The poet/performer Vinicius de Moraes and the vocalist Odette Lara make a wonderful team, and though their voices aren't heard together as much as they should be here, Vinicius & Odette Lara is a warm, inviting collection. The dozen songs are all originals — by de Moraes and old friend Baden Powell, who also appears as a musician — and usually present Lara and de Moraes trading lines, or Lara taking the verses while de Moraes handles choruses. The breathtaking "Samba Preludio" is one of the few actual duets; after a preface featuring a mournful de Moraes over a sawing cello, Lara sings a few lines alone as well before the pair's voices intertwine (even while they sing different lines). Moacyr Santos' arrangements range from Brazilian bossa to string orchestra pop to anthemic soul-jazz, with plenty of trumpet and flute as well as a warm cocktail piano and the usual sewing machine bossa percussion. On "Deve se Amor," playful reeds and high-note trumpet accent a smooth, powerful vocal by Lara. It's a bit disconcerting to hear a Brazilian vocal album without recognizing at least one standard, but Vinicius & Odette Lara is a challenging, entertaining work of jazzy Brazilian pop.

(by John Bush, All Music Guide)

It was a different century, a different world. In 1963, a poet and an actress could open a label (hat a responsibility!), singing song from a rand-new partnership, with arrangements from a complete stranger, and create a classic. The poet was Vinicius de Moraes, and the actress was Odette Lara, veterans of thousand musical nights. The new partnership was Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes, with born standards like Deixa, Astronauta and Berimbau. The arranger was none other than Moacir Santos. The Label was Elenco. Today we know that it couldn't have gone wrong.

(Ruy Castro, liner notes)