Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto

Originally released in March 1964, this collaboration between saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist João Gilberto came at seemingly the end of the bossa nova craze Getz himself had sparked in 1962 with Jazz Samba, his release with American guitarist Charlie Byrd. Jazz Samba remains the only jazz album to reach number one in the pop charts. In fact, the story goes that Getz had to push for the release of Getz/Gilberto since the company did not want to compete with its own hit; it was a good thing he did. Getz/Gilberto, which featured composer Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano, not only yielded the hit "Girl from Ipanema" (sung by Astrud Gilberto, the guitarist's wife, who had no professional experience) but also "Corcovado" ("Quiet Night")--an instant standard, and the definitive version of "Desafinado." Getz/Gilberto spent 96 weeks in the charts and won four Grammys. It remains one of those rare cases in popular music where commercial success matches artistic merit. Bossa nova's "cool" aesthetic--with its understated rhythms, rich harmonies, and slightly detached delivery--had been influenced, in part, by cool jazz. Gilberto in particular was a Stan Getz fan. Getz, with his lyricism, the bittersweet longing in his sound, and his restrained but strong swing, was the perfect fit. His lines, at once decisive and evanescent, focus the rest of the group's performance without overpowering. A classic. --Fernando Gonzalez Amazon.com essential recording

Just Take a Listen...

Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Jobim, and others worked together and created a landmark in jazz and bossa nova, but that's not the reason you should listen to it. You should listen to this record because it's a great, beautiful slice of bossa nova. I don't know much about the genre, but genre matters not. This is great jazz, and they don't em' like this any more.

The playing on this record is ace, melancholy, moody, swinging. Joao plays some really good guitar, smooth, lovely, exotic, and melodic, and Getz swings and sings with the saxophone. While the lyrics by Jobim are in a different language, the music is pretty universal, and with Jobim's wife singing in English, you pretty much know what the songs are about. The rhythm section is very relaxing, and very smooth, pretty much what is demanded in an album such as this. This album of Bossa Nova is very different from what most people think when they of South American type of music (the latin stereotype probably defined by Santana).

The album is rather short, but that matters not, as there are no weak or average tracks on here. Even if you don't pay much attention, the album's mood and magic are obvious even if it doesn't require your undivided attention. The tracks that transcend merely good are excellent. The jazz standard, The Girl From Ipanpaneamsfl (AHHH!!!!!. What? I don't want to look it up, you know exactly what track I am talking about), has a great mood, and you can feel what the man is going through, the thing that crossed my mind was "______ look at him you ________! COME ON!" So Danco Samba is the most upbeat song on here, the name says it all. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars and the third track with the long as _____ name, and the second track are more standouts. It also has one of my favorite love songs, Desafindo.

Oh, excuse me if I make a lot of mistakes on naming the songs off the top of my head, because the songs are extremely long and pretty much in a language I don't understand.

This album is just something that demands to be listened to, and that's the only thing that will do it justice, as many words just don't the sound justice. The two bonus tracks are just excuses for listening to two of the songs over again, and that's perfectly fine. While a bit overrated, give it a listen. No, scratch that, get lost in it, well, for me, records aren't merely a casual listen. Great together with Jazz Samba.

8/10 July 18, 2008

Wonderful Music!

Wonderful and relaxing music. Very soft, wonderful sound tracks. There are two soundtracks of "The Girl From Ipanema," with the first being the ultimate recording. I would highly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys cool jazz or any relaxing International-style music. May 29, 2008

A Serendipitous Masterpiece

In history, seemingly all great things are happenstance. One could certainly say the same about this serendipitous recording. A quiet, gentle, beautiful record of 8 songs (and 2 reprises) it created a time capsule of that era that surprisingly stands up to todays standards. A great album to relax to, put it on when you need to seriously unwind without drugs or alcohol. It works amazingly well. April 28, 2008

Must have jazz title, but dated

You can't be a serious jazz fan and not own this album. That's for sure. I bought it expecting more, but it took me back to listening to my parents' records on the dining room floor in front of the console stereo. The sound and style are very dated, which is not necessarily a bad thing. And sure, I was young and carefree in the 60's, but I won't be playing this album much except when I need to practice some "Ipanema" licks before a gig. That is to say, as good as it is, and even though it is a cornerstone of Latin jazz, I won't listen to it very often, at all. January 19, 2008

light the candles, music to eat by

Simply the best Latin music on the planet. No dinner party should be without this one. Romance relaxation and rejuvenation, you can feel your blood pressure coming down while you're listening.
Saxophone at its sexiest. January 5, 2008

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