VERTÚ - Vertú (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Vertu is undeniably an ambitious project, certainly more so than most contemporary fusion projects. At the core of the collective are Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, the renowned rhythm section of Return to Forever; they're augmented by violinist Karn Briggs, keyboardist Rachel Z, and former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen, of all people. It's a wildly eclectic group of musicians, and they appropriately tackle all sorts of music, from straight-ahead fusion and post-bop to worldbeat and classical-tinged rock. Thanks to the fine musicianship of all involved, it's not nearly the mess that it could have been, but it's hardly an unqualified success, either. The main problem is the weird blend of songs and compositions. Vertu is basically divided between songs (only a handful of which feature Kotzen's strained bluesy vocals), which have one simple melody, and flowing, multi-layered, multi-sectioned compositions. In each case, they're graced by some truly extraordinary playing (laugh you may, but Kotzen is a gifted guitarist and it's a pleasure to hear him stretch out, instead of being confined to pop-metal), but the songs often are built around lame themes that feel like excuses for improvisations; even worse, those themes are often delivered with the tone and grace of a television commercial. Vertu is much better with "Topasio Es Puro Corazon" and "Danse of the Harlequin" -- opportunities to build fascinating contrasts in sound, both through themes and improvisations. These pieces, along with the plentiful solo sections in the flawed songs, have some great interplay that will certainly be of interest to fans of all the involved musicians. And if they're longtime fans of any of the members (especially Clarke, White, and Return to Forever), they'll realize that creative risks are often successful and flawed in equal measure, so they won't be discouraged by the awkward moments on Vertu. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist:
1 V-Wave 5:09
Composed By – Lenny White
2 On Top Of The Rain 7:40
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
3 Anoché 5:29
Composed By – Karen Briggs
4 The Call 7:21
Composed By – Lenny White
5 Topasio Es Puro Corazon, Part One 4:47
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
6 Topasio, Part Two 5:00
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
7 Danse Of The Harlequin 6:38
Composed By – Lenny White
8 Start It Again 4:10
Composed By – Richie Kotzen
9 Marakesh 5:35
Composed By – Karen Briggs, Lenny White, Rachel Z, Richie Kotzen, Stanley Clarke
Mastered By – Vlado Meller
Mixed By – John X
10 Toys 7:54
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
Credits:
Bass Guitar – Stanley Clarke
Drums – Lenny White
Guitar, Vocals – Richie Kotzen
Keyboards – Rachel Z
Violin – Karen Briggs

JOHN McLAUGHLIN / SHANKAR MAHADEVAN / ZAKIR HUSSAIN - Is That So? (2020) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Is That So? is a six-years-in-the-making collaborative album by guitarist John McLaughlin (who turned 78 a week before its release), Indian composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan, and tabla master Zakir Hussain. In 2013, McLaughlin was touring with Mahadevan in the revamped Shakti lineup. Completely blown away by the singer's voice, writing, and performance style, McLaughlin was eager to collaborate on something new. He'd had a career-long ambition to wed classical Indian raga to Western harmony. With Hussain in the original 1974 Shakti lineup, the band's music was acoustic and free of Western harmonic concepts, wrapped instead around Indo-jazz fusion.
This group experiments with form and function: They regard musicality as an expression of the sacred. McLaughlin's guitars sound like synthesizers throughout; they are not really solo instruments but harmonic companions for Mahadevan's singing. Hussain's tablas are completely improvised. Opener "Zakir," with its wafting string-and-synth-like sounds, is given heft via Mahadevan's amazing voice, phrasing, and control; it's at once spiritual, soulful, and free of earthly constraints. The integration of East and West is seamless and immediate, and it sounds like the trio has been recording this way for decades. "Tara" is an entreaty and paean to the deity Radha. It's a request to grant the supplicant musical ability for sacred reasons. It comes across as a long cue in a film score, but as McLaughlin constructs the sonic backdrop for Mahadevan's lyric as a sensual petition that not only extends but expands, and becomes entwined with, the musical backing. "The Search" is an Alap lyrical improvisation in a Raag Todi. An alap is the opening section typical in North Indian classical music performances; it's a melodic improv form that serves to create a foundation for the emergent raga. At nearly 11 minutes, it offers a long, moody intro before wafting guitar synth, droning tanpura, and Hussain's tablas establish a complex, slowly unfurling groove. It's alternately moody, earthy, and painfully tender. Closer "The Beloved," at over nine minutes, sounds -- at least initially -- like film music, with lush, harmonic guitar presented on the frontline alongside Mahadevan's almost unbearably beautiful singing. As erotic and sensory as it sounds to those who don't understand Hindi, it's actually a gorgeous prayer. The lyrics offer a fountain of emotionally free yet disciplined praise, affirmation, and petition; the ghostly guitars and rumbling tablas erect a lush harmonic floor that moves the tune in the direction of jazz, though it never fully arrives. McLaughlin's guitar synth peppers the tablas with quick, deft lines and tonal angles. Is That So? is a lovely yet radical and provocative departure for McLaughlin, and one he freely acknowledges longtime fans may not enjoy. It's easy to see his point, but an honest approach to this quietly astonishing music should result in delight for most open-minded listeners. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist:
1 Kabir 7:27
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
2 Sakhi 8:26
Zakir Hussain / Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
3 Tara 8:32
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
4 The Search 10:49
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
5 The Guru 7:08
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
6 The Beloved 9:25
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
Credits:

Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer [Guitar Synth], Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – John McLaughlin

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Voice – Shankar Mahadevan

Written-By – John McLaughlin (tracks: 1, 3 to 6), Shankar Mahadevan (tracks: 1, 3 to 6)

REMEMBER SHAKTI - Remember Shakti (1999) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Remember Shakti, jazz guitarist John McLaughlin returns to one of his chief inspirations -- classical Indian music -- by re-forming his '70s group Shakti. Original members Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) return, joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri (Indian flute). Remember Shakti has a more meditative, fluid feel than the percussive work of the original group, but McLaughlin's subtle, hypnotic guitar work bridges Shakti's past and present. Remember Shakti's double-disc length gives the group ample time to explore the intricacies of compositions like "The Wish," "Chandrakauns," and the hour-plus "Mukti." An emotionally rich, musically accomplished album, Remember Shakti reunites a unique group of players. by Heather Phares
Tracklist:
1-1 Chandrakauns 33:35
1-2 The Wish 18:40
1-3 Lotus Feet 7:33
2-1 Mukti 63:30
2-2 Zakir 9:10
Credits:

