Review: Mr Bongo are enacting a thorough revisiting of some of the very best soul, funk, MPB and boogie gems to stud their catalogue over the years; at this rate, the tagline "back by popular demand" has become a motto. This careful pairing of mutually constitutive Hanna and Almir Ricardi tunes made up the label's 54th release. 'Daixa Radar' comes first as the initial "rediscovery" of DJ Koco, whose Brazil 45's mix was the functional tipoff. Ricardi's 'To Parado Na Tua' is a similar midtempo boogie cut, produced by the legendary duo of Lincoln Olivetti and Robson Jorge, whose singularly timbral slap-drums are to die for.
Review: The Brazil45 series has always been pure gold and now come a pair f beauties from Harmony Cats, a vocal quintet-turned-trio from Sao Paulo known for their disco-era hits. Harmony Cats' 'Theme' from 1976 is their most recognised track outside Brazil and is inspired by Rhythm Heritage's Barretta's Theme with its spacey breakbeats, lush vocals and percussive flair, all of which have made it a true crossover classic. On the B-side, 'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' delivers an exuberant Brazilian twist on The Jacksons' 'Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)'- it's a guaranteed floor-filler with radiant disco energy and Harmony Cats' signature vocal style.
Review: There have now been almost 100 hundred entries on Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series and as far as we can tell not one of them has been a dud. This time they opt for a big and airy soul sound from The Harmony Cats. They were an all female vocal quintet that hailed from Sao Paulo and banded together in 1976. Most prolific in the disco days, the b-side here is their best known tune outside of Brazil. It's got a cosmic breakbeat and light vocals that soar to the skies. A-side 'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' is a just as sweet sound that transports you to Latin America in an instant.
Ronaldo Reseda - "E Novamente Mas Que Nada" (5:19)
Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti - "Ginga" (2:57)
Review: The 65th volume in Mr Bongo's admirable Brazil 45s series shines a light on Rio De Janeiro's turn-of-the-'80s boogie scene. On the A-side you'll find "E Novamente Mas Que Nada" by Ronaldo Resado, a five-minute chunk of samba-laced boogie sunshine that was originally featured on the artist's eponymous 1979 debut album. While wonderful, it's slightly overshadowed by flipside cut "Ginga", one of the highlights from Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti's sought-after 1982 full-length (which, incidentally, was recently reissued by Mr Bongo and is well worth checking). Joining the dots between synth-heavy electrofunk, horn-toting disco-funk and languid jazz-funk, the instrumental track is arguably one of the best Brazilian boogie records ever made. Don't sleep.
Review: For the latest volume in their ongoing Brazil 45s series, Mr Bongo has decided to change tack. The two tracks showcased here are from the golden age of Brazilian boogie. On the A-side you'll find Marcos Valle's "A Paraiba Nao E Chicago", a largely overlooked cut from his 1981 full-length Vontade De Rever Voce. While not as instantly as infectious as some of his better-known singles, it's still superb; a breezy, blue-eyed soul cut full of rising horns and sweet Portuguese vocals. On the B-side, you'll find Don Beto's 1978 disco-funk jam "Nao Quero Mais", a superb track that was seemingly inspired by the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Running".
Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti - "Aleluia" (3:52)
Review: Two silky sides of Brazilian disco soul on Mr Bongo's perennial Brazil 45s series. First up, long-haired lothario samba fusionista Marcos teams up with Leon Ware for a pristine polished piece of early 80s disco funk. Golden harmonies, staccato vocals and a super juicy bassline; it's not hard to see why it was his best selling single. Flip for the equally smooth "Alleluia" from Brazilian boogie gospelist; this one is all about the percussion heavy breakdown. Proper sunshine block party business.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.