One of Tropicália’s secret weapons was Rogerio Duprat, an arranger who could both conjure the lush orchestral easy-listening sound of Brazil’s past while wedding to its electric future. He’s the George Martin of the movement and A Banda Tropicalista do Duprat is his lone solo statement. The charts are big and bold, even if at times the selections are head-scratching, like a version of boilerplate like “Judy in Disguise.” He adds Brazilian flare in the form of cuíca, samba percussion on a Cowsills cover, and records opulent versions of Veloso’s “Baby” and Jobim’s “Chega de Saudade.” Elsewhere, he wears his Martin influence on his sleeve, with reimaginings of the Beatles’ “Flying” and “Lady Madonna.”

– Andy Beta