Bansuri – Hariprasad Chaurasia (tracks: 1-1, 1-3 to 2-2)

Ghatam – T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram (tracks: 1-2 to 2-1)
Guitar – John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-2 to 2-2)
Tabla – Zakir Hussain (tracks: 1-1 to 2-1)
Tambura [Tanpura] – Uma Metha (tracks: 1-1, 1-3)
Written-By – Hariprasad Chaurasia (tracks: 1-1, 2-1), John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-2, 1-3, 2-2)

REMEMBER SHAKTI - The Believer (2000) APE (image+.cue), lossless

When Eastern classical musicians and Western jazz or pop musicians get together to jam, the result are always heartwarming; two wildly disparate traditions coming together to make music is such an irresistible gesture of human unity and cross-cultural cooperation. What's not to love? Frankly, what's not to love is often the music itself, which all too frequently is long on multicultural good intentions and short on things like coherence, interest, and hooks. The intermittently mystical jazz guitarist John McLaughlin, who has been nursing an India jones for decades now, is hardly innocent of such offenses. But on The Believer, a live set featuring McLaughlin, electric mandolinist U. Shrinivas, kanjira and ghatam player V. Slevaganesh, and legendary tabla player Zakir Hussain, he delivers a gloriously tight, rhythmically thrilling program of original compositions (as well as one contribution each from Shrinivas and Hussain). The group is called Remember Shakti in reference to Shakti, the similarly configured band that McLaughlin co-led in the mid-'70s. If anything, his playing has grown more exciting than it was then; listening to him negotiate the thorny rhythmic changes of this music in unison with Shrinivas and to both of them bouncing off the complexly woven rhythmic patterns laid out by Hussain and Slevaganesh is not only impressive, but uplifting as well. Highlights include the downright funky "Anna" and Shrinivas' composition "Maya.". by Rick Anderson  
Tracklist:
1 5 In The Morning, 6 In The Afternoon 18:13
Written-By – John McLaughlin
2 Ma No Pa 14:56
Written-By – Zakir Hussain
3 Lotus Feet 7:06
Written-By – John McLaughlin
4 Maya 13:40
Written-By – U. Shrinivas
5 Anna 10:34
Written-By – John McLaughlin
6 Finding The Way 12:40
Written-By – John McLaughlin

REMEMBER SHAKTI - Saturday Night In Bombay (2001) APE (image+.cue), lossless

John McLaughlin brought his revived Indo-jazz project Shakti to Bombay (Mumbai) in late 2000, and the result is this live disc, which features only four compositions but runs over an hour in length. (The title is a deliberate play on 1980's Friday Night in San Francisco.) McLaughlin's electric guitar and Zakir Hussain's tabla remain at the core of the group's sound. U. Shrinivas (on mandolin) and V. Selvaganesh (on kanjira, ghatam, and mridangam, all Indian percussion instruments) remain from the previous album, but there are also a number of Indian guest musicians, giving the music many added dimensions. The most remarkable guests are Debashish Bhattacharya on Hindustani slide guitar, Shankar Mahadevan on vocals, and Shiv Kumar Sharma on santur, an Indian hammered dulcimer. Sharma composed the second track, "Shringar"; nearly half an hour long, it consists almost entirely of a hypnotic dialogue between santur and guitar. Mahadevan's vocal performance on the opening "Luki" resounds with spiritual power, while Shrinivas's "Giriraj Sudha" gives a sunny, optimistic lift to the somewhat mournful set. by David R. Adler
Tracklist:
1 Luki 5:39
2 Shringar 26:38
3 Giriraj Sudha 10:45
4 Bell'Alla 18:48
Personnel:

Guitar – John McLaughlin

Kanjira – V. Selvaganesh

Mandolin – U. Shrinivas (tracks: 1, 3, 4)

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Vocals – Shankar Mahadevan (tracks: 1, 3, 4)

CODONA - Codona (1979) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Their definitive debut. Walcot adds dulcimer and sanza, Nana Berimbau and cuica, Cherry on ethnic flutes. Side two is solid with Walcott's chant-like "Mumakata" and "New Light". Side one has an Ornette Coleman/Stevie Wonder medley. These three communicate. by Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist:
1 Like That Of Sky 11:07
Composed By – Walcott
2 Codona 6:14
Composed By – Walcott, Cherry, Vasconcelos
Colemanwonder (3:40)
3a Race Face
Composed By – Ornette Coleman
3b Sortie
Composed By – Ornette Coleman
3c Sir Duke
Composed By – Stevie Wonder
4 Mumakata 8:14
Composed By – Walcott
5 New Light 13:22
Composed By – Walcott
Credits:
Berimbau, Cuica, Percussion, Voice – Nana Vasconcelos
Trumpet, Flute, Lute [Doussn'gouni], Voice – Don Cherry
Design, Photography [Cover] – Frieder Grindler
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Sitar, Tabla, Dulcimer [Hammered], Mbira [Sanza], Voice – Collin Walcott

CODONA - Codona 3 (1983) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The third Codona album is a sublimely beautiful release. The silent stillness of the exquisite opening to "Goshakabuchi" gives way to seemingly not much more than wisps of vibration in the air, but then Don Cherry's trumpet enters in full cry and Collin Walcott's dulcimer and other stringed things lead into a bracing and exciting section driven by Nana Vasconcelos' various percussive devices. The whole record is kind of like King Crimson's Larks' Tongues in Aspic without the wattage and with a little more introspection, and is a joyously stunning last testament for Walcott, who died not long after these recordings were completed. by Bruce Eder
Tracklist:
1 Goshakabuchi  10:53
Arranged By – Codona
Composed By [Japanese] – Traditional
2 Hey Da Ba Boom 7:11
Written-By – Walcott
3 Travel By Night 5:47
Written-By – Walcott
4 Lullaby 3:32
Written-By – Walcott
5 Trayra Boia 5:17
Composed By – Denise Milan, Vasconcelos
6 Clicky Clacky 4:07
Written-By – Cherry
7 Inner Organs 9:17
Written-By – Cherry
Credits:

