Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 87 - Classic Bossa Nova Songs to Cool You Down in the Summer! Bossa Nova Chronicles, Part IV

Astrud Gilberto, the Diva Who Spread Bossa Nova Around the World

Continuing from the previous article, this is Part IV of “Classic Bossa Nova Songs to Cool Down in the Summer!!” series. We will continue our examination of the best bossa nova recordings and masterpieces by composers, performers, and other musicians.
The main theme of this issue is the bossa nova diva, Astrud Gilberto.
As I mentioned in Part I, Astrud is the wife (later divorced) of João Gilberto, dubbed the “Pope of Bossa Nova”.
Astrud Gilberto made her name in the world by performing with Stan Getz (Ts), João Gilberto (G&Vo), Antonito Carlos Jobim (P), and other well-known musicians on the historic Bossa Nova album Getz/Gilberto that was released in 1964. On this album, Astrud sang two songs, “Girl from Ipanema” and “Corcovato”.

■ Diva of Bossa Nova's First Album: Astrud Gilberto, Água De Beber (1965)

The first album of Astolato Gilberto at the age of 24. A historical masterpiece released the year after Getz/Gilberto. Antonio Carlos Jobim joined on guitar.
Brazilian pianist João Donado also adds his voice to the album, and the producer is Creed Taylor, who also produced Getz/Gilberto. The album is enchanted by Asrud's cool and refreshing vocals.
The album covers all the important bossa nova songs such as “Once I Loved”, “Água De Beber”, “Meditation”, “How Insensitive”, “Dindi”, and “Dreamer”.

It is a startling fact that all of the above songs are by Antonio Carlos Jobim, which shows how brilliant Jobim was at that time.

Astrud's singing is not the sugary kind that makes you sing along, but rather, it gives a rather simple impression. She is not a particularly good singer. Her voice is smooth and without vibrato, which fits the bossa nova genre.

A brilliant producer strategy! English Singing and Performer Assignments for a Beautiful Young Woman

Astrud Gilberto made a name for herself by singing bossa nova in English in the United States, a market powerhouse.
There are many female bossa nova singers such as Elis Regina, Nara Leon, and Hoza Passos. These women sing bossa nova in Portuguese because it’s natural that they sing bossa nova in their own language. However, if they sing only in Portuguese, bossa nova is not more than a local song.
Behind the fire that ignited astrut in the U.S., the producer's strategy is apparent. The producer is Creed Taylor, who made “Gets/Gilberto” a big hit.
Creed understood that bossa nova had universality and could be popular with the masses even though it was born in Brazil. It was important for her to sing in English, not in Portuguese, in order to spread bossa nova to the world.

The American marketplace is characterized by commercialism and the ability to sell music. Creed Taylor, a producer, was a master of marketing his music.
He used Stan Getz, a jazz star at the time, as a billboard, and brought João Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim together. It was a “Getz/Gilberto” production.

The first album of Astrud Gilberto featured Antonio Carlos Jobim, who played the piano on the Getz/Gilberto album also played guitar and João Donato, a first call pianist from Rio, as well as other producer work.

The technique of having a female singer sing in English, which was used for “Getz/Gilberto,” was also carried over to this first Astrud album.

Recommended Song: “Once I Loved”

A cool breeze from Rio de Janeiro blows in the moment after you hear Astrud singing “Once I Loved~” without an intro. This is Jobim's masterpiece, the perfect opening to the album. The cool, low-humidity quality of Astrud's voice makes you think she was born to sing bossa nova.
The way the piano fills in with João Donato playing really accentuates the contours of the Jobim melody is exquisite.

Recommended song: “Água de Beber”

This is a superb song by Jobim. It’s so well known that there is probably no one in the world who has not heard “Água de Beber”. 　When João Donato's live piano accompanies Astrud and with Jobim's impressive scatting, the song takes on an evergreen glow.
This song captivated the world in this short 2-minute and 20-seconds.
American jazz musicians were also captivated by this song, and many great performances have been produced.

Recommended song: “How Insensitive”

A Jobim classic that opens with the melancholic strings of Marty Peach. The melody is sorrowful and melancholic (saudade), but you don't feel the heaviness.
The beautiful and impressive melody is quintessential Jobim. The melody motifs are layered like a 99-note musical pattern, which is one of Jobim's specialties.
The changes in melody are also reflected in the chord progression, which I imagine ignited the hearts of the jazz musicians who played the song. This song has inspired many covers, including one by Pat Metheny's group.

In the next installment of the Bossa Nova Chronicles, Part V, we will look at albums and songs in which jazz musicians have played some of Jobim's most important songs.

Musicians featured, albums, recommended songs, and keys used

• Artist：Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Donato
• Album：Água De Beber
• Songs: “Once I Loved”, “Água De Beber”, “How Insensitive”

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