Roberto Menescal was not only a respected and widely interpreted songwriter but a seminal guitarist, and the
Pure Bossa Nova collection summarizes both rather neatly (though briefly). Roughly half of the 14-track collection features instrumentals by
Menescal's group, which often included
Luís Carlos Vinhas, João Mário, Henrique, and
Bebeto. The rest are vocal versions of
Menescal songs by
Elis Regina,
Sylvia Telles,
Lúcio Alves, and others. ~ John Bush