{"title":"Bill Withers","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBill Withers was a soulful singer and songwriter, born on July 4, 1938 in Slab Fork, West Virginia. Despite starting his musical career later in life, he made a significant impact with his debut album \"Just As I Am\" released in 1971 at the age of 33. Prior to pursuing music full-time, Withers worked as a mechanic for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. His talent and passion for music led him to create timeless hits that resonate with audiences even today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithers sadly passed away on March 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. His legacy lives on through his heartfelt lyrics and soulful voice that continue to inspire generations of musicians and fans alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe is also known as the father of Kori Withers.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"naked-and-warm","title":"Naked and Warm","description":"\u003cp\u003eNaked and Warm is his fifth studio album and is even funkier than his debut. Here Withers returns to the simple ways of his past, working five or six musicians for the kind of hard groove that doesn’t have many parallels in black music these days. Musicians include Larry “Fatback” Tolbert on drums, Dorothy Ashby (harp), Melvin Dunlap (bass) Benorce Blackmon (guitar) and Jerry Knight (bass).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNaked and Warm is laid back and smooth; a classic Withers album.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50417068179787,"sku":"1094547","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b0a9bb40-89cf-476a-b50a-dd4bb0e38380_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726715637"},{"product_id":"making-music-1","title":"Making Music","description":"\u003cp\u003eWithers’ fourth studio album \u003cem\u003eMaking Music\u003c\/em\u003e was originally released in 1975 on Columbia Records. It possesses the same down-to-earthiness and eye for ordinary day life as his former work. The overall sound is smoother than his previous albums, with a warm mellow soul sound that can’t be beat. The album includes his classic \u003ci\u003eHello Like Before\u003c\/i\u003e, plus The Best You Can, Make Love To Your Mind, Paint Your Pretty Picture, and Don’t You Want To Stay?. The album features a whos who of great musicians and singers including David Walker, Ray Parker JR, Melvin \"wah wah\" Ragin, bassist James Jamerson, Ernie Watts and Ralph Macdonald.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50417364959563,"sku":"1023879","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP - Translucent Red","offer_id":53511313293643,"sku":"R1011-4858","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/MOVLP1869-Cover.webp?v=1759317823"},{"product_id":"greatest-hits-mobile-fidelity-edition","title":"Greatest Hits - Mobile Fidelity Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eBill Withers created mellow, downhome-style soul for barely more than a decade before electively retreating from the industry to pursue craftsman interests. Yet over the course of the handful of albums he made for Sussex and CBS, the Appalachian native struck lasting emotional chords in legends ranging from Booker T. Jones to Stephen Stills—not to mention the millions of listeners that fell under the spell of now-standard tracks such as “Lean on Me,” “Use Me,” and “Ain’t No Sunshine.” The antithesis of the sweaty R\u0026amp;B shouter that prowled the edge of stages, Withers dealt in calm and vulnerability. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eServing as a template for modern British soul contemporaries like Sam Smith and an extension of the timeless fare explored by Van Morrison, Curtis Mayfield, and Al Green, Bill Withers’ \u003ci\u003eGreatest Hits\u003c\/i\u003e belongs in every music lover’s library. Mobile Fidelity’s reissues of the 1981 compilation provide a transparent view of Withers’ relaxing timbre and the subtle grooves underlining his arrangements. Characteristics ranging from the tension of the guitars, funky bends of the bass, whisper-soft coo of the formal strings, airiness of the backing harmonies, and sharpness of the snare drum emerge with utmost clarity and lifelike presence. Always prized for its naked honesty and pure conviction, Withers’ music positively caresses the senses on this LP and SACD, the unadulterated production and beautiful soundscapes revealed anew with each listen. You won’t find a better-sounding roots R\u0026amp;B collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mobile Fidelity","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50422057894219,"sku":"1138798","price":57.