David Byrne's eye-opening Brazilian collections introduced many of us to the wealth of Brazilian popular music available. Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim were staples at my house, but these anthologies, seemingly randomly assembled, were really instrumental in expanding my love of all things Brazilian. Gal Costa, Maria Bethania (more on her work soon), Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, Milton Nascimento, and more -- yes, this could be titled "Now That's What I Call Duh!" but at the time, it was a revelation, and still a great beginning for newbies.
I wasn't too impressed with Putumayo's earliest collections, but in the last 10 years, they've put together some of my very favorite CDs, and not just in the field of Brazilian music. "Brasiliero" is mostly upbeat, with a good match of older and newer artists, and "Brazilian Cafe" continues the mood. "Samba Bossa Nova" is a more traditional sounding collection, with all the romance that seems to be the hallmark of the Portuguese language, and "Brazilian Lounge" --- well, it seems that everyone has put out a lounge collection, but again, Putumayo ups the ante with this fantastic collection, Brazilian to the core with subtle contemporary touches. Another favorite!
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