's guest is the legendary Conjunto Miramar, who has been active in Bogota since the 60's and has left many cumbia classics to the Discos Fuentes. The LP also includes an additional song, "Motines del Tigre", a collaboration with Argentine cumbia band LA Delio Valdez, which was not included on the digital version.

Abelardo Carbono aka "The Godfather of Champeta" meets Abelardo Carbono x Quantic!! A miraculous encounter between a Colombian music - alternative Latin legend and a neo-tropical music innovator who inherits his aspirations. A shocking collaboration between Abelardo Carbono, who was "rediscovered" during the tropical music revival and has become loved by DJs around the world as the "Godfather of Champeta," and Eblis Alvarez, aka the Meridian Brothers, who gained even greater recognition with "cumbia Siglo Xxi"! Produced/recorded by Will Holland aka Quantic and Lucas Silva, supervisor of "Palenque Palenque" (Soundway), "Machuca" (Analog Africa), etc.

Twenty rarities and deep cuts from the early years of Fruko y Sus Tesos on legendary label Discos Fuentes. A collection of powerful Colombian salsa dura for the serious collector, DJ and dancer, but also enjoyable for those just discovering Fruko for the first time.2LP including an insert with photos and liner notes by DJ Bongohead (of Peace & Rhythm).The two-volume collection FRUKO POWER is not an homage, career overview, greatest hits or 'best of' collection showcasing the evolution of Fruko (Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincón), the Renaissance Man of Colombian tropical music. Instead, this compilation series shines a light on a lesser-known side of the bassist and band leader's work during the early 1970s with Fruko y Sus Tesos, reissuing in physical form many of his rare or hard to find salsa 45s as well as a few deep album cuts from the first half decade of his career, assembled in chronological order.There are interesting cover versions as well as originals, some of which never appeared on an LP. All of Fruko's classic vocalists are represented, from early collaborators Humberto "Huango" Muriel and Edulfamid "Píper Pimienta" Díaz to golden-era stars Joe Arroyo and Wilson "Saoko" Manyoma.FRUKO POWER is less for the newcomer and more for the serious salsa collector, DJ and dancer who may have a few of the maestro's albums or hits but wants to dig deeper and have all these obscure rarities in one place. However, it also serves as an excellent compendium of powerful Latin dance tracks by Fruko y Sus Tesos that have stood the test of time, so even those who do not know much of his work will be sure to feel the power of Fruko.

Number 94 in the Brazil45 series is one for the Brazilian boogie lovers out there.

The vocal and instrumental group Os Carbonos from São Paulo had a long career that straddled the 60s, 70s and 80s. 'Pássaro Selvagem' is taken from the latter years of their career. Its a bass driven, boogie-funk groove (with a bassline not too dissimilar to Queen 'Another One Bites The Dust') that is Brazilian boogie at its finest. Taken from the B-side to a 7" campacto released in 1981 on Copacabana records, its proven to be a favourite of Luke Una and we foresee it becoming a staple in your DJ box for years to come too.

The B-side comes from one of our all-time favourite artists, the mighty Sandra Sa. Sandra is a wonderful vocalist, her intense and recognisable style is one of THE voices of the Brazilian boogie golden era. Check out her classic album 'Vale Tudo' (mrblp230) on Mr Bongo for further proof of her credentials here. 'Palco Azul' is also taken off a 7" single from 1981 and is a feel-good dancefloor groover with punchy brass stabs, warm keys and uplifting chord changes. It contains all the right elements that we have come to associate with that knockout late 70s / early 80s Brazilian sound.

