After The Walter Wanderley Trio introduced “Summer Samba (So Nice)” to American record buyers in 1966, the breezy bossa nova tune immediately caught on, transporting listeners to the tropics via recordings by Johnny Mathis, Vikki Carr, Connie Francis and the original voice of “The Girl from Ipanema,” Astrud Gilberto.  But “So Nice” is just one of the musical gifts bestowed over the years by Brazilian composer Marcos Valle.  Beginning next Tuesday, January 15, Light in the Attic is beginning a four-album Marcos Valle reissue series beginning with the 1970 self-titled album that reintroduced Valle and his rapidly-evolving music.  All of these remastered titles will be available on CD, LP and digitally.

Signed to EMI’s Odeon Records label in 1963, Valle and his brother Paulo Sergio Valle soon wrote the original “Samba De Verã,” the song that would become known as “So Nice” with Norman Gimbel’s English lyrics.  Valle headed for America, working with Sergio Mendes and riding the crest of the bossa nova wave.  He was introduced to the U.S. on the 1967 Warner Bros. album Braziliance! which featured Eumir Deodato’s arrangements of Valle’s soon-to-be bossa nova standards including “So Nice,” “The Face I Love” and “Crickets Sing for Anamaria.”  He then teamed with producer Creed Taylor at Verve for another upbeat outing, Samba ’68, again with Deodato in the arranger’s chair.  After rubbing elbows with the likes of Andy Williams and Henry Mancini, though, Valle ultimately chose to return to Brazil to pursue his creative muse.  He continued to record for Odeon following his American excursion, recording well-received albums including 1968’s Viola Enularada, and 1969’s Mustang Cor De Sangue.

After the jump: details on all four of LITA's upcoming Valle reissues!

Light in the Attic begins its Valle program with 1970’s eponymous album.  Marcos Valle featured an unusual blend of songs, snippets of dialogue and sound effects, extended instrumental compositions and music veering on the psychedelic.  Valle was backed by Milton Nascimiento’s band Som Imaginario for this adventurous album, to which Light in the Attic has appended one bonus track for its new CD reissue: “Berenice.”  Valle returned the following year with an album considered to be one of his greatest, Garra.  He drew on a vast number of influences to craft Garra, among them bossa nova (of course), R&B, psychedelic rock, samba and baião, a rhythmic beat from the northeast of Brazil.  Garra also pushed the envelope of content considered acceptable to the military-led government’s censors, tackling such topics in song as corruption and the black power movement.

1972’s Vento Sul (translated as South Wind) abandoned studio musicians in favor of Brazilian progressive rockers O Terço.  Light in the Attic describes the vividly evocative album as one that “not only channeled the Búzios beach bum vibe, but also manifested a floating dream like psychedelic sound.”  Valle desired to “try out a rock influence and to risk a little bit more,” and by all accounts, he succeeded.  One bonus track, “O Beato,” has been added to the CD edition of Vento Sul.  The final album in the LITA series, Previsão Do Tempo (1973), shared with Vento Sul a cover image of the musician in water, though on the former it was a drawing and on the latter an actual photograph.  This time, he was backed by the band Azimuth for a funk and fusion-influenced set of new songs.  Once again, the songs of Previsão Do Tempo drew heavily on current conditions in Brazil to make potent socio-political comments amidst all of the beautiful, far-out and still melodic sounds from the man who wrote “Summer Samba.”

Marcos Valle and Garra will arrive in stores from Light in the Attic on January 15, and Vento Sul and Previsão Do Tempo will follow on February 19.  All four titles are available in CD, LP and MP3 formats; the LP editions boast gatefold “tip-on” jackets.  (Extremely limited color vinyl editions may also still be available directly from Light in the Attic.)  In addition, all titles feature new liner notes from noted journalist Allen Thayer including interview material and track-by-track remembrances from Valle.  You can order this quartet of Brazilian classics at the links below.

Marcos Valle, Marcos Valle (Odeon, 1970 – reissued Light in the Attic LITA 090, 2013)

1. Quarentao simpatico
2. Ele e ela
3. Dez leis
4. Pigmaleao
5. Que eu canse ou descan
6. Esperando o Messias
7. Frelo aerodinamico
8. Os grilos
9. Suite imaginaria
10. Berenice (CD Bonus Track)

Marcos Valle, Garra (Odeon, 1971 – reissued Light in the Attic LITA 091, 2013)

1. Jesus Meu Rei
2. Com Mais de 30
3. Garra
4. Black is Beautiful
5. Ao Amigo Tom
6. Paz e Futebol
7. Que Bandeira
8. Wanda Vidal
9. Minha Voz Vira Do Sol Da America
10. Vinte e Seis Anos Anos de Vida Normal
11. O Cafona

Marcos Valle, Vento Sul (Odeon, 1972 – reissued Light in the Attic LITA 092, 2013)

1. Revolucao Organica
2. Malena
3. Pista 02
4. Voo Cego
5. Bodas de Sangue
6. Democustico
7. Vento Sul
8. Rosto Barbado
9. Mi Hermoza
10. Paisagem de Mariana
11. Deixa o Mundo E o Sol Entrar
12. O Beato (CD Bonus Track)

Marcos Valle, Previsão Do Tempo (Odeon, 1973 – reissued Light in the Attic 093, 2013)

1. Flamengo Ate Morrer
2. Nem Paleto, Nem Gravata
3. Tira a Mao
4. Mentira
5. Previsão Do Tempo
6. Os Ossos do Barao
7. Nao Tem Nada Nao
8. Nao Tem Nada Nao (II)
9. Samba Fatal
10. Tiu-Ba-La-Quieba
11. De Repente, Moca Flor