Berimbau, Percussion, Voice – Nana Vasconcelos

Cover – Moki Cherry
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Sitar, Mbira [Sanza], Dulcimer [Hammered], Tabla, Voice – Collin Walcott
Trumpet, Organ, Guitar [Doussn'gouni], Voice – Don Cherry

COLLIN WALCOTT - Cloud Dance (1975) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This is one of the gems of the ECM catalog, and a must own for any fan of Oregon, Walcott's other work, or the incredible band on this CD: John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette. Walcott's sitar and Abercrombie's fluid, singing guitar dance and exchange ideas over one of the greatest rhythm sections in jazz. This isn't an airy fairy "world beat" record – it's tight, lyrical, reflective music from four masters at the peak of their careers. It's a shame the late Walcott didn't record three more albums with this band. "Margueritte" and the title track are two of the most poignant melodies I know. Any fan of honest, exploratory, moody jazz should check this out. - by Stephen Silberman

Tracklist:

1. Margueritte - 8:33

(Walcott) 

2. Prancing - 3:24

(Walcott) 

3. Night Glider - 6:41

(Walcott)

4. Scimitar - 2:46

(Walcott-Abercrombie)

5. Vadana - 7:01

(Holland) 

6. Eastern Song - 2:35

(Walcott) 

7. Padma - 2:47

(Walcott-Abercrombie)

8. Cloud Dance - 5:47

(Walcott) 

Credits:

Collin Walcott - sitar, tabla

John Abercrombie - guitar

Dave Holland - double-bass

Jack DeJohnette - drums

STEVE ELIOVSEN / COLLIN WALCOTT - Dawn Dance (1981) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist:
1 Venice 6:34
2 Earth End 4:25
3 Awakening 1:24
4 Song For The Masters 3:42
5 Wanderer 3:05
6 Dawn Dance 8:04
7 Slow Jazz 4:39
8 Africa 5:39
9 Memories 2:11
10 Eternity 1:52
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Steve Eliovson
Percussion – Collin Walcott
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Written-By – Walcott (tracks: 3, 5, 10), Eliovson (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 10)

OREGON - Music of Another Present Era (1972) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Music of Another Present Era remains Oregon's most enduring masterwork. Achieving a perfect balance of musical traditions from the East and West, ancient to future, they set the stage not only for a new transculturalism in jazz, but also created a lasting template for the fusion of musics from world traditions that would flower over a decade later. The four participants in Oregon, oboist and pianist Paul McCandless, guitarist and pianist Ralph Towner, upright bassist and pianist Glen Moore, and the late multi-instrumentalist Collin Walcott, operated on the premise that melodic ideas and expansive harmonies all contributed to a music that didn't bridge cultures, but erased them and eradicated them. This is a place where the astute dynamics of classical music meet the freedom of post-bop jazz in an inquiry of world rhythms and harmonics. Standout tracks include "North Star," with its celebration of rural music and rhythmic invention; the up-tempo "Sail," which offers a killer trio of Walcott's sprinting tablas, Towner's frenetic 12-string playing, and Moore's inquiring bass; the intensely improvisatory "Shard/Spring Is Really Coming"; and the lilting "The Swan." This is fusion music, to be sure, but it's the kind of fusion musicians have been trying unsuccessfully to emulate for decades. Music of Another Present Era is one of the most poetic and groundbreaking records to be released in the 1970s. by Thom Jurek 
Tracklist:
1 North Star 5:54
2 The Rough Places Plain 3:14
3 Sail 4:32
4 At The Hawk's Well 3:09
5 Children Of God 1:09
6 Opening 5:32
7 Naiads 2:02
8 Shard / Spring Is Really Coming 3:29
8.1 Shard 0:29
8.2 Spring Is Really Coming 2:55
9 Bell Spirit 0:42
10 Baku The Dream Eater 4:22
11 The Silence Of A Candle 1:45
12 Land Of Heart's Desire 3:21
13 The Swan 3:51
14 Touchstone 5:55
Credits:
Bells – Collin Walcott (tracks: 9)
Classical Guitar – Ralph Towner (tracks: 1, 2, 10, 12, 13)
Double Bass – Glen Moore (tracks: 1, 6, 8.2, 10 to 14)
Electric Bass – Glen Moore (tracks: 3)
English Horn – Paul McCandless (tracks: 3, 11, 14)
Esraj – Collin Walcott (tracks: 10)
Flute – Glen Moore (tracks: 14)
Harmonica – Ralph Towner (tracks: 10)
Mellophone – Ralph Towner (tracks: 10, 14)
Mridangam – Collin Walcott (tracks: 8.2, 14)
Oboe – Paul McCandless (tracks: 1, 6, 7, 8.1, 9, 10, 12 to 14)
Percussion – Collin Walcott (tracks: 3, 10, 14)
Piano – Collin Walcott (tracks: 5, 8.1), Glen Moore (tracks: 4, 7), Ralph Towner (tracks: 1)
Reeds – Paul McCandless (tracks: 5)
Rhythm Guitar – Collin Walcott (tracks: 3)
Sitar – Collin Walcott (tracks: 2, 10, 11)
Tabla – Collin Walcott (tracks: 1, 6, 10, 12, 13)
Twelve-string Guitar – Ralph Towner (tracks: 3, 5, 6, 8.1, 10, 11, 14)
Violin – Glen Moore (tracks: 5, 8.1)