Some records just stop you in your tracks. They resonate with you and feel instantly familiar like an old friend, even on the first listen. Soyuz's third album ‘Force of the Wind’ is one of those records. It holds all the trademarks, beauty, and eccentricities of classic Brazilian recordings, from the 60s and 70s, that we have come to love. Think artists such as Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Burnier e Cartier, Arthur Verocai et al. But this record wasn’t made in Brazil and is in fact a brand-new release. Soyuz (which translates as 'union') is a creative collective from Minsk, Belarus, led by composer, arranger, and singer, Alex Chumak, multi-instrumentalist, Mikita Arlou, and drummer, Anton Nemahai. Soyuz's previous albums explored and reimagined the legacy of jazz-oriented, non-English-language pop music of the 20th century. For their third album, there is a stronger focus, and it is influenced by 70s Música popular Brasileira and building bridges from it to present-day Belarus. Alex notes that from the moment he first encountered Brazilian music, he found in it a kind of concentrated emotion that felt as if it were familiar to him from his childhood. This non-verbal emotion and connection between the listener and musician echoes in the music, regardless of understanding of the language the album is recorded in. ‘Force of the Wind’ includes songs sung in Russian and Portuguese as well as instrumental compositions. Its musical palette is both acoustic and electroacoustic: rich warm Rhodes piano, soaring string arrangements, and a controlled drum swagger sounding both relaxed yet super tight. Alongside Alex's sublime vocals, that grace the majority of the tracks, the album features guest performances by multi-talented musician and vocalist Kate NV and rising Brazilian star, Sessa. Alex also recently arranged a number of tracks on Sessa's highly praised 2022 album 'Estrela Acesa'. On the album, the trio is joined by a cast of friends; NY-based musician of Turkish origin percussionist, Cem Mısırlıoğlu, classically trained composer, Simon Hanes, who aided with string arrangements and conducting the string players, Netherlands-based Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, Gabriel Milliet, on flutes. With the collaboration of these friends Soyuz have created nine songs/suites that are subtle and plenitude and like the best albums, leave you aching for more. ‘Force of the Wind’ is an enigma, Brazilian yet not Brazilian, vintage yet still contemporary, out of sync with modern culture yet completely relevant and necessary.

Sometimes the best things take time to come into fruition, and here we are, ready to finally unleash Brazil45 number 88 - the missing 7"! Featuring two Mr Bongo favourites that we have been longing to share with the world.

First up is a lesser-known Brazilian Boys track titled 'Super Herois’. This slightly trippy and quirky funk-rock groove is taken off an obscure 7" on CID records and was originally released in 1975. 'Super Herois' is super catchy, addictive and a guaranteed complete earworm. It’s a muti genre, crossover nugget that will branch scenes and tick all sorts of boxes.

On the flip is the driving, jazz-rock-samba dancefloor joint 'Tudo Ai’, a cut taken from Rubinho E Mauro Assumpção's highly sought after 1972 album 'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei’. Originally released on Tapecar Records, this short in stature track packs a real punch!

Musica Macondo unearths eight contemporary Afro Brazilian tracks on the compilation Brasil Novo, disseminating the rich and percussive heritage of black Brazil and Samba De Coco. Selected by DJs Tahira (São Paulo) and Tim Garcia (London), the diversity and positivity of Brazil shines, featuring elements of samba, Candomblé, batuques, jazz, folk and beyond, designed with the esoteric dancefloor in mind. UK label Musica Macondo place their focus on contemporary Brazilian and African diaspora on Brasil Novo, an eight track compilation of discovery, snare and tamborim heavy, showcasing both celebrated and unfamiliar artists south of the equator from the cities of Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. With the aim of presenting and thus preserving these moments in music - some tracks like Dona Celia's O Bar and Toró Instrumental's Dunas never been released before - DJs and co-curators Tahira (São Paulo) and Tim Garcia (London) dig deep into the troves, avoiding mainstream Brazilian popular music clichés, and also giving a sense of what fuels their dancefloors and radio sets. It was their joint passion for record collecting, Djing and 'the dance' which, not surprisingly, brought these two leading figures within their respective scenes and cities together. The selection also includes tracks by Grupo Bongar, Renata Rosa and women's Afro Bloco, Ilú Obá De Min. DJ Tahira is a massive Brazilian music fan and has been on a research journey for a number of years, dedicated to the preservation and archiving of music made or influenced by black and indigenous Brazilians. Based out of São Paulo he has a particular interest in the history of Samba de Coco, a folkloric musical form that was very popular in, (and probably originated from), the northeast of Brazil, by slaves and indiginous people from working class backgrounds who came together, making a rhythmical mesh of sounds dating back hundreds of years and allowing them to carve a unique cultural identity. Ignored or disregarded as inferior by Brazil's predominantly white faced recording industry, there are few existing original recordings of this music from the twentieth century, relying instead on oral tradition and carnivals like those in Recife or Pernambuco. In recent times, there has been a flux of contemporary proponents who mix Samba de Coco with other contemporary Brazilian musical forms. Brasil Novo features both the roots, and more divergent fusions. Perhaps the best example of the Samba De Coco of old is from Dona Celia Coquista or Dona Celia do Coco as some people called her. She was a singer from Pernambuco who released only one album Nasci Com Dois Dentes in 2007 despite being an enormously important proponent of Samba De Coco for many years. She sadly passed 4 years later in 2011. The track O Bar features a plethora of local and native percussion instruments and a call and answer harmony of uplifting choir, a cacophony of positivity.

