Since artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim and songs like “The Girl From Ipanema” took the world by storm in the early ’60s, the Brazilian music known as bossa nova has firmly entrenched itself in the world’s musical consciousness. Putumayo, a label that excels in world music samplers, follows up two previous forays into Brazilian music with this latest release, which features the newest generation of Brazilian music artists. While the majority are native vocalists, some hail from outside Brazil (Italy’s Nossa Alma Canta and Sweden’s Miriam Aïda). What they all share is an affinity for the gently seductive rhythms and vocals that define this genre. This is as good as late-night music gets.
