Latin | Brazil 217 Items

We are celebrating the 100th release in the Brazil45 series with a massive track. The enticing and exotic samba 'Redondo Sambão' is pure Brazilian fire. With beautiful female vocal-group arrangements, floating flutes and vibrating rhythms, this song oozes charm. Its only downside being that it is over far too soon. Originally released in 1967 on a compact 7" on the Som Maior imprint, to our knowledge, the group sadly only had a couple of releases.

'Brasileiro' is taken from Jorginho Telles' self-titled 1971 album and also featured on a 7", both released on Copacabana Records. The track switches between a hoarse male vocal crooner and a rough and raw psych-guitar, RnB dancer: totally magic!

Jorge Ben is surely one of the world’s greatest all-round musical artists. He is internationally renowned and vastly influential as a vocalist, musician, performer and phenomenal songwriter. Famed for penning ‘Taj Mahal’, which was the source for Rod Stewart’s ‘Do You Think I’m Sexy?’, and also ‘Mas Que Nada’, one of Brazil’s most iconic anthems, Jorge Ben is a powerful musical force. A simple glance at his impressive back catalogue reveals a master of his craft, with a depth and quality that is seldom paralleled.

For 'Tudo Ben' we take a side-step, focusing on Jorge Ben’s songs that have been performed by other artists. Complied by Mr Bongo, Greg Caz and Sean Marquand, this collection features the Brazilian legends Elza Soares, Claudette Soares, and Wilson Simonal, alongside prodigious artists such as Marijô, Os Brazoes, and Doris Monteiro to name but a few. The selection covers a wide range of genres including samba, bossa nova, MPB and batacuda workouts. Many of the songs featured have become staples in Mr Bongo DJ sets over the years and are some of our most loved classics. As with many of history’s great songwriters, Jorge Ben’s songs transcend genres and styles, they can be covered and reinterpreted, yet the quality of the writing holds up to the standard of the original.

In the dark days of the mid to late 2000s when the end of vinyl seemed inevitable, Mr Bongo released 'Tudo Ben' on CD only. Years later, we finally get to put this right and present it for the first time on vinyl with alternative artwork by Mr Krum.

Lucas Arruda’s born in 1983, in a Brazilian state called Espírito Santo, near Rio de Janeiro. Coming from a musical family (his dad and older brother are musicians) he started playing and listening to music very young. At the age of 13, he was also playing professionally already. After studying electric guitar and playing in various bands, Lucas passion quickly turned into Rhodes and keyboards, expanding his musical range of skills. At the same time he started a project called Du Black, with his older brother Thiago, quickly receiving various local support from people like Ed Motta, William Magalhães (Banda Black Rio), Robert Lamm (Chicago) or Hyldon (Brazilian soul legend). From the growing notoriety obtained, the band began to work with various other artists and singers such as Tamy Macedo, or Bossa Nova’s legend, Leila Pinheiro, leading Lucas to build a recording studio with Thiago in 2011. Now 2 years after he launched this home-studio, here comes “Sambadi”, first solo album by Lucas Arruda! On this recording he also started to team up with Fabricio di Monaco (Modo Solar), who clearly became a fundamental piece, as Lucas relates: “Fabricio introduced me to Pascal Rioux at Favorite Recordings, as they released his EP few years ago. He’s a brilliant musician and a great human being.” In Lucas’ words, Sambadi is highly inspired by Rio de Janeiro. As for the musical side, the album almost sounds like a tribute to his longtime heroes like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Marcos Valle, Azymuth, or Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. And Lucas also humbly concludes: “I really hope to honor all the guys who influenced me.”

It comes as no surprise to discover we are massive fans of Marcos Valle here at Mr Bongo, but this forgotten and obscure gem from the Brazilian maestro has proven to remain elusive to us until very recently.

