bossa nova: S&D

A second on the Stone Flower front too. I've heard good stuff by Marcus Valle but again it might not be strictly bossa.

Also, Ruicihi Sakamoto recently recorded a Jobim tribute with Jacques Morelenbaum, Brazilian cellist, and arranger for Velosa, and Morelenbaum's wife, a singer. They will be doing some dates at Joe's Pub in NY this Sept., then a free date in Nov. at the winter garden...

Love CV or hate him, Domingo is a pretty sweet record, if only for "Coracao Vagabundo." I imagine he did most of the stuff that annoys our esteemed fellow poster later in his career.

I also recommend: Luiz Bonfa...he recorded 'Softly...'(aka O Violão E O Samba) in Rio in 1962. Then he recorded 'BRAZIL'S KING OF THE BOSSA NOVA AND GUITAR' in Paris in October of '62. Next he recorded "LUIZ BONFA Composer of Black Orpheus Plays and Sings BOSSA NOVA" in New York December 30-31, 1962. 'JAZZ SAMBA ENCORE!' with Getz was then recorded in Feb of '63. What an amazing output in such a short period of time!

The four Getz Bossa albums are readily available and may be worth checking out as an introduction, but I can't listen to them anymore because the sax is just too damn loud.

Joao Donato (although mixed feelings on Donato + Deodato)
Milton Banana and Milton Banana Trio (the bossa drummer, though his records proper tend to be massively unadventurous)
Sergio Mendes Trio (nicely stripped-down bossa, see fantastic "In the Brazilian Bag")
Wanda Sa (perpetually off-pitch yet way more appealing than Astrud)
Baden Powell (guitar; often too driving to be very bossa)
Elis Regina (obligatory psychotic diva; also not often very bossa)
Eumir Deodato (for big plush arrangements of Jobim songs)

Also non-bossa but so long as we're looking around: Astrud Gilberto's 70s records (e.g. the fabulous "Now") = good. Even Bebel Gilberto's let's-modernize "Tanto Tempo" is good. Even the remix record for "Tanto Tempo" is good. It's all good.

Could anyone possibly burn me a copy of this? It is out of print and fetches $100 on eBay, so I won't be able to find it myself.

I'll email you, thanks!!!!

Nabisco is right that Astrud Gilberto is unappealing. I get really suspicious when people on, say, Friendster or Nerve list her as one of their favorites. It's like they like the IDEA of bossa nova but not the actuality.

v. de moraes wrote
'garota de ipane-
ma' and many more

('samba de bencao')
his work with toquinho is
klassik beyond doubt

cantuaria
is the new vinicius
he's as smooth as paint

subtlety is all,
whispers, nudges, eyebrows, lips
oooooooooooh bossa nova

I've always been on the fence about the Caetano V. as well. I never thought his tropicalist material was as good as Gilberto Gil's, but on the other hand his collab with G.G. in '94, "Tropicalia 2," is one of the great post-MPB documents. "Livro" is nice too. But often there's just something treacly and sickly about Veloso that I find almost impossible to get past. I guess it's the Jeff Buckley Syndrome, I Have A Great Voice And I'm Usin' It...altho he's certainly better than Jeff Buckley, at least C.V.'s model is João Gilberto instead of Led Zeppelin.

i so agree with you on this point. i've got the 69 s/t disc and the english language one mentioned above, and i used to have "Muitos Carnavais", but there's something about them i just don't get into. it definitely has something to do with the sickly sweetness of his voice. every single Gil album i've heard (all from the 60s & 70s) has floored me.

I guess it's the Jeff Buckley Syndrome, I Have A Great Voice And I'm Usin' It

i don't necessarily think this is the problem. i mean, i love Tim Buckley, and he also has a Mariah like range. i've said this before, but i think Jeff has that mid90s alternative production sound, and that's what's grating to me

(sexist record
of the year) and celso fon-
seca's natural

but I'd recommend buying "Elis" ('66, the one beginning with her version of Gil's "Roda") and "In London" (the one with "Zazueira," which is one of her absolutely greatest tracks and one that appears only on that album and on the impossible-to-find comp "O Melhor De Elis," which I've owned for years on cassette and which Elenco put out in a version featuring songs dubbed from vinyl. If you can find this one, it's the one to get if you want one, as it contains "Madalena," "Vou Deitar E Rolar" and an early version of "Waters of March." But the sound isn't superb, and the track listing is even incorrect, go figure).

"Elis" from '73 (the one with two essential Gilberto Gil covers, "Ladeira da Preguiça" and "Meio de Campo) is another really good one. In fact there are three from '71, '72 and '73 all called "Elis" and they're all quite good.

