Vinicius de Moraes was the principal lyricist of Bossa Nova, (Girl from Ipanema, Chega de Saudade and Insensatez are amongst the famous international hit songs he wrote with Tom Jobim), and Os Afro-Sambas is his response to the commercialisation of the movement by the mid-sixties.

Co-written with the brilliant Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell and eventually released in 1966, these eight songs combine Powell’s melodic gifts with Bahian folk traditions and Gregorian chant. With the joyous vocalisations of Quarteto Em Cy, the atmosphere is at once haunting and spontaneous. The music hasn’t even begun to date. Recorded at a time when musicians around the world were looking to break down barriers – between classical and pop, East and West – but the Afro-sambas appear to recognise no such barriers in the first place.

Os Afro-Sambas is an absolute stunner. One of the most exquisite pieces of Brazilian music ever recorded, it is combined on this edition with the intimate, irresistible, A Vontade, Baden’s most successful solo LP of the period and one of his finest achievements.

TRACK LISTING:

1. CANTO DE OSSANHA
2. CANTO DE XANGÔ
3. BOCOCHÊ
4. CANTO DE IEMANJÁ
5. TEMPO DE AMOR
6. CANTO DO CABOCLO PEDRA PRETA
7. TRISTEZA E SOLIDÃO
8. LAMENTO DE EXU
9. GAROTA DE IPANEMA
10. BERIMBAU
11. O ASTRONAUTA
12. CONSOLAÇÃO
13. SORONGAIO
14. SAMBA DO AVIÃO
15. SAUDADE DA BAHIA
16. CANDOMBLÉ
17. CONVERSA DE POETA
18. SAMBA TRISTE