Rare Salsa/Soul gem produced by Joe Bataan, which has been out of print for 50 years. Vocals by Papo Felix. Remastered off original analog tapes. Limited to 500 units - splatter vinyl. Released on Ghetto Records in 1971, long out of print.

A journey to far outlands: this is exactly what one can feel when listening to Béliz. Entitled Mémoires, the album from the band Béliz, explores new territories where the Guadeloupean musical tradition meets the harmonic universe of the harp. Béliz is the dialogue between the world of classical harpist Anne Bacqueyrisse, percussionist Olivier Maurières and multi-instrumentalist and singer Edmony Krater, fervent supporter of the Gwo Ka, the ancestral musical tradition coming from Guadeloupe. Founder of the band Zepiss, once a member of Robert Oumaou's collective Gwakasonné, Edmony Krater has always had the will to open the Ka to other cultures and to incorporate new sounds. Indeed, with Ti Jan Pou Vélo, his tribute album in the memory of Marcel Lollia known as Vélo (one of the greatest drummers of Guadeloupe), released in 1987, Edmony Krater brilliantly mixed jazz-fusion, Occitan folklore, synthesizers with the distinctive Ka rhythms. The meeting of Anne Bacqueyrisse, Olivier Maurières and Edmony Krater at the Music Academy of Montauban, gave birth to Béliz. In 2009 the group of three musicians-teachers, under the impulse of one of their pupils, decided to record in studio their project, Mémoires. Béliz, with its innovative and singular artistic approach, is a true invitation to travel. The title Arawak É Karayib is a vibrant tribute to the native west indian people. Gwadloup - an acoustic version of the song already featured on the album Ti Jan Pou Vélo - is an ode to Edmony’s beloved island. Natibel, an hymn to Nature - another cover from the Zepiss band - makes sense here in a minimalist version. A true fusional object, Béliz moves us to new horizons, both imaginary and poetic.
Limited to 500 copies

The city of Belém, in the Northern state of Pará in Brazil, has long been a hotbed of culture and musical innovation. Enveloped by the mystical wonder of the Amazonian forest and overlooking the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, Belém consists of a diverse culture as vibrant and broad as the Amazon itself. Amerindians, Europeans, Africans - and the myriad combinations between these people - would mingle, and ingeniously pioneer musical genres such as Carimbó, Samba-De-Cacete, Siriá, Bois-Bumbás and bambiá. Although left in the margins of history, these exotic and mysteriously different sounds would thrive in a parallel universe of their own.

I didn’t even know of the existence of that universe until an Australian DJ and producer by the name of Carlo Xavier dragged me deep into this whole new musical world. Ant it all began in Belém do Pará. Perched on a peninsula between the Bay of Guajará and the Guamá river, sculpted by water into ports, small deltas and peripheral areas, Belém had connected city dwellers with those deeper within the forest providing fertile ground for the development of a popular culture mirroring the mighty waters surrounding it. Through the continuous flow of culture, language and tradition, various rhythms were gathered here and transformed into new musical forms that were simultaneously traditional and modern.

Historically marginalized African religions like Umbanda, Candomblé and the Tambor de Mina, which had reached this side of the Atlantic through slaves from West Africa – especially from the Kingdom of Dahomey, currently the Republic of Benin – left an indelible stamp on the identity of Pará´s music. They would give birth to Lundun, Banguê and Carimbó, styles later modernised by Verequete, Orlando Pereira, Mestre Cupijó and Pinduca to great effect. The success of these pioneers would create a solid foundation for a myriad of modern bands in urban areas.

Known as the “Caribbean Port,” Belem had been receiving signal from radio stations from Colombia, Surinam, Guyana and the Caribbean islands - notably Cuba and the Dominican republic - since the 1940s. By the early 1960s, Disc jockeys breathlessly exchanged Caribbean records to add these frenetic, island sounds to liven up revelers. The competition was fierce as to who would be the first to bring unheard hits from these countries. The craze eventually reached local bands’ repertoires, and Belém’s suburbs got overtaken by merengue, leading to the creation of modern sounds such as Lambada and Guitarrada.

