Brazilian songwriters such as Tom Jobim, João Gilberto, Luis Bonfá and Edu Lobo, are so indelibly associated with the music of Brazil that those following in their wake, such as Ivan Lins and Luiz Millan, have tended to be somewhat overshadowed. Thus Brazilian Match gives welcome bandwidth to Millan whose songs, like those of Lins, were shaped by their experiences under the harsh military dictatorship that commandeered Brazil in 1964, and the Tropicalia movement in the arts that emerged in covert protest.

Comprising 16 Millan originals of which he figures on eight, mostly on vocals but once on vocals and piano, a consistency of tone is maintained throughout by arranger Michel Freidenson's subtle but highly effective writing, despite the comings and goings of a cast of thousands. On his composition ‘Full Moon’ he demonstrates his mastery of creating memorable melodies with wide intervallic leaps – no easy feat – an ability he shared with Ivan Lins (’Love Dance,’ for example). Contributors such as Eddie Daniels, Mike Mainieri and Randy Brecker remain within the context of arrangements – there’s no grandstanding, instead well-executed solo and ensemble work that’s a good fit for the two or three numbers apiece they feature on.

This is an album that functions well as both quality background music and absorbing foreground music from a singer songwriter who can safely be mentioned in the same breath as Jobim, Bonfá, and Lins.