Paul is a pro's pro. You can rest assured that, whether it's a funk mix, a break beat exposition or a hip hop lesson, the Poughkeepsie toe-picker will come correct. His new Brazilian mix is no exception, a clean catalog of treats that will satisfy dabblers and diggers alike. As always, Mr. Nice approaches things with a hip hop purist's attitude, meaning that just when you're taking notice of that cool break, he's cueing up a second copy to run it back (like on Emilio Santiago's tough "Bananeira"). The digger's sensibility also comes into play as he runs multiple versions of sparkling cuts like "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" (Valle's original and Astrud Gilberto's version) and the funky "Onda Anda A Meu Amor" (Orlandivo and the Reminisce Quartet). The 22 tracks are sequenced smoothly, encompassing fundamentals like "Samba de Orfeu" and "One Note Samba" as well as deeper goodies like Tim Maia's "No Caminho Do Bem" and Dom Salvador's "Hei Voce."

reviewed by monk