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/96569a26-ab8f-413a-a341-ebae5f9ced50_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1726762200"},{"product_id":"still-bill-mobile-fidelity-edition","title":"Still Bill Mobile Fidelity Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eAs it celebrates its 50th anniversary, Bill Withers' \u003ci\u003eStill Bill\u003c\/i\u003e remains true to its title – and stands as the greatest male-fronted soul album not made by a singer named Marvin, Al, Sam, James, or Ray. Though the saying \"keeping it real\" did not exist in popular parlance when Withers released his sophomore effort on Sussex Records, no words better capture the music's approach, mindset, and value. Every facet of \u003ci\u003eStill Bill\u003c\/i\u003e radiates honesty, truth, and emotion. These characteristics – along with Withers' strong singing, hybrid arrangements, and deceptively simple songwriting – have allowed the album to endure to the point where it sounds as fresh today as in 1972.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mobile Fidelity","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50424750539083,"sku":"1153776","price":54.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50424751620427,"sku":"2028146","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/486ac857-5aa4-429e-9b92-6f8e6e16890d_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726782218"},{"product_id":"justments","title":"+ Justments","description":"\u003cp\u003eBack in March 2004 music magazine Mojo included Withers' fourth album on a list of \"67 Lost Albums You Must Own.\" Whether 'Justments is indeed the stuff of legend remains debatable. Surely no holy grail like the similarly mentioned Cold Fact by Sussex labelmate Sixto Rodriguez, it seems at least unfairly ignored. Nothing here might be as compelling as \"Grandma's Hands\" or \"I Can't Write Left-Handed,\" but there are plenty of melancholy reflections from a genuine soulman who came across more as a West coast singer\/songwriter. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReplacing the hired hands of his debut with former employees of Charles Wright \u0026amp; the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band proved equally important in shaping Withers' identity. Not only had they been instrumental in creating a landmark with his second album Still Bill, follow-up Live at Carnegie Hall showed how easily they could replicate their unrestrained approach on-stage, performing quite a few tunes which hadn't yet appeared on a studio album. This experience further tightening a natural combination, the band was set for Withers' third studio album. The moody overtones of 'Justments suggest both band and singer might have suffered a bit from fatigue, a notion not altogether far-fetched since they would dissolve upon completing it. Not even Spanish minstrel José Feliciano could rescue a song like \"Railroad Man\" from getting stuck in a not unpleasant but ultimately unrewarding jam mode. Still, a few gems are worth mentioning. The spine-tingling string sections for \"You\" and \"Ruby Lee\" for instance invoke the memory of Still Bill's intriguing \"Who Is He and What Is He to You.\" The former would be released as a single and crack the Top 15 R\u0026amp;B chart, as would \"Heartbreak Road\" and \"The Same Love That Made Me Laugh.\" The demise of Sussex led to both the labels' catalog and Withers himself being transferred to Columbia. Though some of its feel would always shine through his releases for his new employer, 'Justments stands out for being the last album where the artist's unique character takes the foreground rather than being mostly left to drown in a glossy production. Thus, while its \"lost album\" status is mostly due to it being out of print for ages, in a just world it would be re-released back to back with 1975's Making Music. This just might turn out historically interesting, as it would document Withers' evolution towards the guilty pleasure of \"Lovely Day.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50431228182859,"sku":"1092411","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/5b82c6c2-b277-434d-876a-2986b7b2861c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726856712"},{"product_id":"still-bill-x","title":"Still Bill X","description":"\u003cp\u003eBack i stock for this reissue of the legendary soul folkie best album. it's rich, subtly layered music, but its best attribute is that it comes on easy, never sounding labored or overworked. in fact, it takes several spins of the album to realize just how versatile withers is on 'still bill', to hear how he makes intricate, funky rhythms sound as effortless and simple as the album's best-known song, the gospel-tinged inspirational anthem 'lean on me'. that's the genius behind withers' music: it's warm and easily accessible, but it has a depth and complexity that reveals itself over numerous plays. then there's the quality of the songwriting, which is as assured on the grooving 'lonely town, lonely street' as it is on the suspicious, paranoid 'who is he (and what is he to you)?' or 'use me', where he happily submits to being used by his object of affection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sony","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50479340552523,"sku":"361042","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"still-bill","title":"Still Bill","description":"That voice. Just killer. From overcoming a stutter as a child, serving in the US Navy and working as mechanic - to delivering anthem upon anthem. \u003ci\u003eStill \u003cb\u003eBill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, still class.