Bill Withers and Studio Rio Lovely Day

• Bill Withers and Studio Rio – Lovely Day (Studio Rio Version)
• Bill Withers and Studio Rio – Lovely Day (Studio Rio Instrumental Version)

• 1. Lovely Day (Studio Rio Version)
• 2. Lovely Day (Studio Rio Instrumental Version)

A decade ago, German brothers Frank and Christian Berman created a genuinely overlooked masterpiece: an album that combined classic vocal and instrumental performances from soul, jazz and funk performers (extracted from multi-track tapes of the original recordings) with new Brazilian-flavoured backing tracks featuring some of Brazil's most famous and storied musicians. The album, credited to Studio Rio, kicked off with this: a shuffling, samba-fired version of Bill Withers' classic 'Lovely Day' that's arguably even sunnier and more positive than the great man's original soul recording. It's a genuinely brilliant version, all told, and one that sounds like a summer festival and end-of-night anthem in the making. Mr Bongo thinks so - hence this must-have 7" single that pairs the vocal version with a previously unreleased instrumental take.