Christiane Legrand – Of Smiles And Tears / Le Brésil de Christiane Legrand (1971 / 1972)

Now for an obscure and wonderful album. I can’t give you any definitive details about the original LPs. According to the scarce information available on the internet, the album was issued by Philips in 1971 as Of Smiles And Tears, then again by AMI Records in 1972 as Le Brésil de Christiane Legrand. The album got reissued in 2001 by Universal Music Japan, named after the Philips version. Brazilian standards, sung by the great Christiane Legrand and backed by lush radio orchestra sounds. Wholeheartedly recommended.

Some more info on the tracks:
http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2011/11/cd-of-day-christiane-legrand-of-smiles.html

Great stuff.

The Gimmicks – Brazilian Samba (1970)

Another Brazilian gem, now down and reposted from a source I don’t remember (nlgbbbblth, I think). A delightful concoction of sugary easy pop with Brazilian influences, sooo turn-of-the-70s! The album exists in another version as well, with a different cover (see YouTube track).

02. Walk On By
05. Constant Rain (Chove Chuva)
12. Roda

Well, was about time for a new post!

Candeias – Candeias (1976)

Managua

A repost from lascintas.livejournal.com (link is down). Recorded in 1975 in the Argentinian Buenos Aires, and composed by Argentinian Guillermo Reuter, this sounds 110 % Brazilian. The album was published in 1976 on the French Disques Espérance label. It received a reissue in 1999 on the French Dare-Dare label. This album with its lush bossa fusion is one of the best Brazil grooves I have ever come across. The guitar player, Agustin Pereyra Lucena, is responsible for another great album with a similar sound, Ese Día Va A Llegar (1975).

Right down my alley!

Les Baxter Conducts 101 Strings (1970)

A Taste of Soul

One of the (at least) two records Les Baxter did with 101 Strings for Alshire Records. The other one is »Que Mango!«. For some reason, this seems to be the more popular one, although I think Que Mango! is the stronger one. »La La La« is a cover version of probably Bobby Sherman’s »La La La« from 1969. Some of the arrangements, however, are very different to the original song, and border on Jobim sublime. »Girl On The Boulevard« sounds like a theme for a charming maybe late-1950s comedy film. Indeed, I think there’s still something old-fashioned, 1950s-exotica-style about many of Les Baxter’s later works, along with elements of the respective time. »Bahia Blanca« is a wondrous piece of jet-set mood music with a Brazilian touch – it doesn’t get better than this. »A Taste of Soul« is probably the most popular track in general due to its strong groove elements.

Les Baxter is my man.