Astrud Gilberto - The Astrud Gilberto Album (1965)

Last week we had the album that introduced Astrud Gilberto to the world; now, here's her debut solo album from the following year.  The Astrud Gilberto Album has an even bigger Jobim presence, which is always a huge plus point for me: he's featured on guitar throughout, on vocals duetting with Gilberto on the classic Água De Beber, and the tracklist is heavy on his songwriting.  At the heart of this short and sweet record though is Gilberto's voice, still establishing herself as a singer but already imbued with a melancholic, wistful quality that shines on all these songs, whether in English or Portuguese.  Filling out the arrangements is the skilful touch of Marty Paich and Creed Taylor's production, making for a classic of Brazilian jazz-pop, always evocative of summers gone by.

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pw: sgtg

Previously posted at SGTG:

Getz/Gilberto

Look To The Rainbow

I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do

Gilberto With Turrentine (scroll past main post)

Stan Getz-João Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto (1964)

Something definitely authentically Latin today (Stan Getz gets a free pass at inclusion here given his role in popularising Brazilian music in jazz).  For this classic album, perhaps the definitive start of the bossanova craze in the US (following earlier introductions by Getz and Charlie Byrd), Getz collaborated with João Gilberto on guitar & vocals.  The rest of the lineup was none other than Antônio Carlos Jobim on piano, plus Sebastião Neto on bass and Milton Banana on percussion.

Getz/Gilberto also introduced another up and coming Brazilian star on vocals for two tracks, thanks to Getz's coaxing - Astrud Gilberto (João's then-wife, shortly to begin an affair with Getz) sings the English lyrics of the evergreen Girl From Ipanema and Corcovado/Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars.  João Gilberto's guitar accompaniment is perfectly languid throughout, and Getz's cool, accesible tones and the gorgeous tunes all contributed to the breakthrough popularity and lasting brilliance of this great record.

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Antonio Carlos Jobim - Tide (1970)

Two albums were recorded simultaneously in the spring of 1970 by Jobim, with Eumir Deodato at the helm as arranger: one was the more contemporary-sounding Stone Flower (see list below), and the other was Tide.  This album was conceived more as an orchestral-Latin jazz sequel to Wave (also below), and was even packaged in an old-style album cover from the earliest days of CTI to match.  Furthering the link, the title track was a deft re-write of Wave's title track.

Nothing, of course (IMHO) could be as good as Wave, but Tide is still a gorgeous album on its own merits.  Deodato is never less than a fine arranger, concentrating on brass and winds where Claus Ogerman gave Wave its lightness of touch with strings.  Highlights include the flute-led Tema Jazz, the percussive Remember (which does sound a bit more of a piece with the material on Stone Flower) and the languid Caribe.

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pw: sgtg

Previously posted at SGTG:
The Composer of Desafinado, Plays
Wave
Stone Flower
Elis & Tom
Urubu

Antonio Carlos Jobim - The Composer Of Desafinado, Plays (1963)

Summer isn't summer without Jobim as far as I'm concerned.  So here's his debut solo album, recorded in New York, which became the launchpad for his international reknown.  The tracklist is a virtual bossanova songbook - just about every one of these twelve Jobim-penned tunes would become much-covered standards.  The album also marked the beginning of his working relationship with Claus Ogerman, who fleshes out every track in typically gorgeous style with his lush strings and flutes over Jobim's spare guitar and piano.

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pw: sgtg

Previously posted at SGTG:
Wave
Stone Flower
Elis & Tom
Urubu

Elis Regina & Antonio Carlos Jobim - Elis & Tom (1974)

29-year old Elis Regina was already about 20 albums into her career when Philips Records of Brazil made a wish come true for her as a special anniversary gift (she'd been at the label for ten years): an album shared with Antonio Carlos 'Tom' Jobim.  The album that resulted became a hugely popular masterpiece for both artists - one of the elder statesmen of bossanova, and one of the biggest stars of Brazilian popular music, or MPB.

Sadly, Elis' star would only burn brightly for another seven years, before her death at just 36 from accidental overdose.  Elis & Tom remains one of the highlights of her catalogue, as well as Jobim's.  The album sets out a relaxed, informal vibe from the outset, as Jobim tries to make Elis laugh (and succeeds) towards the end of his classic naturalist free-association song, Águas de Março. 