To reach a larger audience, the music needed to be broadcast. Radios began targeting the taste of mainstream audiences and played music known as “music for masses.” As the demand for this music grew, it led to the establishment of recording companies. Belém’s infant recording industry began when Rauland Belém Som Ltd was founded in the 1970s. It boosted a radio station, a recording studio, a music label and had a deep roster of popular artists across the carimbó, siriá, bolero and Brega genres.

Another important aspect in understanding how the musical tradition spread in Belém, are the aparelhagem sonora: the sound system culture of Pará. Beginning as simple gramophones connected to loudspeakers tied to light posts or trees, these sound systems livened up neighbourhood parties and family gatherings. The equipment evolved from amateur models into sophisticated versions, perfected over time through the wisdom of handymen. Today’s aparelhagens draw immense crowds, packing clubs with thousands of revelers in Belém’s peripheral neighbourhoods or inland towns in Pará.

The history of "Jambú e Os Míticos Sons Da Amazônia" is the history of an entire city in its full glory. With bustling night clubs providing the best sound systems and erotic live shows, gossip about the whereabouts of legendary bands, singers turned into movie stars, supreme craftiness, and the creativity of a class of musicians that didn’t hesitate to take a gamble, Jambú is an exhilarating, cinematic ride into the beauty and heart of what makes Pará’s little corner of the Amazon tick. The hip swaying, frantic percussion and big band brass of the mixture of carimbó with siriá, the mystical melodies of Amazonian drums, the hypnotizing cadence of the choirs, and the deep, musical reverence to Afro-Brazilian religions, provided the soundtrack for sweltering nights in the city’s club district.

The music and tales found in Jambú are stories of resilience, triumph against all odds, and, most importantly, of a city in the borders of the Amazon who has always known how to throw a damn good party.

“Jambú is a plant widely used in Amazonian and Paraense cuisine. Known for having an appetitestimulating effect, it is added to various dishes and salads but is most famously one of the main ingredients in Tucupi and Tacacá, two delicacies that have been immortalized in countless Carimbó songs. Chewing the leaves of the Jambú plant will leave a strong sensation of tingling on the tongue and lips. Indigenous communities have relied upon its anaesthetic qualities for centuries as an effective remedy against toothaches and as a cure for mouth and throat infections. A decade ago, a distillery from Belém discovered the euphoric effects of the Jambú plant when combined with distilled sugarcane based spirit - known as cachaça - and created the now legendary “Cachaça de Jambú“.

Two brothers, two guitars, two distinct identities, who become one soul when they compose music. Stephan and Alejandro, are the Hermanos Gutierrez, an instrumental music band with an unmistakable genre that is rooted in Western and Latin American sound. Born from an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father they grew up being forged by both cultures, bridging between two worlds, both of which are home.

Their mix of identities, that constant search across different countries clearly emerges in their songs. Their music takes the audience on an intimate journey through time evoking remote spaces. A magical sound that touches the heart, that sparks passion and nostalgia. An open invitation to a constant dialogue of melodies and instruments.

Playing together since their early childhood, a profound musical and interpersonal symbiosis ties the two brothers. If one of them has a melody, the other one completes it with harmony. There is a deep understanding between the two of them, without any need for words.

Active as a band since 2015, they have recorded four albums: “8 Años” (2017), “El Camino De Mi Alma” (2018), “Hoy Como Ayer” (2019), and the newly released LP “Hijos Del Sol” (Children Of The Sun). A body of work that has been inspired by their journey through the vast natural landscapes of Mexico, the silence of the desert, the sun, and their love for this country that made them feel “like going home”, as they affirm. Out came a soundtrack of the sceneries they’ve been exploring.

Sivuca’s legendary Brazilian cover of the Bill Withers classic ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ was a big hit on the Rare Groove scene and still sounds amazing today.
We’ve also included his amazing cover of Edu Lobo’s ‘Ponteio’ on the flip – both where originally released on Sivuca's self titled album from 1973 on Vanguard.