CHARLIE BYRD / HERB ELLIS / MUNDELL LOWE - The Return of the Great Guitars (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first recording by the Great Guitars in over a decade has a change in personnel. A serious stroke had ended Barney Kessel's career, but Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd were still very much active. Fellow veteran guitarist Mundell Lowe took Kessel's place, and as a wild card, on eight of the 13 selections the versatile Larry Coryell is heard on fourth guitar. With fine backup by bassist John Goldsby and drummer Tim Horner, the guitarists swing hard on a variety of bop and swing-oriented tunes including "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "A Smooth One," "The Lady in Red," and "Seven Come Eleven," in addition to some more recent originals.  by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Things Ain't What They Used to Be 4:50
Mercer Ellington / Ted Persons
2 When Lights Are Low 4:13
Benny Carter / Spencer Williams
3 A Smooth One 4:27
Charlie Christian / Benny Goodman
4 My Funny Valentine 5:11
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
5 The Lady in Red 4:22
Mort Dixon / Allie Wrubel
6 Soft Winds 3:49
Benny Goodman
7 Bernie's Tune 4:23
Jerry Leiber / Bernard Miller / Mike Stoller
8 I Remember You 4:42
Johnny Mercer / Victor Schertzinger
9 Waltz for Wes 4:29
Terry Holmes
10 Seven Come Eleven 4:34
Charlie Christian / Benny Goodman
11 Billy Bean! 4:27
Larry Coryell
 12 Nigh Roby Getaway 4:32
Mundell Lowe
13 On the Trail 4:44
Ferde Grofé

PAQUITO D' RIVERA - Portraits of Cuba (1996-2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Because Paquito D'Rivera is such a compelling improviser, one greets a heavily arranged and orchestrated session like Portraits of Cuba with some apprehension. But as it turns out, such apprehension is unwarranted, for the Cuban saxman/clarinetist still has enough room to solo and say what needs to be said. With this 1996 session, which was arranged and conducted by Carlos Franzetti and finds D'Rivera backed by combinations of up to 14 musicians, D'Rivera envisioned an Afro-Cuban equivalent of Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain -- and, to be sure, there are some parallels. Franzetti's classical-influenced arrangements recall Gil Evans' work with Davis, and D'Rivera paints an orchestral jazz picture of Cuba much as Davis painted an orchestral jazz picture of Spain. The key phrase here is "jazz picture" -- D'Rivera approaches famous Cuban songs like Ignacio Pineiro's "Echale Salsita" and Ernesto Lecuona's "Como Arrullo de Palmas" from an instrumental jazz perspective; this is jazz with both Afro-Cuban and classical elements, but it's jazz first and foremost. Recorded in New York around the time of the infamous Blizzard of 1996 -- which dumped up to three feet of snow on parts of the Northeastern U.S. -- Portraits of Cuba is among D'Rivera's most essential recordings. by Alex Henderson 
Tracklist:
1 La Bella Cubana 5:19
Written-By – Jose White 
2 The Peanut Vendor 4:38
Written-By – M. sunshine, M. Simmons, W. Gilbert
3 Tu 5:34
Written-By – Eduardo Sanchez De Fuentes 
4 Tu Mi Delirio 6:31
Written-By – Cesar Portillo De La Luz
5 No Te Importe Saber 5:41
Written-By – Rene Touzet 
6 Drume Negrita 4:18
Written-By – Ernesto Grenet
7 Portraits Of Cuba 5:04
Written-By – Paquito D'Rivera
8 Excerpt From "Aires Tropicales" 0:48
Written-By – Paquito D'Rivera
9 Mariana 5:30
Written-By – Carlos Franzetti
10 Como Arrullo De Palmas 3:22
Written-By – Ernesto Lecuona
11 Echale Salsita 5:05
Written-By – Ignacio Pineiro 
12 Song To My Song 5:22
Written-By – Paquito D'Rivera
13 Theme From "I Love Lucy" 3:32
Written-By – E. Daniel, H. Adamson
Credits:
Paquito D'Rivera – Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone
Carlos Franzetti – Arranged By, Conductor 
Gustavo Bergalli – Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Andres Boiarsky – Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Tenor)
Thomas Christensen – Flute, Sax (Tenor)
John Clark – French Horn
Dario Eskenazi – Piano
Lawrence Feldman – Flute, Sax (Alto)
David Finck – Bass
Allison Brewster Franzetti – Piano
Bob Millikan – Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Dick Oatts – Flute, Sax (Tenor)
James Pugh – Trombone
Roger Rosenberg – Bassoon, Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone)
Pernell Saturnino – Percussion
Lew Soloff – Flugelhorn,  Trumpet
David Earl Taylor – Trombone (Bass)
Diego Urcola – Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Mark Walker – Drums

IRAKERE - Misa Negra (1987-1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Irakere has been heralded as one of the best big bands in the world. Propelled by a driving rhythm section and potent horn section, this Cuban band won the Latin Grammy Awards in 1979 and 1980. On this 1986 recording, the band sinks its collective teeth into a few originals, including the 17-minute, four-part title track, as well as a cover of Dave Brubeck's "El Duke." In his liner notes, Luis Tamargo states: "The vigor of Irakere lies within each individual performer, and there are no weak loops in the band's musical chain." by Roundup Newsletter
Tracklist:
1 Concierto para Metales 8:47
2 Misa Negra 17:05
3 Samba para Enrique 6:08
4 El Duke 8:54
Credits:
Bass – Carlos del Puerto
Congas – Jorge Alfonso
Drums – Enrique Plá
Guitar – Carlos Emilio Morales
Percussion – Oscar Valdes
Piano, Keyboards – Chucho Valdés
Saxophone, Flute – Carlos Averhoff, Germán Velazco, José Luis Cortés
Strings – Stuttgarter Symphoniker (tracks: 2)
Trumpet – Jorge Varona, Juan Mungula

