If, like yours truly, you're a fan of the subtle sensual charms of bossa nova, but never got beyond Astrud Gilberto's 'Girl From Ipanema' (originally 'Garota De Ipanema') or Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'Desafinado', the Soul Jazz Records compilation 'Bossa Nova And The Rise Of Brazilian Music In The 1960s' might well be a godsend. On two discs you can get to know the crème de la crème of the genre: from well-known names like João Gilberto, Sergio Mendes and Baden Powell over the Queens of the genre Elis Regina and Nara Leão to artists like Bahians Maria Bethânia and Gilberto Gil, who would change Brazilian music forever. As if all that were not enough, Soul Jazz Records also added a 71-page coffee table book full of beautiful pictures and a detailed description of the origin and development of the genre. For those who, after purchasing this release, are still hungry for more, there's finally the luxury photo book by Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker, focusing on the cover art of the original bossa nova records.