We started jamming on Brazilian classics, when brother Simon came to visit last month. Guitar was cello-taped and we recorded Samba da Benção on a mobile phone at night, improvising when sleep was calling. Vinicius de Moraes is a great  inspiration. This song, launched in 1965, is a bossa nova masterpiece, with lyrics thanking and asking for blessings for his musician friends and early names in samba and bossa nova.

Samba da Benção (V. de Moraes)  - by Oaktrix & Don Simón De Suja

Home-made take on Jorge Ben's tropical classic recorded in 1969 with guitar master Toquinho - telling the story of how he had a girlfriend called Carolina, while Jorge Ben started going out with her sister.

Carolina Bela (Jorge Ben) - By Oaktrix & Don Simón De Suja

A home-made take on Seu Jorge's superb tune and lyrics, "São Gonça" - his childhood neighbourhood - where he brilliantly explains a misunderstood love story set there.

São Gonça (Seu Jorge) - By Oaktrix & Don Simón De Suja

A home-made take on Buarque's 1976 emblematic song, "Roda Viva", which he recorded for a theatre piece, while boldly addressing dictatorship in Brazil at the time.

oaktrix