Long revered as 'Fathers of the Samba Soul beat,' Trio Mocotó return with their first album since 1977. Innovative, fun-loving and charming, Samba Rock is another groundbreaking release from this adventurous group.

Trio Mocotó's energetic vocals, the sly double entendres ("Mocotó" is a slang word that the group used to refer to the bare legs of the mini-skirted girls who danced to their music in the clubs of São Paulo), and the restrained sensuality sound as fresh now as they did thirty years ago. Some songs, like the opening "Voltei Amor," have the gentle acoustic texture and subtly insistent percussion of Brazilian samba. But listen closely and you'll hear the blips and twitters of modern electronica and some discreet processing and sampling of vocals. Even Jorge Ben's song "Adelita," with its classic-sounding mix of jazzy guitar and horns, its samba rhythms and party-style vocals, gets a kick start from a contemporary rock beat.

In picking up where they left off so many years ago, Trio Mocotó walks a fine line. On the one hand, they are "samba soul." And a quarter century is a long time to keep those samba soul fans waiting. On the other hand, these are three active guys who've heard a lot of music and who live, obviously, in the 21st century. Their new album revels in the unexpected alliance between club/DJ culture and early Brazilian pop. It's easygoing, lighthearted and funky. With Samba Rock, Trio Mocot