Highly sought on vinyl by bossa nova fans, this debut album from this short-lived sextet (not to be confused with
Sergio Mendes' Bossa Rio Sextet) seems to suggest a theory: the more handshakes away from
Herb Alpert, the better and more authentic the music.
Bossa Rio was discovered and produced by Mendes, who in turn was brought into the A&M fold by Alpert. Despite three Brasil '66-ish sounding covers of American hits ("Day by Day," "Up, Up, and Away," and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose"),
Bossa Rio stick to tunes from
Antonio Carlos Jobim,
Jorge Ben,
Caetano Veloso, and
Milton Nascimento, keeping with their roots (as Mendes and Brasil '66 progressed, the American chart covers took over their albums). Lead vocalist Gracinha Laporace has a clear, gentle tone, perfect for their mellow versions of "Wave" and "Cancao do Sal (Sultry Song)." Organist
Manfredo Fest puts the devil in the details, giving a giddy feel to "Nana" and "Today, Tomorrow," coaxing similar sounds out of his Hammond as, strangely enough,
Soft Machine's
Mike Ratledge. A wonderful album for fans of commercial bossa nova, now available on Japanese import CD only. ~ Ted Mills