'Girassol' is a lost Brazilian-boogie stunner from 1983. It was originally released as an ultra-rare promo only 7”. Composed by Marcos Valle, Paulo Sérgio Valle and Ribeiro José Francisco, this all-too-short nugget (under 2 minutes) was recorded and pressed on the Valle, Ribeiro & Associados Ltda. imprint for Rede CB De Supermercados. It was a promotional item to be distributed to customers of a supermarket chain as a gift. Due to not having any conventional distribution channels this resulted in the 7" becoming a slippery customer to find.

It’s a smooth AOR / Brazilian boogie joint with an uplifting chorus. The vibe is reminiscent of the much loved ‘Estrelar' era of Marcos Valle’s glorious recording career, and certainly one for fans of the Lincoln Olivetti, Robson Jorge production sound.

The Coastal Invasion’ highlights the golden age of big band cumbia and the maestro who is often seen as Colombia’s most influential composer, Lucho Bermudez. This compilation contains a selection of the music of Lucho Bermúdez y su Orquesta recorded during the years that they lived and worked in Medellín, probably the best work the orchestra ever recorded.

(Clássicos Em Vinil) Reissue on 180 Gram vinyl. A mad mix of loud guitar, wild samples, and heavy Brazilian percussion – all nicely topped with the soulful vocals of Chico Science!The record's one of the group's earlier ones, and it's filled with a sense of raw power and experimentation that easily demonstrates why the band grabbed so much attention so quickly.

(Clássicos Em Vinil) 180gr vinyl. Lovely work from Marisa Monte – perhaps a bit sweeter than some of her earlier stuff, but pretty darn catchy, and with some excellent production by Arto Lindsay!

Deluxe Gatefold Vinyl 2LP, 12 page booklet with liner notes, lyrics in Spanish / English, and rare photographs from that era). This compilation brings together 24 iconic songs from that era, with a focus on the theme of love songs (A + B side) as well as social political songs (C + D side), highlighting the emotions that this music brought to the popular working classes of Lima, nationwide and the diaspora. More than 30 years later, these songs continue to resonate like the mirror of a country that was reborn but this time is looking at itself and its own identity.

From the mid-1960s onwards, there was a unique moment of fusions in Peruvian culture brought about by Andean migration from the countryside to the city which gave rise to adaptations and intercultural mixing. The culture and music they brought created the powerful genre of Andean tropical cumbia, via electric instruments and arrangements along with modern, popular pop sounds, creating a legacy that is alive to this day. Musical revolutions are often born from the people. Peruvian “chicha” cumbia is the music born in the "barrios bajos” (slums), alleys, hills and the peripheries of Lima on the coast and cities on the edge of the Andes mountains in the late 70’s and 80’s. The true new Peruvian sound was not played with folk instruments but with guitars and timbales. In the 60’s and 70’s Peruvian tropical music was characterized by psychedelic hybridity and instrumentals for mass delight, by the mid-70s the appearance of a "class consciousness" and therefore a subaltern narrative. “Chicha” is perhaps the genre that has most emphasized its pride in being proletariat, itinerant, provincial and hardworking.

Founded in Lima by Juan Campos Muñoz, a businessman, dreamer, and also a lover of music, Discos Horóscopo was a label company on the margins of the official Peruvian music industry. Learning the ins and outs of capitalism in the 80’s was hard because it was the decade where the wildest neoliberal policies and the most extreme Maoist sendero luminosa revolt began simultaneously. On Juan Campos’s end, it was the moment to initiate this new venture of Chicha music, which would allow Chicha to emerge symbolically (and then economically) to a new social class composed mostly of migrants, landless peasants, and proletarians without a factory.

Between 1977 and 1987, the Discos Horóscopo label produced the largest wave of Andean tropical cumbia in the world; Chicha, a reference to the fermented alcoholic drink from the Andes. The label was filled with contemporary icons such as Chacalón y La Nueva Crema, Los Shapis, Pintura Roja, Los Ovnis, Grupo Alegría and other groups which today still have a cult status in Peru and beyond. Together they created a unique style with the capacity to talk about both love and uprooting, unemployment, struggle of classes, internal violence and impossible loves.

