Bossa Nova translated as the "new beat" or "the new style", grew out of Rio De Janeiro in 1958. The instigators were a handful of artists with a desire to break from tradition, developing the samba rhythms with the influence of cool American jazz to find a music with such a warm soul and natural rhythm that no-one can help but tap and sway to its beat. Bossa Nova is palm trees swaying, it is like melting sugar in hot coffee, it is the setting sun and warm sand underfoot. It is the sound and beat of Brazil, it is one of the world's coolest musical styles and it remains to this day one of the world's great musical treasures.
Famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is an iconic figure in music, as one of the most successful classical solo artists ever, and one of the best-selling performers in any genre, having sold more than 80 million albums worldwide of both his classical and pop albums. His worldwide hit albums such as Romanza, Amore, Passione and Love in Portofino have made him synonymous with love and romance. On July 10th, 13 titles from his incredible Pop catalog and 3 bonus discs of memorable Bocelli performances will be released in a special edition box set.
The soon-to-be Jovem Guarda idol Ronnie Von, still as Ronaldo Nogueira, had just graduated in 1969 in economics and pilotage, but wanted to be a singer instead. After becoming acquainted with the members of the Brazilian Bitles, he impressed the group in an audition and the very next week the revelation was featured on their exclusive show on TV Excelsior's Brazilian Bitles Club…
In a career spanning four decades Steveland Judkins Morris has been many things: child star, funk hero, political chronicler, the saviour of Motown Records and depressingly, the instigator of the painfully schmaltzy R&B ballad. Thankfully, this exhaustive "Best Of…", timed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his first appearance as Little Stevie Wonder, focuses mainly on the 1966-1980 glory years and his transition from incendiary soul man to voice of the 70s.
"Passione" is a lush collection of Mediterranean love songs featuring duets with Jennifer Lopez and Nelly Furtado. Bocelli is an international superstar with a myriad of breathtaking career achievements to his name. Here, Bocelli reunites with 16-time GRAMMY Award-winner David Foster. Foster produced his 2006 collection of romantic songs, "Amore", which sold over 2.5 million copies and debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. Passione is essentially the second volume. It features several beloved classics including “Love Me Tender,” “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas,” “Il Nostro Incontro,” “Corcovado (Medley)” and more. It is a repertoire of endless beauty that collects some of the most intense songs of all time.
Influenced by Brazilian pop and the music of her native Argentina, Gabriela Anders spent much time in America soaking up jazz and R&B sensibilities, all of which inform her singing. The daughter of a jazz saxophone player, Anders studied classical guitar while a child but moved to piano study at a Buenos Aires conservatory. She spent much time in New York as well, soaking up the music of tenor specialists John Coltrane, Stan Getz and Dexter Gordon. She also studied with Don Sebesky and began singing with Grover Washington, Jr. and Tito Puente while going to college. A brief time in Japan resulted in her first album, 1996's Fantasia (recorded as Beleza), though she had returned to New York by 1997. After sending a demo tape into Warner Jazz, Anders signed a contract and released Wanting in August 1998.