Tempo dos Mestres (Time of the Masters) is the second album from the tireless, young Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento.
It finds its roots in the depths of the Amazon rainforest, passed down through generations of Native Brazilians, and is imbibed by
the Afro-Brazilian culture that arose after Portuguese colonization. This blend is not new in Brazil, and is represented musically by
great Brazilian musicians both known and celebrated - the guitarist Baden Powell and catalyst Hermeto Pascoal, both direct
influences on Do Nascimento - and less exposed, like the experimentalist Carioca, one of Do Nascimento’s mentors, and the
Brazilian psychedelic pioneer Lula Cortes, whose album Paebiru rewrote Brazilian rock’s history in 1975.
It is the third Brazilian album released on Now-Again, following Seu Jorge and Almaz and Do Nascimento’s debut Dança dos
Tempos. Do Nascimento's is joined on Tempo dos Mestres by his long time percussionist, Ricardo "Tiki" Pasillas on trap drums
and percussion, and Sam Gendel on saxophone and flute. Vocals are performed by Thalma de Freitas and Carla Hasset.
These tracks were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, straight to 2” analog-tape, and only sparingly mastered to focus
on the subtleties of the performances. Do Nascimento’s fans include legendary percussionist Airto Moreira, who recorded Dança
dos Tempos and can be found playing live with Do Nascimento. "He’s Brazilian but (his mind is) from a place in Brazil that is not
common.” Moreira states. “Fortunately, we still have some musicians who like to play music and who like to touch the instrument
and who like that energy!”
Do Nascimento takes his music, and his place in Brazil’s lineage, seriously, and he often travels the vast country, spending time in
the rainforest, living life as it was lived in the distant past, while studying with still living masters as he searches for new directions
of the path trod by the geniuses whose influence abounds in contemporary music, but whose names are still unfamiliar.
“Being a musician - feeling, studying, experiencing, living music -this comes first, right?” Do Nascimento questions. “ Second,
we hope that the depths of knowledge in the music from the masters before us can be shared more, each time, to the younger
generations coming.” In Tempo dos Mestres Do Nascimento answers himself with a beautiful entry into the evolving language of
timeless Brazilian music.

‘2 Minutos De Um Novo Dia’ – pacey samba-funk-MPB that originally appeared on a 7” from 1969 released on Odeon Brazil. Soaring vocals, strings and horns over alternating full and half-time funk drum breaks. Very big indeed.

‘Candomble’ has been a resident in our DJ sets for a long, long time. A retrained, deeper opening section drops into drum heavy, rich uptempo jazzy-MPB. Super catchy vocal hooks and piano lines sit over the top from start to finish. Taken from their self titled album from 1975 on RCA.

For a very long time, we have been trying to re-issue this record; a true and complete album masterpiece in every sense of the word, considered by many people to be one of the greatest ever made, regardless of genre. Recorded at Studio Somil, Rio De Janeiro in 1972, the album was produced, arranged, directed by the self-taught, Arthur Verocai. Previously he had worked on many records in various capacities, with artists including Jorge Ben, Ivan Lins and Celia, but this album gave him the chance to do his thing in it’s most pure form. The 29 minute masterpiece, perfect in it’s arrangement and fusion of sonics, epitomises the sound of Brazil at the time; strings, guitars, pianos, break beats, bass lines, synthesizers, vocals from the wonderful Célia, Carlos Dafe and Oberdan (Banda Black Rio), plus percussion from Pedro Santos and Paulo Moura on sax. Bossa nova, samba, jazz, MPB, psychedelics and funk sit side by side effortlessly. The album transcends the genre of Brazilian music, and infact all genres. Highlighted in part by the number of artists that have sampled from it; MF Doom, Ludacris & Common, Little Brother, Jneiro Jarel aka Dr Who Dat?, Dibiase and Action Bronson amongst others. The original Continental version of the album now fetch around $2000. Our definitive re-issue is an exact replica of the gatefold original LP and the source master is taken from the Continental tapes, re-mastered in 2012 under Arthur’s supervision.

A swinging set of Brazilian and Brazil-inspired tunes from the Ubiquity catalog featuring songs from Bosq, Tita Lima, The Echocentrics, Shawn Lee, Ohmega Watts, The Soul Sufers, and many others. It also includes classics from John Beltran, Snowboy and remixes from Tall Black Guy, Joe Claussell and The Superimposers. The compilation is an eclectic mix of styles from Batucadas with an electronic twist, Samba and Bossa Nova with hints of deep Funk (Girl From Sau Paolo) and Eastern Jazz (Bei’s Bossa) to psychedelic Tropicalia (Nao Vacila). This deep selection of tunes is the perfect soundtrack to sit back and watch the “beautiful game” with a few friends while enjoying a nice caipirinha.