CHICO O' FARRILL - Cuban Blues : The Chico O' Farrill Sessions (1996) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For any and all Latin jazz collectors, casual or serious, this is a fabulous deal, for it gathers together no less than six exceedingly rare Chico O'Farrill Clef and Norgran 10" albums, plus one under Machito's name, onto a slimline two-CD set. It will also come as a revelation to anyone who might scoff at anything associated with the 1950s mambo craze, for these discs reveal O'Farrill as a sophisticated, even daring arranger/composer who reached beyond merely providing a beat for dancers. Many of these charts -- whether for the brief, dance-oriented Latin numbers; ultra-familiar standards like "Malaguena" and "The Peanut Vendor"; or jazz tunes -- are loaded with intricate figures and striking harmonies obviously gleaned from classical study, all crisply executed with a brash, shiny edge by his Afro-Cuban groups and bands staffed by American jazzmen. Occasionally, he even conjures a delicate, classical ambience from a number like "Angels' Flight" (named after Los Angeles' legendary downtown funicular). The apotheosis of O'Farrill's experiments are his two full-blown, groundbreaking Afro-Cuban jazz suites. The first features Flip Phillips and the redoubtable Charlie Parker as soloists within the Machito band, and the second is even bolder in its zigzag journey through the classical, Latin, and jazz camps. Yet for all of his erudition, O'Farrill never forgets to ask for madly percolating Afro-Cuban grooves from his rhythm teams -- which clinches the deal for any Latin music fan. by Richard S. Ginell 
Tracklist 1:

1 Avocadoes 2:43

Composed By – Marco Rosales, Sylvia Rosales
2 Taboo 2:52
Composed By – Margarita Lecuona
3 JATP Mambo 2:46
4 Duerme 2:45
Composed By – Gabriel Luna de la Fuente, Miguel Prado
5 Almendra 2:38
Composed By – Abelardo Valdés
6 The Disappearance 2:56
7 Cuban Blues 3:05
8 Sin Titulo 2:27
Composed By – Pepi del Río, Rojas Berríos, Valencia Castro
9 Dance One 3:14
10 Bright One 2:34
11 Flamingo 3:36
Composed By – Edmund Anderson, Theodor Grouya
12 Last One 2:54
13 Tierra Va Temblá 3:01
Composed By – Mariano Merceron
14 Vamos Pa La Rumba 2:39
Composed By – Delgrado
15 Mambo Korula 3:07
Composed By – Bobby Escoto, Chico O'Farrill
16 Frizilandia 2:27
Composed By – Beque
17 Peanut Vendor (El Manisero) 2:33
Composed By – Moises Simons
18 Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good) 2:48
Composed By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
19 Malagueña 3:14
Composed By – Ernesto Lecuona
20 Castígala 3:12
Composed By – Bobby Escoto
21 The Second Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite 16:46

Tracklist 2:

1 Havana Special 3:03

2 Carioca 3:05
Composed By – Edward Eliscu, Gus Kahn, Vincent Youmans
3 Fiesta Time 3:16
4 Heat Wave 3:35
Composed By – Irving Berlin
5 It Ain't Necessarily So 3:14
Composed By – DuBose Heyward, George & Ira Gershwin
6 Guess What 2:57
7 Cry Baby Blues 2:49
8 Lamento 2:39
Composed By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
9 You Stepped Out Of A Dream 2:35
Composed By – Gus Kahn, Nacio Herb Brown
10 Cachita 2:34
Composed By – Rafael Hernández
11 Rumbonsito 2:18
12 Te Quiero Dijiste 2:21
Composed By – Maria Grever
13 Siboney (Orig. Canto Siboney) 2:48
Composed By – Ernesto Lecuona
14 Angel's Flight 2:27
15 Tres Palabras 2:26
Composed By – Osvaldo Farrés
16 No Te Importe Saber 2:18
Composed By – René Touzet
17 Vaya Con Dios 2:57
Composed By – Buddy Pepper, Inez James, Larry Russell
18 Pianarabatibiri 2:20
19 L.A. Mambo 2:11
20 Quiéreme Mucho 2:28
Composed By – Gonzalo Roig
21 More Mambo 2:50
22 Mambo For Bunto 2:13
23 Botellero 2:39
Composed By – Gilberto Valdés
24 Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite 17:14
Performer, Featuring – Machito & His Afro-Cubans
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Chico O'Farrill
Performer – Chico O'Farrill And His Orchestra

BEBO VALDÉS & JAVIER COLINA - Live at the Village Vanguard (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bebo Valdés has been one of the giants of Cuban music since the 1950s, though he has lived in Stockholm since the early '60s. This live recording, his very first, was made in 2005 over several nights at the Village Vanguard, with Valdés at the age of 86. The pianist's powerful left hand makes it superfluous for him to have a percussionist; his sole accompanist is bassist Javier Colina, a gifted partner who weaves intricate lines with Valdés. Though the music is dominated by Cuban rhythms, this live CD is hardly one-dimensional in scope. Valdés' rhythmic composition "Con Poco Coco" works in quotes from "Old Devil Moon" and "Salt Peanuts." His dramatic rendition of the standard "Yesterdays" is pure mainstream, with a few flourishes added, while his lovely setting of Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby" is very playful. Of course, the bulk of the disc focuses on Latin gems, including a lighthearted take of Ernesto Lecouna's "Andalucía" and a sauntering version of Lecouna's "Siboney." If there had been room in the packed nightclub, the audience would have likely been up dancing to the lively "Bilongo," though they do chant the lyrics along with the musicians. Highly recommended. by Ken Dryden

Tracklist:

1 Con Poco Coco 6:29

2 Sabor A Mi 3:34

3 Ritmando El Cha-Cha-Cha 5:50

4 Rosa Mustia 6:28

5 Andalucia 2:29

6 Siboney 4:11

7 Tres Palabras 2:41

8 Aquellos Ojos Verdes 3:54

9 Bilongo 5:48

10 Si Te Contara 4:30

11 Bebo's Blues 4:44

12 Yesterdays 4:15

13 El Manisero 5:26

14 Waltz For Debby 4:48

Credits:

Double Bass – Javier Colina

Piano – Bebo Valdés

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB PRESENTS (1997-2004) 4CD / APE / FLAC (image+tracks+.cue), lossless