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJamie, Rough Trade Office\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"CD.","offer_id":50482744262987,"sku":"2028143","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50483782222155,"sku":"349548","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black 7\"","offer_id":50482743443787,"sku":"2048536","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50511714091339,"sku":"1092426","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50943571755339,"sku":"2028137","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP - Black - Goodfellas","offer_id":51531596398923,"sku":"R7280-2749","price":25.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP - Translucent Green","offer_id":56461257048395,"sku":"R7280-3423","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/5060672883528.jpg?v=1743030594"},{"product_id":"menagerie","title":"Menagerie","description":"\u003cp\u003e180 gram audiophile vinyl. First reissue since 1978! Includes the hit \"Lovely Day\". There's a relaxed vibe running through every note even in the more up-tempo songs and a consistency here that shows Bill at his best.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50483784614219,"sku":"1092412","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/4cd99ee1-7eae-4aa7-80a1-6005c2dbcd2e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727572892"},{"product_id":"live-at-carnegie-hall","title":"Live At Carnegie Hall","description":"\u003cp\u003eBill Withers' Live At Carnegie Hall was recorded almost 40 years ago on a rainy Friday evening, but it is still regarded as one of the best live performances in the history of soul music. With beautiful renditions of his classics \"Ain't No Sunshine\", \"Use Me\", \"Grandma's Hands\" and of course his biggest hit \"Lean On Me\", this shouldn't come as a surprise. Withers' brand of melancholy Soul plucks at your heartstrings and creates a wistful yearning, but it is still one of the most uplifting pieces of music you will ever find.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50483785531723,"sku":"1088440","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50483786187083,"sku":"1051357","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/fdce67b5-bef7-4008-b64a-32cf3f741db5_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727572922"},{"product_id":"just-as-i-am-1","title":"Just As I Am","description":"\u003cp\u003eNice 180 gm vinyl reissue from the soul folk \u003cstrong\u003eBill Withers'\u003c\/strong\u003e debut album \u003cem\u003eJust As I Am\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a career laden with highlights and hallmarks in the annals of soul history, \u003cstrong\u003eBill Withers'\u003c\/strong\u003e debut album is rather overlooked as one of the best soul debuts ever issued. Beautifully remastered, \u003cem\u003eJust As I Am\u003c\/em\u003e is presented to a new generation of listeners who may have missed out the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith this remastering comes an intimacy, warmth, and immediacy to the recordings that was only hinted at with previous versions; it's almost as if \u003cstrong\u003eWithers\u003c\/strong\u003e is in a living room singing to a small group of people, rather than making a record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, the instantly recognizable anthem \"\u003cem\u003eAin't No Sunshine\u003c\/em\u003e\" gets all of the acclaim it so richly deserves, but also in tracks like \"\u003cem\u003eHarlem\u003c\/em\u003e\", \"\u003cem\u003eGrandma's Hands\u003c\/em\u003e\", and \"\u003cem\u003eBetter Off Dead\u003c\/em\u003e\" you can hear the intensity and maturity of \u003cstrong\u003eBill's\u003c\/strong\u003e performances. Even when he's doing covers, \u003cstrong\u003eWithers\u003c\/strong\u003e makes them sound as if they are his own compositions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGive this classic record a spin, and get ready to be submerged in the soul of one of the true masters of the genre.