GRAMMY Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Now available in multichannel SACD as well as the CD recording!

Ivan Lins may not be a household name. But with the exception of Jobim, no Brazilian singer/composer is regarded with more respect and admiration. On A Love Affair—The Music of Ivan Lins, a stellar cast of pop and jazz stars interprets the repertoire of Brazil's leading pop songwriter. This blockbuster tribute visits some of Lins' most famous material with a decidedly contemporary approach.

Unabashedly romantic and melodic, these eleven tracks have been carefully chosen from the songbook of one of the world's most revered composers. Most of these compositions have never been sung in English before or, like "Chameleon," never done as an instrumental. "She Walks This Earth" has never before been recorded. Lins himself plays keyboards on three cuts and sings his own brilliant "Somos Todos Iquais Nesta Note" with tenderness and subtle strength.

"I have always been accustomed to listening to other artists' recordings of my songs with a blend of Brazilian and jazz attitudes," says Lins. "Rarely had my songs been conceived in American pop versions. This is a contemporary American vision of my music."

Ivan Lins' songs combine complex harmonies with highly singable melodies. Though born in Rio de Janeiro, the 55-year-old is no stranger to the United States or its music. He spent several formative years in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his first musical memories date back to the songs of Stephen Foster and Walt Disney. Upon relocating to his native Brazil, Elis Regina recorded his "Madalena," and in 1981 George Benson covered "Dinorah, Dinorah" on his million-selling Give Me the Night. Lins later won a Grammy for the song "Velas" on Quincy Jones' album, The Dude. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Lee Ritenour and others have all covered his tunes, yet Lins has never received the recognition as a composer that he deserves.

A Love Affair—The Music of Ivan Lins was produced and arranged by Jason Miles, best known for his top session and production credits, solo albums and award-winning film music. He worked as a programmer and keyboard player for Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and countless others. He created most of the synth sounds on Miles Davis' classic Tutu, and even contributed to Michael Jackson's History album. A strong connection between Miles and Lins makes this tribute deeper than usual. "Producing this project was like a dream come true for me," Miles states. "It took six years to get it off the ground, and now I know that it was worth the wait. Ivan's music will now reach a larger audience, and they too will be able to appreciate the wonderful music that he writes."

This collection conveys the spirit of Brazilian music as a living tradition, and Lins' songs manage to be infinitely versatile without losing their own identity. With its contemporary sensibility nudging the music out of a purely Brazilian box, A Love Affair—The Music of Ivan Lins is a must for pop and jazz fans, as well as aficionados of Ivan Lins.

A Love Affair—An Evening of the Music of Ivan Lins release event and concert will be held at Carnegie Hall in New York on October 25, 2000. Featured guests include Freddy Cole, Chaka Khan, Dave Koz, Ivan Lins, Ed Mott, Leila Pinheiro, Brenda Russell, Peter White and Vanessa Williams.