With the intention of celebrating the music of Yma Sumac and continuing to spread her legacy, Ellas Rugen Records reissues on vinyl one of the highest points of her career: "Legend of the Sun Virgin", recorded in 1952 in the United States by Capital Records. The production, which she signed with her husband and close collaborator, the composer Moisés Vivanco, reflects the exotic proposal of Sumac, a pioneer in World Music and a true ambassador of Peruvian culture in the world. True to the spirit of this new record company, the vinyl has been carefully edited and it includes unpublished photos from Sumac's personal archive, an informative text written by renowned historian Carmen McEvoy and a state-of-the-art sound remastering. In addition, through the pre-sale, which has already started through BandCamp, collectors will be able to access a limited edition that includes a colored vinyl. With this, Ellas Rugen Records begins its journey with the aim of reclaiming and giving a new life to the great Latin American artists of the second half of the 20th century. In addition to Sumac’s reissue, the label already has its next releases in process, which will focus on iconic singers from Venezuela and Mexico. “Due to the lack of cultural preservation policies and the negligence of small record labels from the 60s, 70s and 80s, a lot of our musical legacy is being lost. The current low profitability of these projects means that large companies forget productions that still have a lot to contribute. This is why this label aims to honor these artists by reissuing, revaluing and bringing their best productions to new generations”, says Jalo Nuñez del Prado, music producer, founder and director of Ellas Rugen Records.

The latest release in the much loved Mr Bongo Record Club Series, Available on CD, 2LP Standard Vinyl & Special Edition 2LP Pink Translucent Vinyl. Curating the tracks for a Mr Bongo Record Club compilation is always such a pleasure. At a time when the expression "Music is My Sanctuary" has an even greater cathartic impact for many people, we set out to make this volume an extra special one - like an old favourite mixtape or playlist. For Volume 4 in this series we continue in the same mould as with previous editions, selecting current favorites and rare lost gems from the Brazilian, African, soul, funk, and disco genres. We present tracks from artists such as Azwon, Cindy & The Playmates, and Zé Roberto to name just a few. However, one main departure and progression to this edition is the first time inclusion of recordings by contemporary artists. These come from Matthew Tavares (of Badbadnotgood fame), Wax Machine, and DJ Format & The Simonsound, which were originally featured on either limited private press vinyl releases or were previously only available digitally. We felt their inclusion was important and wanted to share these wonderful discoveries with a wider audience. They also complement, enrich, and fit perfectly with the flow and journey of the compilation. Here at Mr Bongo we hope you will enjoy this selection of seventeen eclectic songs (in tempo and style) as much as we do, whether they make you move your feet, take you on a trip somewhere, or trigger a happy memory.

Les Ya Toupas is a band formed in 1976 by Bopol Mansiamina (Bass - Success Mode, 4 Stars ..), Manuaku Waku (aka Grand Zaiko Wawa) and Ray Lema (Piano, Organ and Guitar) Between 1976 and 1978, they recorded several 7inches including the famous title “Je ne bois pas beaucoup” (1976) compiled on the series of Sofrito (Tropical Discotheque ) in 2011. In 1978, they recorded this unique and unclassifiable instrumental album, Les Ya Toupas du Zaïre, produced by Gérard Akueson (founder of Akue Records and Abeti's producer). The LP is composed of minimalist Afro Jazz rhythms and Deep Funk grooves that are close at times to a tropical trance, all played by musicians who used to offer more classic Rumba rhythms. It is their only album before the departure in 1979 of Ray Lema for the United States and then France. Ray Lema's departure follows a violent disagreement which opposed him to the dictator Mobutu then in place in Zaïre. Let's not forget that the album was released in 1978 and can be seen as their last musicial project.

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.

High Quality pressing in vintage silk screen sleeve. Fiestas is an ultra catchy foxtrot by the Colombian clarinet player and ar-ranger Ricaurte Arias.This American-style swing spiced up with a layer of Colombian sauce is an irresistible ear worm that takes the concept of smoothness to another level. Definitely the foxiest of all foxes.