Buena Vista Social Club Less a band than an assemblage of some of Cuba's most renowned musical forces, Buena Vista Social Club's origins lie with noted American guitarist Ry Cooder, who in 1996 traveled to Havana to seek out a number of legendary local musicians whose performing careers had largely ended decades earlier with the rise of Fidel Castro. Recruiting the long-forgotten likes of singer Ibrahim Ferrer, guitarists/singers Compay Segundo and Eliades Ochoa, and pianist Rubén González, Cooder entered Havana's Egrem Studios to record the album Buena Vista Social Club; the project was an unexpected commercial and critical smash, earning a Grammy and becoming the best-selling release of Cooder's long career. In 1998 he returned to Havana with his son, percussionist Joachim, to record a solo LP with Ferrer; the sessions were captured on film by director Wim Wenders, who also documented sell-out Buena Vista Social Club live performances in Amsterdam and New York City. (Wenders' film, also titled Buena Vista Social Club, earned an Academy Award nomination in 2000.) The public's continued interest in Cuban music subsequently generated solo efforts from Segundo and González, as well as a series of international live performances promoted under the Buena Vista Social Club aegis. A concert CD, At Carnegie Hall, drawn from the same triumphant show that Wenders featured in his documentary, was released in 2008 -- a few years after the deaths of Segundo, Ferrer, and González. In the spring of 2015, Nonesuch/World Circuit released Lost and Found, a collection of unreleased tracks from the 1996 Egrem and 2000 recording sessions, as well as live tracks. A group containing some of the original members called Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club continued to tour, and their farewell tour took place that year.   by Jason Ankeny

 Buena Vista Social Club (1997)

This album is named after a members-only club that was opened in Havana in pre-Castro times, a period of unbelievable musical activity in Cuba. While bandleader Desi Arnaz became a huge hit in the States, several equally talented musicians never saw success outside their native country, and have had nothing but their music to sustain them during the Castro reign. Ry Cooder went to Cuba to record a musical documentary of these performers. Many of the musicians on this album have been playing for more than a half century, and they sing and play with an obvious love for the material. Cooder could have recorded these songs without paying the musicians a cent; one can imagine them jumping up and grabbing for their instruments at the slightest opportunity, just to play. Most of the songs are a real treasure, traversing a lot of ground in Cuba's musical history. There's the opening tune, "Chan Chan," a composition by 89-year-old Compay Segundo, who was a bandleader in the '50s; the cover of the early-'50s tune "De Camino a la Verada," sung by the 72-year-old composer Ibrahim Ferrer, who interrupted his daily walk through Havana just long enough to record; or the amazing piano playing on "Pablo Nuevo" by 77-year-old Rubén González, who has a unique style that blends jazz, mambo, and a certain amount of playfulness. All of these songs were recorded live -- some of them in the musicians' small apartments -- and the sound is incredibly deep and rich, something that would have been lost in digital recording and overdubbing. Cooder brought just the right amount of reverence to this material, and it shows in his production, playing, and detailed liner notes. If you get one album of Cuban music, this should be the one. by Steve McMullen   
Tracklist
1 Chan Chan 4:18
2 De Camino A La Vereda 5:03
3 El Cuarto De Tula 7:25
4 Pueblo Nuevo 6:06
5 Dos Gardenias 3:04
6 ¿Y Tú Qué Has Hecho? 3:15
7 Veinte Años 3:31
8 El Carretero 3:30
9 Candela 5:29
10 Amor De Loca Juventud 3:23
11 Orgullecida 3:19
12 Murmullo 3:51
13 Buena Vista Social Club 4:52
14 La Bayames 2:54
Credits
Musician – Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés, Barbarito Torres, Benito Suarez Magana, Carlos González, Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa, Ibrahim Ferrer, Joachim Cooder, Juan de Marcos Gonzàlez, Julienne Oviedo Sanchez, Julio Alberto Fernandez, Luis Barzaga, Lázaro Villa, Mañuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal, Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, Omara Portuondo, Orlando "Cachaíto" López, Rubén González, Salvador Repilado Labrada
Producer – Ry Cooder
FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Buena Vista Social Club Presents : Ibrahim Ferrer (1999)

When the Buena Vista Social Club album was released to great acclaim in 1997, it revived the careers of quite a few incredibly talented aging Cuban musicians. Like Ibrahim Ferrer, most of those musicians (who had been legendary in the '40s through the '70s) hadn't been performing professionally in decades. With the success of the Buena Vista Social Club, everything changed; they toured the globe, and plans for follow-up albums followed. Ibrahim Ferrer's was the second of what became a line of Buena Vista releases, all hoping to cash in on the success of the first. Ferrer's album is pleasant, the kind of album you could put on during brunch on a sunny morning. The album features many classic Cuban compositions. Original arrangers, musicians, and bandleaders were involved whenever possible. One standout is "Mami Me Gusto," a rolling upbeat tune by the legendary Cuban composer/bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez. On that tune Ferrer is lively and loose, and he is joined by Rodriguez's original pianist, the masterful Ruben Gonzales. The rest of the album is nice, but rarely as inspired or joyous as the original Buena Vista release. This is a much more romantic sounding album and on the right tunes, like "Aquellos Ojos Verdes," they really hit the mark; Ferrer shines and Gonzales sends glistening piano lines cascading down the keys. At age 63-plus, Ferrer was long overdue for a debut album, and as a result the disc communicates a feel of easy satisfaction. If you're looking for classy cocktail party music that will hold the attention of music fans, and won't bother the uninterested, look no further.  by David Lavin   
Tracklist
1 Bruca Maniguá 4:44
2 Herido De Sombras 4:11
3 Marieta 5:51
4 Guateque Campesino 5:06
5 Mamí Me Gustó 5:04
6 Nuestra Ultima Cita 3:56
7 Cienfuegos Tiene Su Guaguancó 5:20
8 Silencio 4:35
9 Aquellos Ojos Verdes 4:51
10 Qué Bueno Baila Usted 4:35
11 Como Fue 3:33
Credits
Conductor – Juan De Marcos González
Featuring [With] – Babarito Torres, Eliades Ochoa, Ibrahim Ferrer Jr., Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, Omara Portuondo, Orlando 'Cachaito' López, Pio Leyva, Rubén González, Ry Cooder, Teresa Garcia Cartula
Producer – Ry Cooder
APE (image+.cue), lossless

Buena Vista Social Club Presents : Omara Portuondo (2000)

