This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Brazilian music has come a long way since Carmen Miranda and her fruit-basket haberdashery — as you can hear from this collection of contemporary South American sounds.
If you’re expecting plenty of Carnaval-style drums and whistles, think again; mellow and rootsy are the marching orders here, from silky-smooth sambas and jazzy bossa novae to acoustic folk and reggae. While a few more upbeat tunes wouldn’t have hurt, it’s hard not to love this disc: Along with detailed liner notes and a list of other discs to check out (many on other labels), Putumayo also donate part of the proceeds to a Brazilian children’s charity.