This is a 180 gram pressing. An obscure bit of Brazilian folk rock from the early 70s – recorded with an easygoing, laidback style that's really wonderful!

This is a 180 gram pressing re-issue made in Brazil.

A warmly intimate album from Joao Gilberto – one that has the singer and guitarist in the same special space as his wonderful albums from the early 70s - a bit more sophisticated than the bossa years, but equally personal throughout!

The release comes on 180g vinyl. 3 of Brazil's most important artists of the past 10 years team up in this Tribalistas project – a genre-blurring set of tracks that recalls similar efforts of the Tropicalista generation,updated to reflect the styles of the 3 artists involved, with some nice complicated production touches from Monte herself. Titles include "Carnavalia", "La De Longe", "O Amor E Feio", "Passe Em Casa", "Velha Infancia", and "Ja Sei Namorar".

This reissue is on 180g vinyl. An incredible album from Lo Borges, one of the best singer/songwriters on the Brazilian scene of the 70s.

Three major players from the now multi-generational broken beat scene: Henry Wu, Dego (2000black) and IG Culture have assembled for an irresistible late summer bruk-samba trip. Brazilian rhythms have always been foundational influences on the broken-beat and future jazz movements, and this EP continues to explore these connections, a running theme throughout Far Out's 23 year history with Seiji, Mark Pritchard, Afronaught, Domu, Da Lata and Jazzanova being just a few of the names to have contributed to this particular avenue of the label's pantheon of dance music.

This instalment follows on from our acclaimed ‘Volume One’ – Lauren Laverne’s ‘Compilation Of The Week’, supported by the likes of Disclosure, Jeremy Underground, Horsemeat Disco, Hunee and Laurent Garnier. ‘Volume Two’ picks up where the last one left off — with a touch more soul and disco — records we’ve been spinning in our DJ sets and on the radio show of the same name, that inspired this series.

Compiled by David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle and Gareth Stephens, plus a few personal favourites from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila and Graham Luckhurst.

TRACKLIST, VINYL 2-LP: A1. Elbernita ‘twinkie’ Clark – Awake O Zion (full length, original version) / A2. Dee Edwards – Put Your Love On The Line / A3. Anubis – Ecology / B1. Guy Cuevas – Ebony Game / B2. Kiru Stars (Julius Kang’ethe) – Family Planning / B3. Teaspoon & The Waves – Oh Yeh Soweto / C1. Leny Andrade – Não Adianta / C2. Rosa Maria – Samba Maneiro / C3. Tom & Dito – Obrigado Corcovado / C4. Inezita Barroso – Maracatu Elegante / C5. Joao Diaz – Capoeira / C6. The Equatics – Merry Go Round / D1. Elias Rahbani And His Orchestra – Liza… Liza / D2. The Beaters – Harari

Brazilian mid tempo boogie double header. We’ve been playing these two out for the last couple of years and they are firm favourites.
‘E Novamente Mas Que Nada’ is the opening track from Reseda’s 1979 album on Som Livre. An ultra catchy vocal hook, boogie guitars and synths lead into a piano and cuica breakdown and horns to finish. One of the finest in the genre in our opinion.
‘Ginga’ is taken from Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti’s self-titled masterpiece, reissued on Mr Bongo. Arguably the most immediate and club friendly track from the album, it always turns heads. Another premium example of Brazilian boogie from the masters of the sound and producers for the likes of Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more.

Limited to 500 copies.

Winston ‘Shadow’ Bailey (born 4 october 1941) is a calypsonian from Trinidad and Tobago. He was born in Belmont, a suburb of Port of Spain in Trinidad, but grew up in Les Coteaux, Tobago, with his grandparents. He began to sing at a very early age and he wanted to be a singer although his grandfather told him he must be a lawyer. We are very proud to start a collaboration with the living legend. Since february 2016, we have spoken a lot with him to explain our reissue project and also with his son. Unfortunatly he is now very old and very sick and a few months ago he was hospitalized. He's now better with the care from his family and he received help from his friend to manage his musical rights. So we start with this awesome album ‘Sweet Sweet Dreams’ originally released in 1984 in Trinidad and Tobago. This LP is a mix of disco, funk, reggae, electronic and soca music with the monster cosmic disco dancefloor killer tune "Lets Get It Together". TheVinylFactory call it "The holy grail of Shadow albums". We will release more musical gems from the Mighty Shadow in the future.Stay tuned.