A beautifully executed and produced album by Omara Portuando, the only woman to appear on the original Buena Vista Social Club recordings. Portuando, who is one of Cuba's most acclaimed musicians and a featured performer at the Tropicana, has shown here that, at 70, she still possesses the qualities that helped develop her stardom on her native island. This recording, which covers a variety of traditional musical styles, from son to guajira to bolero, makes it easy to see why critics have called her the Edith Piaf of Cuba and "The Fiancée of Feeling." The style, especially on the second track, "He Perdido Contigo," evokes a nostalgic, old-fashioned sentiment, and the songwriting is classic. Featured performers include Rubén González on piano, Eliades Ochoa and Compay Segundo on guitar, and a full string section including Angel and Arelis Zaldivar. The performances are lively and tight, creating an album that feels nearly perfect. A full set of liner notes, including English translations of all of the lyrics, makes the album even more accessible.  by Stacia Proefrock
Tracklist  
1 La Sitiera
Guitar – Eliades Ochoa
Written-By – Rafael López
2 He Perdido Contigo
Guitar – Eliades Ochoa
Written-By – Luis Cardenas, María Teresa Vera
3 ¿Dónde Estabas Tú?
Written-By – Ernesto Duarte
4 Mariposita De Primavera
Claves – Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés
Written-By – Miguel Matamoros
5 Canta Lo Sentimental
Guitar, Arranged By [Co] – Manuel Galbán
Vibraphone – Roger Beaujolais
Written-By [Lyrics] – Y. De La Fuente
Written-By [Music] – Urbano Gómez Montiel
6 Ella Y Yo
Arranged By – Francisco Repilado
Clarinet – Haskell Armenteros, Rafael Lázaro Inciarte
Guitar – Benito Suárez, Compay Segundo
Vocals – Pío Leyva
Written-By – Oscar Hernández
7 No Me Vayas A Engañar
Written-By – Osvaldo Farrés
8 No Me Llores Más
Tres – Gilberto 'Papi' Oviedo
Vocals – Ibrahim Ferrer
Written-By – Arsenio Rodríguez
9 Veinte Años
Written-By [Lyrics] – Guillermina Aramburu
Written-By [Music] – María Teresa Vera
10 El Hombre Que Yo Amé (The Man I Love)
Translated By – Humberto Suárez
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
11 Siempre En Mi Corazón
Arranged By – Juan De Marcos González
Bongos – Carlos González
Written-By – Ernesto Lecuona
Credits
Alto Saxophone [Solo] – Panteleón Sánchez
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Javier Zalba
Backing Vocals – Dania Valdés, Teresita Garcia Caturla, Xiomara Valdés
Baritone Saxophone – Ventura Gutiérrez
Bongos – Filiberto Sánchez
Cello – Arelis Zaldivar, Roy Avila Serrano
Claves, Backing Vocals – Lázaro Villa
Congas – Angel Terry Domech
Double Bass – Orlando "Cachaíto" López
Guiro – Roberto García
Maracas – Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés
Tenor Saxophone – Antonio Jiménez, Carlos Fernández, Rafael "Jimmy" Jenks
Timbales – Amadito Valdés
Trombone – Antonio Leal
Trombone [Solo], Backing Vocals, Conductor – Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos
Trombone, Conductor, Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – Demetrio Muñiz
Trumpet – Alejandro Pichardo, Daniel Ramos, Yanko Pichardo
Trumpet [Solo] – Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Yaure Muñiz
Viola – Angel Zaldivar, José Marón, Rafael Cutiño, Roberto Herrera
Violin – Aeyoth Marichal, Ariel Sarduy, Augusto Diago, Gerardo Garcia , Hugo Cruz, Humberto Legat, Julián Corrales, Pedro Depestre González, Rogelio Martínez
Vocals – Omara Portuondo
FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Buena Vista Social Club Presents : Manuel ''Guajiro'' Mirabal (2004)

The 1997 runaway smash BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB is the gift that keeps on giving. In the wake of the album's success, a number of its key performers, including Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer, released solo albums, and in 2005, trumpeter Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal added his name to that distinguished list. Like his cohorts in the Buena Vista project, Mirabal embodies the musical traditions of Cuba, specializing in classic conjunto, with traces of mambo, rhumba, and bolero in the mix. At the time of this recording, Mirabal's first solo album, he was 71 years old.

Though Mirabal has played in countless orchestra and ensemble since the '40s, and has likely run through the entire Afro-Cuban repertoire in that time, this album is devoted almost exclusively to the music of pioneering Cuban visionary Arsenio Rodriguez. Rodriguez cast the die for modern salsa conjunto, and the instrumentation Mirabal chooses--three trumpets, piano, tres, guitar, percussion, and a rotating roster of lead and backing vocalists--is a classic conjunto configuration. Mirabal evokes the sound of a '40s Havana dancehall, and the playing is superb, with danceable polyrhythms, impassioned vocals, and plenty of dazzling brass work. This is another score for BUENA VISTA fans. by AllMusic 
Tracklist
1 El Rincón Caliente 4:46
2 Para Bailar El Montuno 4:17
3 Deuda 5:22
4 El Reloj De Pastora 3:49
5 Me Boté De Guaño 4:24
6 Mi Corazón No Tiene Quien Lo Llore 3:16
7 Tengo Que Olvidarte 4:37
8 Canta Montero 4:12
9 Chicharronero 4:09
10 No Vuelvo A Morón. Las Tres Marias. Apurrúñenme Mujeres Medley 5:03
11 Dombe Dombe 2:16
FLAC (tracks), lossless

