Reencontro
(2000)

After her sublime Bossa Nova albums, Leila returns to MPB territory with this album of songs by Ivan Lins and Gonzaguinha. There are some superb songs here, and for me Leila is the best singer in the world today. Her voice is so expressive, warm and natural. And she can really sing, not just whisper into a microphone. The arrangements are great, too. There's a nice accordion solo by Gilson Peranzzetta on Illuminados, and a great harmonica solo by Milton Guedes at the end of Feliz. Leila plays piano and keyboards as well as singing. Highly recommended.

 

Isso É Bossa Nova
(1994)

Isso e Bossa Nova is, quite simply, one of the greatest interpretations of Bossa Nova classics ever recorded. For those of you not familiar, Bossa Nova is a style of Brazilian music that first developed and became very popular in the early 1960s...The center of gravity of Brazilian musical culture has moved on, but some musicians, like Leila, lovingly preserve and re-interpret Bossa Nova, just as many great singers in the U.S. continue to sing the great jazz "standards." Ironically, Leila has produced many other albums, but to my ears, many are "over-produced," sounding like 1970s jazz fusion. In this album, her producers pared down the accompanying musicians, letting Leila's voice and vision emerge with crystal clarity. What is so remarkable about this album is the combination of reverence for the great composers and the impact of Leila's profoundly personal, new interpretations. Her voice is crystal clear and pure; her pronunciation of Brazilian Portuguese lyrics is playful (even if you don't understand a word of her language). Plus it simply swings -- it's one of the most rythmically moving collections I've ever heard -- while being very quiet and intimate. -- an Amazon reviewer
 

Coisas Do Brasil
(1993)
 

Outras Caras
(1991)

Benção Bossa Nova
produced by Roberto Menescal
(1989)

Also See:
Bossa Nova

Nova Bossa Nova

Brazilian Music Index
 

Read about bossa nova:

The Brazilian Sound (U.S.)
Brazilian Sound (Canada)
Brazilian Sound (U.K.)
Brazilian Sound (Japan)
Brazilian Sound (Germany)
Le Son Du Brésil (France)