Nearly 50 years after beginning his career, Cartola, the maestro of the samba, released his first album, and it exudes the quiet grace and rural charm that the samba featured decades before it was modernized later in the century. Of course, all the songs were written by Cartola himself (just 12 of the hundreds he composed), and most are by him alone. Those with limited knowledge of Brazilian music will find Cartola's vocal style closest to the quiet and husky growl of João Gilberto, with an accompanying slow groove and textured guitars. It's a vivid document of Brazilian roots music, featuring the instruments and stylings that all of the most famed artists of the '60s (Jobim, Gilberto, Veloso, Gil) would draw upon for their artistry.