JOHN KAIZAN NEPTUNE / TAKÉDAKÉ - TakéDaké with Neptune : Asian Roots (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Probably the best words to describe John Kaizan Neptune are explorer and adventurer. Almost all the instruments used in TakéDaké are bamboo-only instruments of Neptune's own creation: baliphone (bamboo marimba), bambass, bamboo drum set, bamboo conga, bamboo frame drum, and, of course, shakuhachi. To that are added some other instruments from Bali, Vietnam, and more. TakéDaké in fact means "bamboo only." The music itself is as much an exploration as the instruments themselves. For example, the melody of the first piece "Ocean Motion" is based on a Japanese five-tone folk scale, the 12/8 rhythmic groove is African and it is accompanied by a Vietnamese torung. Two pieces are distinctly Balinese and Javanese in character. The other pieces have Japanese, Korean, Cambodian, African, and other influences. Quite a melting pot, but quite an adventure. Something to satisfy for the best musical travelers. by Bruno Deschênes
Tracklist:
1 Ocean Motion 6:00
2 In The Hollow 5:49
3 Jegoging 3:53
4 Java 5:55
5 Korea Idea 4:44
6 Japanese Roots 7:33
7 Five Nodes 7:39
8 Uduboo 5:45
9 Parting Paths 2:25
10 Sky And Sand Way 4:05
11 Angklung Journey 3:52
12 Angklung Journey
Credits:
Congas [Bamboo], Percussion – Yoshinori Nohmi
Drums [Bamboo Drum Set] – Mark DeRose
Frame Drum [Bamboo], Percussion – Christopher Hardy
Performer [Baliphone] – Hitoshi Hamada
Performer [Bambass] – Yoshihiko Katori
Shakuhachi – John Kaizan Neptune

EDÚ LÔBO - Missa Breve (1973-1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Strength and weakness of Edu Lobo, the level of complexity of his compositions and his arrangements which can give the impression of a music a bit intellectual touch far from the purified canons of Samba and Bossa Nova. Missa Breve (1973) is part of an extremely interesting MPB / Jazz Fusion lineage symbolized by the superb title "Porto do Sol" which commutes between Jazz and Samba. The first two songs on the album, "Vento Bravo" and "Viola Fora De Moda" are also very successful. With Missa Breve, Edu Lobo proves once again that he is a great composer and performer of high quality. "Zanga, Zangada" is a nice Bossa Nova tune punctuated by Paulo Moura's saxophone. Note the presence in the staff of the Caymmi brothers, Dori and Danilo. The second part of the album is a little less interesting with "bizarre" mystical tunes like "Kyrie" with the Quarteto Em Cy, "Libera Nós" e "Oremus". Missa Breve is a good quality album, a bit uneven nevertheless, but which confirms the immense talent of Edu Lobo by D. Deret

Força e fraqueza de Edu Lobo, o nível de complexidade de suas composições e arranjos que podem dar à impressão de uma música um toque um pouco intelectual, longe dos cânones purificados do samba e da bossa nova. Missa Breve (1973) faz parte de uma linhagem MPB / Jazz Fusion extremamente interessante, simbolizada pelo excelente título "Porto do Sol", que se alterna entre Jazz e Samba. As duas primeiras músicas do álbum, "Vento Bravo" e "Viola Fora De Moda" também são muito bem-sucedidas. Com Missa Breve, Edu Lobo prova mais uma vez que ele é um brilhante compositor e intérprete de alta qualidade. "Zanga, Zangada" é uma bela música da Bossa Nova, pontuada pelo saxofone de Paulo Moura. Observe a presença na equipe dos irmãos Caymmi, Dori e Danilo. A segunda parte do álbum é um pouco menos interessante com músicas místicas "bizarras" como "Kyrie", do Quarteto Em Cy, "Libera Nós" e "Oremus". Missa Breve é ​​um álbum de boa qualidade, um pouco desigual, mas que confirma o imenso talento de Edu Lobo
Tracklist:
1 Vento Bravo 3:37
Alto Saxophone – Paulo Moura
Backing Vocals – Danilo Caymmi, Dori Caymmi (2), Fernando Leporace
Baritone Saxophone – Aurino
Bass – Novelli
Drums, Congas – Rubinho 
Piano – Tenório
Trombone – Maciel
Trumpet – Mauricio
Vocals – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo, Paulo César Pinheiro
2 Viola Fora Do Moda 2:49
Backing Vocals – Fernando Leporace
Bass – Novelli
Drums – Rubinho 
Flute, Backing Vocals – Danilo Caymmi
Vocals, Guitar, Percussion – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo, José Carlos Capinan
3 Porto Do Sol 5:02
Bass – Novelli
Drums – Rubinho 
Electric Piano – Tenório Jr.
Guitar – Nelson Angelo
Percussion – Danilo Caymmi
Vocals, Guitar, Percussion – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo, Ronaldo Bastos
4 Zanga, Zangada 3:08
Alto Saxophone – Paulo Moura
Bass – Novelli
Drums – Rubinho 
Vocals, Guitar – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo, Ronaldo Bastos
5 Dois Coelhos 2:00
Vocals, Guitar – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo, Ruy Guerra
6 Kyrie 4:30
Backing Vocals – Cynara, Cyva, Danilo Caymmi, Dorinha, Ruy, Soninha
Bass, Backing Vocals – Fernando Leporace
Drums, Percussion – Rubinho 
Organ – Dom Salvador
Piano – Tenório Jr.
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo
7 Gloria 5:10
12-String Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Nelson Angelo
Backing Vocals – Cynira, Cyva, Dorinha Tapajós, Ruy, Soninha 
Bass, Backing Vocals – Fernando Leporace
Drums – Rubinho 
Flute, Backing Vocals – Danilo Caymmi
Organ – Dori Caymmi  
Percussion – Tenório Jr. 
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo 
8 Incelensa 3:50
12-String Acoustic Guitar, Percussion – Nelson Angelo
Bass, Backing Vocals – Fernando Leporace
Drums – Rubinho  
Flute, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Danilo Caymmi
Vocals, Guitar – Edu Lobo
Written-By – Edú Lôbo, Ruy Guerra
9 Oremus 2:14
Organ – Tenório Jr.
Voice – Milton Nascimento
Written-By – Edú Lôbo
10 Libera-Nos 3:42
Backing Vocals – Cynara, Cyva, Danilo Caymmi, Dorinha, Fernando Leporace, Ruy, Soninha
Bass – Fernando Leporace
Drums – Rubinho 
Piano – Tenório Jr.
Written-By – Edú Lôbo
Credits:
Conductor – Mario Tavares
Directed By [Musical Director] – Maestro Gaya
Orchestrated By – Edu Lobo