This Brazilian double-disc collection retraces the
Tamba Trio's career from 1962 to 1968, the years were they first made their mark and became an enduring part of the Brazilian musical pantheon. The sequencing on this set is odd in that it is assembled from the point of view of aesthetics and gives no quarter to chronology. Therefore, the smash 45 version of "Desafinado" by
Tom Jobim from 1968 opens the set while the group's first single, "O Amor que Acabou" from 1962, is near the end of disc two. None of this matters, however, as the 28 cuts included offer a stunning portrait of the band's first seven years. All of the
Tamba Trio's 45s are present from the period, as are choice album selections. Versions of "Bwerimbau" from 1964 and "Moca Flor" from 1963 are juxtaposed against "Quem de Bera" and "Agua de Berber" from 1966 and 1968, respectively, and the beautiful, even stunning reading of
Marcos Valle's "Sohno de Maria" and
Edú Lobo's "Reza" are almost worth the price alone. There are no weak or even average moments included on this stellar collection. Given that this relfects the
Tamba Trio before any personnel changes, listeners can reflect on just how visionary and uncannily consistent the band was. This is a set that should be available in America. ~ Thom Jurek