This is 180g vinyl. A great step forward for the legendary Tim Maia – working here in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before – yet still equally filled with funk and soul.

This is 180g vinyl. One of the funkiest records ever from Brazilian soul legend Tim Maia – and a set that also has him singing a bit of English language lyrics too.

This LP comes on 180g vinyl. Far Out Recordings presents the peerless and criminally undervalued Quartin catalogue, beginning with the reissue of Jose Mauro’s forgotten masterpiece ‘Obnoxious’.

Deep', also known as 'Oh Poor Me' is a mid-tempo latin soul/boogaloo from singer Quetchy Alma aka La Lloroncita. Taken from the very rare LP ‘El Sol Brilla Para Todos’ on Tico.

'Identify Yourself' is a stone cold Nu Yorican funk/soul hit. Drum heavy, huge horns and punchy Rhodes lines. Taken from their self-titled LP on Vaya, released in 1974.

Edson Frederico double featuring tracks from his sought after and VERY pricey ‘Edson Frederico E A Transa’ LP.

‘Tava Mas Nao Tava’ is a psychedelic boogie-samba fusion with 4/4 drums and traditional rhythms alternating throughout.

‘Bobeira’ is a jazzy samba-MPB workout, with bubbling rhodes, layered backing vocals, horns, percussion and whistles.

Previously unreleased on 7”.

‘Barumba’ is an uptempo funk-jazz monster with heavy drums and piano right from the off. Soaring horns add to the drama. Originally released on his self titled LP on CBS Brazil in 1974. ‘Morre o burro, Fica o Homem’ is the third Osmar Milito track to feature in our Brazil 45’s series. A classic samba-rock track; funk drums fills and punchy horns underpin the MPB vocals, building in tempo slightly over the track. The song was originally written by Jorge Ben. Taken from his expensive and hard to find ‘Nem Paletó, Nem Gravata’ LP released on ATCO Brazil in 1973.

Polysom Brazil vinyl LP repress import, released in 1969.

The b-side wins again! Sampled to fame by Madlib for the mighty Madvillain album!

Never been released on a 7” before!

2 more brazilian dancefloor fillers, never before released on 45!

3 more brazilian choice cuts, issued on 7" wax for the 1st time.

(Pressed to vinyl for the first time, 2LP gatefold, 180 gram pressing, Manufactered by Polysom (Brazil), Produced by Arto Lindsay, arrangements by maestro Arthur Verocai (Strings) and trombonist Antonio Neves (Horns), Special guest appearances by Jorge Drexler, Seu Jorge, and Flor)"Portas" easily showcases Marisa's ability to blend together a diverse range of genres with a style and smoothness that only comes from the expertise she has gathered throughout her celebrated career. 

The next release in the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics series, is one of Juan Pablo Torres' most-known and loved albums, the iconic Super Son from 1977. A wonderful record of tripped-out rumbas, psych-Afro-Latin funk and quirky orchestrated tracks with a big band horn section courtesy of Torres’ band, Algo Nuevo.

As well as being the director of Algo Nuevo and Cuban all-star ensemble Estrellas De Areito, the trombonist, bandleader, arranger and producer also released a wealth of albums under his own name predominately on the state-owned imprint Areito/EGREM.

