This week Universal Japan dropped a motherlode (well, 30 titles) in a new reissue series called “Brazil’s Treasured Masterpieces.”
These look to be mostly straight reissues with upgraded audio. Only some of the liner notes get English translation. And, no mention is made of who is doing the treasuring: For a long long time, the record industry — worldwide — has shown remarkable indifference to the cultural landmarks in the vaults. Heck, Universal let a bunch of them burn. (Read Jody Rosen’s tremendous elegy here.)
Still, it’s encouraging to see truly inventive records like Gilberto Gil’s second solo album from 1968, which features members of Os Mutantes and is sometimes listed as self-titled and sometimes as Frevo Rasgado, available for sale again.
I’ve got more to say about this series, on another day. Meantime enjoy the Gil.