Quirky but beautiful nonsense with an infectious Brazilian beach party beat. The song "So Nice (Summer Samba)" from the same CD shows the range and class of the performer.

A sophisticated and understated pop bossa. This song can breeze by the first time you hear it, but the unexpected hooks and chord changes make for addictive listening. There are strings, a gentle and high male vocal and a rhythmic piano. It really is heavenly. I should add that the CD compilation this appears on, 'the essential...volume 2', is really one of the very best single-artist compilations I've ever heard. The liner notes are not perfect though - this song is erroneously listed as 'Tiao branco forte'. Great compilation though, one which showed me that Marcos really is a genius.

Another wonderful, genre-defying track by Marcos Valle, Garra is a bouncy mix of scat vocals and funky, soulful pop. The arrangement somehow manages to remain very tasteful and tight. The entire album is highly recommended.

This track is only available on the japanese reissue of "Garra" as a bonus track. I can only assume it's from the same session, if so it's completely beyond me why this gem has been left out, maybe it didn't fit in the context of the album since it's incredibly mellow with great flutes, horns, piano, oboe and silky strings and possibly didn't properly mix with the rest of the songs on the record.

An unusual Marcos track, a 9-minute instrumental suite tucked away at the end of one of his most adventurous albums. Hugely recommended to Axelrod/Electric Prunes fans, as it sounds almost exactly like something from "Release Of An Oath" or "Mass In F Minor."