Rio born Joyce Moreno is one of the most famous names in Brazilian music. Her career has spanned more than 20 albums over 40 years and she continues to record and tour the world.

Aldeia de Ogum is one of her most well known songs. An anthem amongst DJs and dancers in the Acid Jazz days in London, regularly featuring at clubs such as Dingwalls.

Originally features on her sought after 'Feminina' LP from 1980, it also appears on the 'Essential' compilation that we released in 1997. This is the first time the track has been released on 7" however.

Rosinha was a highly acclaimed composer, arranger and guitarist who played with legends including Baden Powell, Sérgio Mendes and Sivuca. Sadly she passed away in 2004.

'Summertime' is taken from her 1975 RCA LP entitled 'Um Violão Em Primeiro Plano'. This is the first time the track has been released on 7".

Mastered and cut at 45rpm for high quality and loud sound, these 7"s are packaged in lovingly produced Brazil45 sleeves. Dancefloor essentials for all DJs and collectors!

Mastered and cut at 45rpm for high quality and loud sound, these 7"s are packaged in lovingly produced Brazil45 sleeves. Dancefloor essentials for all DJs and collectors!

The heaviest, rarest, best Fuzz-Funk-Psych 45s from Brazil. Contains full booklet with liner notes in English and Portuguese plus photos by Brazilian vinyl archaeologist Joel Jones.

To launch Mr Bongo’s new Cuban Classic Series, we are thrilled to present this sought-after, psychedelic-funk masterpiece. A fusion of traditional Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms meets disco, jazz, and funk, with hints of 70s soundtrack productions, this much-loved cult album featuring nine predominantly instrumental tracks is a real treasure that deserves a much wider appreciation. One look at the trippy artwork and you know it is going to be special.

Originally released in 1977 on Areito Records, a sub-label of the state-owned label Egrem, it has become one of the rarest (even in Cuba) and most in-demand albums to come from the label. It is the sole album from Grupo Los Yoyi and was composed, orchestrated, and produced by the mysterious, Jorge Soler Leó.

After Castro ring-fenced Cuba with an embargo on, among other things, Western music, the ‘Yoyi’ album had a sound more left of centre than what was normally allowed to be recorded there at the time. It subtly and covertly flirts with disco, jazz-funk, and electronic sounds coming from the US and Europe. It is probably best known for the space funk, bubbly club cut 'Paco La Calle’. A track that was edited in 2008 by the fantastic DJ / producer, Nick the Record, and one that is guaranteed to set a discerning dancefloor alight. However, ‘Yoyi’ is far from a one-track album. Other highlights include, 'Banana’, with its call and response trombone and horn section, squelchy keys, pulsating breaks and percussion, and a loose, floating vocal arrangement. 'Tu No Me Puedes Conquistar' is a beautiful, bouncing plodder with a variety of instruments interchanging as the track progresses. 'Ruta 30' takes things in a straighter Latin direction, which we are accustomed to from Cuba at that time, yet it is still full of personality, treats and vigour. Take our word for it, this album is strong throughout.

This is one of our favourites and most beloved albums to come out of Cuba and is the perfect flagship for our Cuban Classics Series. Look out for plenty more to come real soon.

Classic Brazilian album from 1977, featuring the incredible 'Não Adianta’ and a brilliant cover of Jorge Ben’s 'Que Nega É Essa’.
Luiz Carlos Fritz (Fritz Escovão), João Parahyba and Nereu Gargalo aka Trio Mocotó are most well-known as Jorge Ben Jr.'s backing band. They played on several seminal Jorge Ben LP’s – his self-titled from 1969, Força Bruta in 1970 and Negro É Lindo in 1971.
Trio Mocotó were also key players in the development of the 'samba rock’ sound – a fusion of samba, soul and rock influenced by music from the USA.
Official Mr Bongo reissue. Licensed from Arlequim.