After that, there's another thirteen classics by Jobim and some of his co-writers, including Triste (first released on Wave - see links below), Corcovado (aka Quiet Nights in its English versions), and Chovendo na Roseira, known as Children's Games on Stone Flower.  An absolutely gorgeous, late-night collection of songs from start to finish, in mostly understated arrangements.

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pw: sgtg

Jobim at SGTG:
Wave
Stone Flower
Urubu

Antonio Carlos Jobim - Urubu (1976)

When it comes to Jobim, as much as I love the sunny, sparkling crispness of Stone Flower, and the gorgeous perfection of Wave makes it possibly my favourite album of all time, this one from 1976 is fast catching up.  By the mid 70s, Jobim and Claus Ogerman's talents and ambition had reached a new level of maturity, complexity and subtlety.  This might not make Urubu an easy record to get into, but it is one that knocks you flat with more wonderful surprises with every listen.

It's a well structured album too - four songs with vocals, then four instrumental mood pieces making up the old side one/side two split.  Even at the outset of the song half, there's no obvious hook to draw you in or sumptuous flourish, just 40 seconds of solo berimbau scraping away before the twilit arrangements usher in Jobim and Miúcha's duet about an anthropomorphic trip through the tropics.  This is followed by three wonderful romantic songs which made me think of similar era Serge Gainsbourg, if only production-wise in Jobim's close-miked, instantly recognisable voice and the dense, languid orchestration.

The old Side 2, the instrumental suite, is the real prize here though.  There's that famously untranslatable word in the first title - saudade - that indicates right away that this piece is going to be Jobim's most ambitious tribute yet to his home nation, and it's a masterpiece.  Saudade Do Brasil, and in fact all of the three tracks to follow, sound as if they're superior soundtrack music to a documentary film - one that takes in Brazilian history, society and culture in a breathtaking sweep.  Musically, it's endlessly rewarding on repeated listens - I'm currently marveling afresh at the way the flutes lead the journey through the eight-minute Arquitetura De Morar.  Hugely recommended.

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Antonio Carlos Jobim - Stone Flower (1970)

Deodato the arranger this time, putting a perfect, not-too-lacquered sheen on what is probably my second favourite Jobim album (nothing can ever touch Wave).  Creed Taylor is of course in the producer's chair, with the CTi era now in full swing, and mellow electric pianos shimmer all over the place - not least in the most gorgeous ballad, Andorinha.  The definite highlight of this stunning record, though, has to be the extended groove through Ary Barroso's 1939 standard Aquarela do Brasil, listed here under its better known international title Brazil and topped off with a reverential Jobim vocal.  In summary, 34 minutes of summery perfection.

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Antonio Carlos Jobim - Wave (1967)

Midsummer, and time for my listening habits to take their traditional holiday to Brazil.  I've been fascinated by Brazillian music from (mostly) the 60s and 70s ever since discovering this timeless album at university, and it's led to me discovering several other lifelong favourites ever since.  I had actually planned earlier in the year to spend the whole of July posting Brazillian albums, but on reflection thought that would a bit OTT and out of character for this blog, so it's just going to be one week.

To kick off then, here's possibly the finest, most exquisite example of 60s bossanova, with the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim pairing up with arranger Claus Ogerman to produce a succinct album of instant classics, topped off with Creed Taylor's production sheen.  Right from the start of the title track, Ogerman's shimmering wall of strings establishes itself like an airport runway heathaze, then languid brass and winds waft in to provide a gentle breeze in the sweltering heat.  Jobim's guitar or piano are always mixed up front to carry these indelible melodies or carry the bossanova rhythms, and everything is securely underpinned by the great jazz bassist Ron Carter.

The perfection of Ogerman's arranging and Taylor's early-CTI production really can't be overstated here - on Antigua for instance, flutes carry the winding melody until Jobim brings in harpsichord for a star guest turn.  The reverb on the latter instrument is just enough to make the otherwise out-of-kilter baroque instrument sparkle like sunlight off the surface of the sea.  Wave is also a well-paced album; if a track like Dialogo starts to lull you into a poolside snooze, Lamento picks up the pace again, and features Jobim's smoky, melancholic voice for the only time on this flawless album.

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