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On Vinyl","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50483787366731,"sku":"349547","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP - Yellow","offer_id":56028249522507,"sku":"R3555-7049","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/7b983eb4-d75a-4f19-a656-a152a3f83989_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727572943"},{"product_id":"complete-sussex-and-columbia-albums","title":"Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 9-CD box including the hit-singles \u003ci\u003eAin’t No Sunshine, Lean On Me\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eLovely Day\u003c\/i\u003e features all nine albums which the poet laureate of \u003ci\u003eSlab Fork, West Virginia\u003c\/i\u003e, released in his bold, beautiful, brilliant but short-lived recording career. Right from the opening acoustic strum of\u003ci\u003e Harlem\u003c\/i\u003e on his fabulous debut album\u003ci\u003e Just As I Am\u003c\/i\u003e and onto the gutsy pump of \u003ci\u003eLonely Town, Lonely Street\u003c\/i\u003e which opens the equally brill follow up LP \u003ci\u003eStill Bill\u003c\/i\u003e the sound quality is truly glorious throughout. The live double \u003ci\u003eCarnegie Hall\u003c\/i\u003e like Donny Hathaway \u003ci\u003eLive\u003c\/i\u003e from 1972 has garnished a legendary reputation amongst soul aficionados. All the albums are re-mastered from the original analogue tapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe clamshell box contains a 40 page booklet with the story of Bill Withers, beautiful pictures and all the information about the nine CD’s .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 1 -Just As I Am\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 2 - Still Bill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 3 - Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 4 - +’ Justments\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 5 - Making Music\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 6 - Naked \u0026amp; Warm\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 7 - Menagerie\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 8 - ‘Bout Love\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCD 9 - Watching You Watching Me\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Music On CD","offers":[{"title":"CD | x8","offer_id":50484064256331,"sku":"1092521","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/168c4e7c-b965-4773-a134-2c4f466e197e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727580262"},{"product_id":"just-as-i-am","title":"Just As I Am","description":"\u003cp\u003eA must for all Soul, Folk, and Funk fans out there! Regularly featuring in many top albums of all time lists, this is the debut LP 1971 produced by \u003cstrong\u003eBooker T Jones\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHarlem\u003c\/em\u003e is an underground classic and was the original A-Side release before \"\u003cem\u003eAin’t No Sunshine\u003c\/em\u003e,\" the B-side, received massive attention and the sides were swapped. \"\u003cem\u003eAin’t No Sunshine\u003c\/em\u003e\" is a soul classic that reached R\u0026amp;B #6 and Pop #3 upon its release and has been covered by an almost endless list of stars including Nancy Wilson, Grover Washington, Jr., Michael Jackson, The Temptations, Isaac Hayes, Roy Ayers, Sting, and Paul McCartney.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe bluesy \"\u003cem\u003eGrandma’s Hands\u003c\/em\u003e\" reached R\u0026amp;B #18 and Pop #42 shortly after its release. This song will be familiar to all fans of the R\u0026amp;B #1 hit \"\u003cem\u003eNo Diggity\u003c\/em\u003e\" by Blackstreet feat Dr. Dre and Queen Pen.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BBR","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50484266533195,"sku":"350664","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Just_As_I_Am_7cb7f540_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727586095"},{"product_id":"live-at-carnegie-hall-mobile-fidelity-edition","title":"Live At Carnegie Hall Mobile Fidelity Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn a par with the most treasured concert albums of the 60s and 70s, Bill Withers’ transformative Live at Carnegie Hall is a classic – an easygoing portrait of a down-home soul artist coming into his own in front of an audience eager to share every moment of his brilliance. Soothing with subtlety, charming with calmness, and healing with a vocal timbre as relaxing as his grooves, Withers uses the stage to expand the range of favorites and engage in dialogue with the crowd. Distinguished with sonics that restore the performances’ balance and improve the soundstaging, this Mobile Fidelity reissue takes you inside the venue.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, aspects that really make this concert document unique – the energetic crowd, Withers and his band’s willingness to extend arrangements, and the undeniable communicative bond between the performer and his fans – are brought into fuller relief. While most live albums give you the sense of what transpired, our reissue allows it to seem that what you’re hearing and sensing is happening right now, in the moment. You are as much a participant as listener. For this reason and more, Live at Carnegie Hallranks with James Brown’s Live at the Apollo and B.B. King’s Live at the Regal. No small claims, but the proof is in the grooves.