Crickets sing for Anamaria . . . but not for Montag 'cause it's too damn cold out

This is I believe the original version of "Os Grilos," or better known as "Crickets Sing for Anamaria," an instrumental samba from the mid-60s by Brazilian music maestro, Marcos Valle.

Long sentence--but there's a lot to be said. Especially the fact that I adore this song. So summery, so seductive, so deceptively simple. What a brilliant little composition, equal parts classical and rhythmic, European and African. And thus all Brazil.

I'd give just about anything to be able to create an artwork like this.

There are apparently multiple versions of this song by Sr. Valle and others. Truth be told, I actually think the Walter Wanderley Trio's version from 1967 was the first. You can find that here.

So far, I've tracked down Marcos Valle's first instrumental version, first English-language version, first Portuguese-language version, and at least a couple of modern interpretations by him and others. There will be more to come I'm sure. I even feel a mix coming on. After all, it is "Semana do Brasil" in the cold wasteland that is Western Pennsylvania.