Post-revolution, there was a contrast in Cuba’s musical world. State censorship was at play, but professional musicians were on the government payroll which gave them an artistic freedom. Experimentation emanated in the ‘70s and ‘80s and Super Son is a prime example of that. ‘Y Que Bien' kicks off the album taking you down a tripped-out, cosmic rabbithole, psych guitars and skat vocals opening up into a joyful funk groove laced with jazzy Afro-Cuban horns stabs. Tracks such as 'Pastel En Descarga' seem to come out of nowhere and are completely unique. Fuzzed-up guitar lines and percussion lay the groundwork, with those jubilant horns adding to the energy of this forever building track.

Elsewhere, there’s the ‘70s TV theme-tune feeling of 'Con Aji Guaguao', a playful funk number that boils and bubbles with blistering trombone playing by Torres. Or ‘Son A Propulsión' and ‘Son Riendo’, two more brilliant examples of psychedelic funk, wrapped up in a blanket of Afro-Cuban rhythms. The former sweeping you up in rushes of wind as trumpets, trombones and distorted guitars trade off, the latter, an intergalactic fiesta of tradition and exploration.

Super Son is up there as one of the funkiest Cuban records around, a playful fusion of ideas from a producer, player and group on fine form and, for us, one of our favourite gems to come out of Cuba in this period. A sheer masterpiece.

Curating and ordering the tracks for a Mr Bongo Record Club is always special. You’re reminded of the feelings you had when sitting at home with a cassette player on pause trying to compile the perfect mixtape to impress the latest object of your affection, or that friend with whom you share a musical kinship and spark off each other’s latest discoveries. Hearing old tracks for the first time or diving into the most upfront selections keeps the fires burning and passions alight.

Here, for volume six, we present recent finds and treasured classics from Brazil, Sweden, the USA, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada. We have included selections by the Brazilian rising star Dora Morelenbaum as well as from heritage-Brazilian musicians and vocalists Haréton Salvanini, Copa 7, and Mirna. There’s also the wonderful Brazilian-not-Brazilian take of 'Ye Me Le' by Hazel Scott And The Braza Brasil, plus sublime gospel from the New York Community Choir. We’ve picked disco and soul rarities by General Lee and Ash Soul, Inc., and for the first time on vinyl, an incredible psych-pop song by the illustrious Matthew Tavares. There are cuts from some of our favourite contemporary Swedish musicians, Sven Wunder and Dina Ögon too.

This compilation is packed full of gems that are plucked from differing times and spaces, but somehow all gel together beautifully. We hope you love them too.

Sim Sim Sim' is the Latin Grammy award-winning debut album from Bala Desejo. A band who are at the forefront of Rio de Janeiro’s artistic renaissance, they channel influences of Brazilian 60s Tropicália, 70s psychedelia and MPB to create a nostalgic, yet joyfully, avant-garde sound.

The band is comprised of four distinct characters, each one an incredible talent in their own right and each with impressive credentials in the Brazilian Independent music scene. Central to the resurgent Rio de Janeiro musical community, the quartet of Dora Morelenbaum, Julia Mestre, Lucas Nunes and Zé Ibarra thrive in a group dynamic. They formed Bala Desejo to play collaboratively for a festival date in 2021, but when that show became a victim of pandemic shutdowns the idea for an album project materialised.

'Sim Sim Sim’, which translates into English as ‘Yes Yes Yes’, weaves through a fusion of genres, taking twists and turns as it progresses. There is Tropicália, MPB, rock, samba-canção soul-funk and reggae in the mix. It possesses many of the qualities of a classic album from Brazilian music’s golden era of the 60s and 70s, but also manages to sound very now, which is not an easy task to pull off. As solo musicians, they have worked and collaborated with Brazilian icons Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimento to name but a few. Bala Desejo feels like a natural extension of what came before, taking the baton from these luminaries, adding their unique spin and moving the sound forward.

When we first heard Bala Desejo, we were blown away. Their epic theatrical live shows leave audiences stunned and they are the band we had always been hoping to find. A modern-day Novos Baianos or Mutantes, but definitely not an imitation. They celebrate their influences, but are an innovative group, and consequently, they have created one of the finest records to come out of Brazil in recent years. A truly sensational debut!