*** SAMBA! BRASIL

(Metro Blue)

Although not as adventurous as David Byrne's first Brazilian music collection, this one, compiled by Gerald Seligman and featuring tropical delights from the '70s and '80s, is a bit more consistent. There's star power from the likes of Clara Nunes, João Gilberto, and Carmen Miranda. And there's a mix of more obscure artists, including a wonderful choro by Abel Ferreira, whose tremulous saxophone playing is a highlight. The biggest jewel in this collection is the opening track, "Simones to Voltando," which offers the kind of sublime easy listening that Brazilian music is famous for.

-- Chandler Travis