by John Bush
Samba '68 is a vibrant set of Brazilian pop, indebted to bossa nova and samba but undeniably Americanized for a domestic audience. The result is a joyous album throughout that wears its dated sound quite well. Marcos Valle interprets eleven of his own songs, including Brazilian standards like &Chup Chup, I Got Away,& &Batucada,& and &So Nice (Summer Samba),& as well as new tracks like &Crickets Sing for Anamaria& and &The Answer.& The vocal harmonies of his wife (the Anamaria of the song title) provide a beautiful counterpoint to Valle's voice on several tracks, making Samba '68 one of the best Brazilian crossovers of the 1960s.