Philips put out a 4-CD set on Elis 10 years ago, called, yep, "Elis," that's really good. It's one of their "Series Grandes Nomes" collections. The catalog number is 522-951-2. I haven't seen this one for a long time, bought it years ago at Ameoba in S.F., so good luck.

As noted above, "Echoes of Rio" is a good bossa document; the Verve "Bossa Nova Brasil" comp is great; and João's "João Gilberto" (the one with the white cover recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's with just João and a drummer, starts off with "Waters of March") is probably the single greatest João album and thus the greatest bossa record.

And I guess I didn't say that I'd go for some of the individual albums mentioned above before springing for that box. If you had "O Melhor," "Elis & Tom," "Elis" ('66) and "In London," you'd pretty much have her. Or if you can't find "O Melhor," go for the "Series Grandes Nomes" box and then pick up the '66 "Elis" and "In London." What a shame you can't get an intelligently programmed one- or two-CD set, with translations, on Elis in the USA.

Obviously, I'm a fan. I made a one-CD best-of recently with the following tracks, mostly uptempo, all recorded '65-'74:

Roda
Tem Mais Sambar
Tereza Sabe Sambar
Canção do Sol
Zazueira
Giro
Menino das Laranjas
Samba do Perdão
Corrida de Jangado
Canto de Ossanha
Recit de Cassard
Aquarela do Brasil/Nega do Cabelo Duro
Frevo
Vou Deitar a Rolar
Madalena
Bala com Bala
Folhas Secas
Meio de Campo
Amor Até o Fim
Ladeira da Preguiça
(following from "Elis & Tom"):
Waters of March
Pois É
Brigas, Nuncas Mais
Fotographia
Sonato de Separacão
Double Rainbow
Useless Landscape

I've got a question for eddie or anybody else about another singer: what's the word on Nara Leao? (Leão?) I've got one of those "Sem Limite" comps on her which is pretty good, she doesn't do any vocal trick, I like her straightforward delivery. Anything else I should get?

also, there's something that has been bothering me. Everything I've read has said that Elis & Tom is one of the greatest bossa nova albums ever, so I bought it, and I like it, but.....of the 4 Elis Regina albums I've heard, it's actually not my favorite. I like the Elis (1972) album better. Is this blasphemy? Am I normal?

Even worse, I prefer the Elis(1972) version of "Aguas De Marzo" over the Elis & Tom version. It definitely sounds like Elis & AC Jobim had a blast making their version, but I just can't seem to share their enthusiasm. The Elis '72 version is more subdued. More of a slow burn, I guess, and it suits me a lot better. Am I alone in feeling this way?

Marisa Monte is great--and sure is beautiful too. I'm a fan of her "Rose and Charcoal" album. I actually like her better than I do Bebel Gilberto. There are photos of both these great singers in the current music issue of Vanity Fair.

For anyone who wants to read about bossa, the book by Ruy Castro, "Bossa Nova," (a cappella press, 2000) is a must-read. Great portrait of Gilberto, Jobim, Menescal and all the rest, and it shows how Regina as interpreter helped create MPB outta bossa. And dispels the myth that bossa hit America only in '62--there were plenty of hip folks who knew about it earlier.

Nara Leão--check out "Nara" and "Um cantinho, um violão."

That's just a setup for your gag, right? Because that's a great album. My copy has the modesty of the voluptuous cartoon beauties on the cover somewhat protected by strategically placed blackout bars across their upper bodies, which I don't think are on the import version, Barulhinho Bom

There is side benefit of the Bebel Gilberto records Tanto Tempo and the self-titled one. Sorry for oversharing, non-parents please avert your eyes, but I've got two three month old baby daughters and those records are surefire fussy baby calmer-downers. They like Marisa Monte and João Gilberto too. Those Brazilian rhythms are just plain good for you.

I'm going to the library tomorrow to get Bossa Nova

Also, and maybe people already have seen this, when I was reading up on Elis Regina on the net awhile back, I came across an English-translated version of her biography Furacao Elis. Apparently it has never officially been translated into English, so some hardcore Elis fan took it upon himself to do it. The entire thing is posted on the net for free with the full blessing of the original author. The translation is far from perfect, but it's fairly short and it's an interesting read if you're a fan. It has lots of interviews with people like Gilberto Gil, Elis herself, Elis' family, her husbands, bandmembers, associates, etc.

