North American lyricist and composer John Finbury delves deep into the tradition of modern Brazilian bossa nova, performed in what is often called the “smooth jazz” style. Working with lyricist/translator Ned Claflin and American-born, New York-based bossa nova singer Marcella Camargo, Finbury crafts a resonant, entirely convincing set of modern bossa ballads. For jazz and MPB fans attuned to the flowery, lyrical arrangements of composers such as Tom Jobim, Ivan Lins, Francis Hime and Edu Lobo, this album will seem like a rich addition to an already vibrant, long-standing musical tradition. Very mellow and very sweet. Camargo’s vocals are a particular standout: fans of singers such as Gal Costa and Marisa Monte may enjoy this quite a bit.