Toquinho

Wonderful reissue from an old LP recorded with the sensitive Italian singer Ornala Vanoni together with Brazilian composer/poet/singer Vinícius de Moraes and his partner Toquinho. De Moraes is the composer of most of the lyrics covered in this Italian-sung album. There are fundamental songs here, such as "Sinal Fechado" ("Semaforo Rosso" in the Italian version), a classic by Paulinho Da Viola that was not found in bossa records very often - there was some animosity between the bossa party and the samba composers of the Carioca hills like Da Viola. It has an exquisite, unique melody, nevertheless. There are also de Moraes partnerships with names such as Jobim and Baden Powell, all splendid songs…

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.