The name Francisco Tenorio Cerqueira Junior, or simply Tenorio Jr, has always been clouded in mystery. Not only did the renowned Brazilian pianist pass away under dubious circumstances in Argentina back in 1976, but he also put out a surprisingly limited number of albums throughout his short-lived career. Having said that, these are all very valid reasons for why his music remains among the most coveted of items in the jazz scene. Embalo is his only album under the Tenorio Jr name, but its 1964 release is still as fresh today as it was back in a cloud of psych-driven hedonism that permeated all arts scenes back then. Fun and uplifting throughout, the album will satisfy both the jazz traditionalists and those with a slightly more left field taste. The percussion driving the arrangements isn't exactly something to ignore either, with its typical South American flair infusing sublimely into Tenorio's own excellence behind the keyboard. This is an important album which has helped to define a whole generation of later Brazilian musicians, and we recommend you to make it part of your life. It's an essential piece of history.