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“Compiled by former Talking Head David Byrne and released in 1989, with liner notes and translations by Arto Lindsay, Beleza Tropical documents a New York hipster's first infatuation with the rich, deep, and varied spectrum of Brazilian popular music from the rebellious '70s. There are better Brazilian anthologies, but none so clearly assembled in order to counter the received opinion of Brazilian music as lightweight bachelor-pad fluff (although Milton Nascimento, with his beautiful high tenor, sometimes comes close). Caetano Veloso (whose magnificent “Terra” is itself worth the price of admission) and Gilberto Gil are remarkable lyricists whose music is influenced as much by the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of northern Brazil as by the Beatles. Jorge Ben contributes a pair of highfalutin yet funky soccer songs, Chico Buarque is at his most uncompromisingly poetic, and Nazare Pereira taps deep into Brazilian folklore”. Richard Gehr (Editorial Review, Amazon.com)

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“Inspired by hard-lit and science fiction, Zé’s tick-tocking sambas and comforting cançãos range from the painfully touching to the inscrutably conceptual." - www.luakabop.com

"It's one thing to say, 'Let's make a record that captures the feeling of a live concert,' but another to actually do it," according to guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli. But Pizzarelli and his trio, pianist Ray Kennedy and bassist brother Martin Pizzarelli, did their damnedest - recording without headphones and in close surroundings. "The atmosphere was one of a living-room jam session," says John. "I hope that everyone who has applauded and supported us in concert will feel that this record captures some of the directness and spontaneity, the joie de vivre and vitality of that experience."
--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

"Excellent CD for those who likes percussion instruments played by a group of talented musicians, all of them with years of music studies in Conservatories. This CD includes aditional to traditional songs as "GUANTANAMERA", a cadenced mix of CONGAS, titled "POPURRI DE CONGAS", a typical Cuban rhythm. This is not simply another Cuban Music CD, because rhythms are played by professionals who knows Cuban Music with an excellent instruments mastery." -- customer review, amazon.com

“Inspired by hard-lit and science fiction, Zé’s tick-tocking sambas and comforting cançãos range from the painfully touching to the inscrutably conceptual." - www.luakabop.com

“Jobim has been described as the Gershwin of Brazilian music, which is an apt title for a man who contributed so many original songs to the jazz repertoire, adding a few standards along the way. Those who were inspired to follow his work after 'The Girl From Ipanema' may have picked up Wave, his most well-known solo record, but may have overlooked Stone Flower, a markedly better effort. The drippy strings on the former record brought out the quiet romanticism of the melodies, but makes the album sound dated today. Stone Flower marks a fresher approach, using musicians from the CTI stable, but don't be misled by the personnel into thinking that Jobim has wandered into soul jazz. The quietly sensual melodies and beguiling bossa nova rhythms are as bewitching as ever, with Laws, Carter, and Green added sensual textures in the background. The title track says it all: Jobim on electric piano, heavily reverbed as if it was recorded underwater, with violin and trombone providing a warm tropical breeze overhead. No one could write bossa nova tunes as well as Jobim, and the songs on Stone Flower easily rank with his best work. Stone Flower is a fantastic record of quiet intensity.” – David Rickert, allaboutjazz.com

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Product Description The Great Diva from Bahia is Back with this Superb Album Paying a Tribute to a Very Special Friend, Great Maestro and Composer Tom Jobim. - Editorial review, Amazon.com

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Recorded live, De akí a Ketama, propelled the band to fame in Spain. It counts with top-notch participants: Potito, Chonchi, Antonio Canales, Juañares, Antonio Vega, Antonio Carbonell, Aurora, Amara Carmona and Antonio Flores, who was to die shortly afterwards. The record spent over a year in the hit parade and sold over half a million copies, confirming their position as the great stars of New Flamenco. It received the prize for the best album in the Ondas awards. - www.esflamenco.com

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“Tom ze, the brilliant Brazilian Tropicalia member, has always marched to the beat of his own drummer, and in doing so has created some of the most amazing music to ever come from Brazil. (or anywhere else)” – Sean (Chesterfield, Virginia, United States), Amazon.com

ANJO DE MIM is a Brazilian popular music (MPB) collection by famous Brazilian singer-songwriter Ivan Lins. Special guests include Cesar C. Mariano, Vania Bastos, Boca Livre and Meninos de Sao Caetano.

“One of the first of Luaka Bop's many fine South American and Caribbean collections, Dancing With the Enemy features a fertile mix of modern, son-derived cuts made in Cuba during the ‘60s and ‘70s. The collection ranges from the classic acoustic-folk sound of Maria Teresa Vera's "Es No Es Na" and the vintage rumba stylings of Chapottin y Sus Estrellas' "La Guarapachanga," to the rock-inspired boogaloo and pop of Orquesta Revés' "Fifí, Teté y Popó." Also featuring choice mambo, descarga, and tipica sides, this 16-track disc will no doubt please students of modern Cuban music with credits that include Latin music innovators like Los Van Van, Celeste Mendoza, and Orquesta Riverside. Along with other important Luaka Bop compilations in the Brazil Classics series, Cuba Classics 2: Dancing with the Enemy is an essential record for fans of international music”. – Stephen Cook, All Music Guide

“Ten years after Beleza Tropical Volume 1 turned the world on to the popular music of Brazil (MPB), along comes volume 2 to bring us up to date. The first volume did a great job covering the 1960s and '70s; volume 2 does an equally impressive job in focusing on the late '80s and the '90s. The MPB scene is as vibrant as ever. Elder voices of the movement like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Sergio Mendes have recently put out some of the best work of their careers, and you'll find wonderful examples of that here. The new generation of MPB stars are also amply represented – Marisa Monte, Daniela Mercury, the late Chico Science, Moleque de Rua, Os Paralamas Do Successo, and others all contribute excellent work. The songs incorporate the technological changes of the past decade and meld elements of rock, jazz, funk, reggae, and African music with the rich traditions of Brazil. The result is music that is coherent, edgy, and creatively compelling. This compilation is very well sequenced, so that it doesn't sound like a hodgepodge of styles, but instead flows flawlessly from tune to tune. – Jeff Grubb (Editorial Review, Amazon.com)

“Compiled by former Talking Head David Byrne and released in 1989, with liner notes and translations by Arto Lindsay, Beleza Tropical documents a New York hipster's first infatuation with the rich, deep, and varied spectrum of Brazilian popular music from the rebellious '70s. There are better Brazilian anthologies, but none so clearly assembled in order to counter the received opinion of Brazilian music as lightweight bachelor-pad fluff (although Milton Nascimento, with his beautiful high tenor, sometimes comes close). Caetano Veloso (whose magnificent “Terra” is itself worth the price of admission) and Gilberto Gil are remarkable lyricists whose music is influenced as much by the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of northern Brazil as by the Beatles. Jorge Ben contributes a pair of highfalutin yet funky soccer songs, Chico Buarque is at his most uncompromisingly poetic, and Nazare Pereira taps deep into Brazilian folklore”. – Richard Gehr (Editorial Review, Amazon.com)

“Now That's What I Call Music II or Now 2 was released in 1984. The album is the 2nd edition of the (UK) Now! series.”.... Now That's What I Call Music! (often shortened to Now!) is a long-running series of various artists compilation albums released in the United Kingdom by Polygram/EMI/Virgin Records; spinoff series were later started in the United States and elsewhere. ("Now That's What I Call Music", Wikipedia)