Samba ’68, released on Verve in 1968, introduced Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Marcos Valle to a wider international audience. Verve Records will soon pay tribute to the record’s incredibly legacy by reissuing it on vinyl as part of the Verve Vault series.

Already established in Brazil through songs such as “Samba de Verão” (“Summer Samba”), Valle worked with producers Bob Morgan and Ray Gilbert on Samba ’68. The album pairs Brazilian rhythmic forms with contemporary American studio orchestration. Sessions include vocals by Anamaria Valle and arrangements by Eumir Deodato, whose writing places Valle’s guitar and voice within settings for strings, brass, and rhythm section typical of Verve’s late-1960s productions.

The repertoire here features English-language versions of compositions co-written by Valle — including “So Nice (Summer Samba),” “Chup Chup, I Got Away,” and “Safely In Your Arms“ alongside additional material that reflects his economical writing and feather-light rhythmic approach. The album documents a meeting point between Brazilian popular music and international pop-jazz studio practice at the end of the 1960s.

The Verve Vault Series presents all-analog 180-gram vinyl reissues of essential albums from the Verve, Impulse!, Mercury, and associated catalogs. Mastered by Ryan K. Smith from the original analog tapes and pressed at Optimal, each release combines exceptional audio fidelity with meticulous attention to detail — from mastering to jacket reproduction. The series highlights both iconic titles and overlooked gems from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Shop the Verve Vault series now.