AIN'T NO SUNSHINE / PONTEIO by SIVUCA

Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Sivuca was a distinctive-looking chap. For much of his career, he boasted a beard that made him look like Uncle Albert from Only Fools & Horses (though, since said look pre-dated the British sitcom, he may well have been the unlikely inspiration). Amongst fans of Brazilian music he's arguably best known for his 1973 cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" - later a favourite on the rare groove scene - which re-casts the Bill Withers classic as a sumptuous chunk of shuffling samba sunshine. Here, the track gets reissued as part of Mr Bongo's brilliant Brazil 45s series, alongside his lesser-known - but no less impressive - cover of Edu Lobo's "Ponteiro".