Now-Again Records presents catalog-wide reissues of Latin music propellant Joe Bataan’s legendary Ghetto Records. First up in the series - Heavy Salsa and Latin Soul from Puerto Rico-born pianist Eddie Lebron and Orquesta Suave, the album that kickstarted Ghetto Records. Ghetto Records was Joe Bataan’s way to get over on “The Man” and out of the ‘hood, a bold move by an artist looking for independence and creative control in an industry that had exploited his talents and treated him like chattel. As Bataan puts it today, “Ghetto Records was part of my journey, a stepping stone to everything else that I’ve done. I learned enough that it enabled me to get out of the box with my thinking, it showed me how to deal with adversity.” Like many dreams and schemes born of the street, this one was audacious, perhaps even reckless to a fault. Hatched from desperation yet full of hope Ghetto Records came crashing down shortly after its inception. The seven albums in its discography languished out of print - until now. These are the definitive reissues of these albums, licensed from Joe Bataan, with his oversight and input into a 16 page oversize book by Pablo Yglesias that details Bataan’s larger-than-imagination life and his little Latin label that could.

Some things take time to happen, some things perhaps take a bit longer than they should but, finally, we are delighted to present an issue of the iconic, and sought-after, Brazilian album 'Alucinolândia' by Zito Righi e Seu Conjunto from 1969.

The trippy, surrealist 60s cover design with hands holding eyeballs is somewhat confusing. Rather than the stoner acid rock record that the art may suggest, 'Alucinolândia' is actually a quintessential 60s gem, mixing samba, MPB, bossa nova, quirky organ-led mod-jazz groovers and easy-listening crooners with a relaxed cool swagger.

Zito Righi aka Isidoro Righi, the Brazilian saxophonist, instrumentalist, conductor and composer brought together an illustrious cast for this masterpiece, including the much-loved vocalist Sônia Santos. Sônia delivers a masterclass on the album's opener, and maybe its crown-jewel 'Poema Ritmico Do Malandro’. The song is fierce and driving with an enticing funk intro that bursts into a Samba / Batucada workout. A real monster that works magic on the dancefloor. Sônia would later re-visit this track in 1971 on a recording for Copacabana Records, which Mr Bongo released as part of the Brazil45 series. The Brazilian songwriter Roberval penned three tracks on the record, including another highlight and the far too short 'Birimbau'; a catchy Brazilian jazzy-samba dancer at its finest. Other musicians include the drummer Fernando who also recorded with the greats Dila & Guilherme Coutinho.

The fact the record was released in 1969 meant it was probably a bit out of step with its contemporaries in comparison to the works of artists such as Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil et al. The core of 'Alucinolândia' is that of a more optimistic early to mid-sixties party feelgood vibe rather than the angsty, psychedelia, and rebellion of the Tropicália movement. Over 50 years since its release, the work can finally be judged on its own merit; and what a beauty it is.

To call Marcos Valle 'a legend' of Brazilian music is much more than just easy press-release hype. As singer, writer, musician and record producer, Marcos has played an integral role shaping the sound of the country’s music from the 'golden era' of the 60s and 70s, through to the modern day. Alongside his brother, Paulo Sergio Valle, they have penned a huge catalogue of classic songs, not just for themselves but for other greats such as Elza Soares, Astrud Gilberto, Claudia to name a few.
‘Braziliance!’ takes things back to the early heady days of Marcos’ career with the bright and optimistic sound of Rio's Bossa Nova scene. It includes an instrumental version of ’Crickets Sing For Anamaria’ or 'Os Grilos’ in Portuguese, which would also be re-recorded with
vocals. Though only in his early twenties at the time, ‘Braziliance!’ depicts very sophisticated production for a musician so young. Recorded in 1966, produced by Louis Oliveira and Ray Gilberts with arrangements by the very talented Emir Deodato, the album was released on Warner Bros. Records. The artwork presents a very clean-cut, wholesome looking Marcos but darker things were around the corner for Brazil. The ‘Tropicalica’ movement was on its way and about to shake thighs up both musically and politically. Unlike some of his Bossa Nova contemporaries, Marcos continued to stay relevant, surfing the changes and adapting to the musical developments that culture and society projected and needed, without comprising his art.
Under exclusive license to Light In The Attic Records & Distribution, LLC | Mr Bongo Records.

"Tattoo Woman" was originally released in 1965 and includes "Under My Skin", a favorite not only among calypso fans but also Ska and Reggae lovers! This is a calypso arrangement of Cole Porter's original song "I've Got You Under My Skin" and is truly a masterpiece! The album as a whole contains many wonderful pieces that convey the breath of calypso in its heyday! Please enjoy these two historical masterpieces by the god of calypso, Mighty Sparrow, together with "The Outcast", which will be released at the same time on analog LP!!