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mobile Fidelity","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50490260226379,"sku":"1113488","price":89.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50490259603787,"sku":"1124353","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/1919cc09-e483-470b-afec-8bd45c9fc15c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727656288"},{"product_id":"lovely-day-the-best-of","title":"Lovely Day: The Best Of...","description":"\u003cp\u003eLovely Day is the most comprehensive collection of Bill Withers’ greatest hits, featuring 20 of the soul singer’s best-loved songs, including the famous duet \"Just The Two Of Us\" with Grover Washington Jr. This definitive collection spans from Withers’ breakout hit \"Ain’t No Sunshine\" (1971), all the way through to 1984's \"In the Name of Love\", a duet with Ralph MacDonald.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e 1. Lovely Day 2. Use Me 3. Just The Two Of Us 4. Lean On Me 5. Ain't No Sunshine 6. I Don't Know 7. Who Is He? (And What Is He To You?) 8. Harlem 9. Kissing My Love 10. Hello Like Before 11. Let Me Be The One You Need 12. Watching You Watching Me 13. Tender Things 14. \"Lonely Town, Lonely Street\" 15. Grandma's Hands 16. I Want To Spend The Night 17. Lovely Night For Dancing 18. I Wish You Well 19. Lightning Seeds 20. In The Name Of Love\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sony","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50506978165067,"sku":"1051358","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/ed2f0749-ea5f-41fe-918f-a03ba3df3258_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727835248"},{"product_id":"lovely-day","title":"Lovely Day","description":"\u003cp\u003eAs mood changers go, this track is up there with the best.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Last year whilst DJing with miche at Shapes festival in the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland, a breathtaking yet ominous Alpine sky suddenly became a picture postcard moment. The clouds parted and a double rainbow formed, as miche dropped Studio Rio's bossa nova remake of Bill Withers' all-time classic 'Lovely Day'. From there, the dance floor shifted gears and morphed into full swing feel-good vibes, in a beautiful, spontaneous moment nobody could have planned for. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMr Bongo now proudly presents a reissue of this brilliant, bossa-channelling Bill Withers reinterpretation from Studio Rio's 2014 release 'The Brazil Connection'. Masterminded by the German Grammy award-winning Berman Brothers, the project was born out of their deep love of Brazilian music. \"Our goal was to bring the Brazilian joie de vivre to iconic performances by well-known artists. What would these classic songs sound like had they been recorded in the studios of Rio de Janeiro in the first place, with the best Brazilian musicians and arrangers?\" the brothers reflect. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCapturing the life force of Brazil, the beating heart that is its music, they set out to find the musicians who would fit best with their concept. Landing in Rio in 2013 a series of coincidences led to them being introduced to their idols Marcos Valle and Roberto Menescal, who both agreed to come on board. The Berman Brothers also wanted to find some of the musicians who recorded with one of Brazil's most influential composers Tom Jobim. \"Fifty years after Jobim made the music that really defines bossa nova, we found that many of his sidemen were still active, including Paulo Braga of Jobim's famed rhythm section. It was magic; everything just fell into place.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mr Bongo","offers":[{"title":"Black 7\"","offer_id":50507203772747,"sku":"2184355","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cc7d1a88-fc57-4ba8-a74d-b35816173fa6_b8acf9d1_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727842242"},{"product_id":"the-real-3","title":"The Real","description":"\u003cp\u003eA good compilation that illustrates Bill Withers recording career which ended with his disillusionment with the recording industry. He performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. On this CD, there is all the major songs, some of which are very inspired writings and many are in a class of there own. There is no doubt that Withers was a perfectionist and the musically, he was well ahead of his time. Take 'Grandma's Hands' and all of the early Sussex recordings that feature the acoustic guitar. with and without the lovely string backings (by Booker T. 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