Here's the link for anyone who's interested: http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Beach/7020/

The only reason why i brought up the subject of the borders between samba, bossa and MPB is that Marisa Monte's name was mentioned upthread and it seemed to jar on a bossa thread. For me the only people who have actually made records that even approach the status of bossa nova in the last 30 years are British/French/Swedish indie bands. Brazilians don't seem to do bossa these days. When I was out there, there was quite a bit of choro being made, and blokes playing the old standards on over-loud guitar in posh bars, but nothing you'd really call bossa nova.

Yeah, sorry about my boundary issues. The question was about Elis Regina and I was just trying to respond to that one. Bebel Gilberto had been mentioned further up thread by nabisco, but more carefully described as "not bossa."

I can never figure out exactly what is MPB. Is Jovem Guarda MPB? Is Tropicalia? Is all Brazilian music after a certain date not strictly in an earlier style MPB? Probably not. Are all, any or none of Jorge Ben's (or Jorge Ben Jor's) records MPB? Please explain.

very nice--especially the Regina and Jobim one

Thanks. Actually there's lots of nice bossa stuff on the web, including a short clip of a fresh-faced trio of Bonfa, Gilberto and Jobim serenading three bathing beauties at Copacabana. I wonder why João hasn't had his lawyers shut them all down.

I cannot vouch for this album enough

Oscar Brown Jr. & Luiz Henrique - Finding a New Friend (1966)
http://musicodobrasil.com.br/loronixcontent/Oscar+Brown+Jr.+e+Luiz+Henrique+-+Finding+a+New+Friend+(1966)-image009.jpg

Also, if you can find it, the 1961 Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros collaboration is a must

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/PappaWheelie/caterinaedmundo.jpg

Checking this out now. Good stuff!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/PappaWheelie/BossaNovaCarnival1962Prestige1.jpg

As I noted on the tropicalia thread -- Just saw the movie doc "Beyond Ipanema: Brazilian Waves in Global Music" last night at the AFI theater in suburban DC (the movie's showing just one more time there--Thurs. Oct. 8th). There's some bossa nova in it and way too much David Byrne and Devandra Barnhart and others talking about Brazilian music.

http://www.ecanadanow.com/entertainment/2010/03/08/a-bossa-nova-founder-johnny-alf-dies-at-age-80/

The music world has suffered another great loss. Johnny Alf, a founder of Bossa Nova music, died in a Santo André hospital of multiple organ failure. His death in Brazil on Thursday, March 6, 2010, was a result of the musician’s battle with advanced prostate cancer.

On May 19, 1929, Alf was born in Rio de Janeiro under the name, Alfredo Jose da Silva. He was proficient on the piano and his forte in early American jazz greatly influenced his Bossa Nova work. He completed 9 solo records but appeared on 46 albums. His 1955 hit songs “Rapaz de bem” and “O Tempo e o vento” are said by many to be the start of Bossa Nova and has widely influenced later stars. A definitive history of the genre was written by Ruy Castro, who called Alf the “true father of Bossa Nova.” His other successes include “Decision” and “Girl of my city.”

The musician’s health began deteriorating in his last six months of life while undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Despite of his illness, he would still continue to make presentations with an energy that his manager, Nelson Valencia, described as “spiritual” and “calm.” Johnny Alf was 80 years of age.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=51181 Another Alf obit. RIP

RIP

I should get that Ruy Castro book.

Gilberto Gil is in NYC Thursday and DC Saturday.

Ruy Castro book is GREAT

RIP Johnny :(

That book is indeed great. Also, nabisco was reading it recently and wrote some interesting stuff on his blog about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/arts/music/12alf.html?ref=todayspaper

N.Y. Times obit for Johnny Alf

Not from Brazil, not in Portuguese, but the Helen Merrill album Casa Forte has some pretty nice snail's pace versions of some nice bossa songs, well-known and otherwise.

What's Nabisco's blog? What's the url?

http://agrammar.tumblr.com/post/378514280/bossa-nova-class-politics-fight

Has anyone seen the 2008 Walter Lima directed movie, "Os Desafinados," about a fictional bossa nova band that comes to America around time of the military takeover in Brazil? It is showing in Washington DC tonight and Thursday night. It is also called "out of Tune" and "off-key."

I missed it. Saw the Deborah Colker Brazilian dance company instead. Maybe it's on video

no!

Oh well.

So the new Soul Jazz comp and book...

book?

http://jungledrumsonline.com/articles/music-to-the-eyes-the-art-of-bossa-nova/

oooh!

If it's got that "Surfboard" cover from upthread or anything like it, I'm all over it.

KILL CAETANO VELOSO!!

― Chupa-Cabras, Tuesday, August 13, 2002 8:00 PM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
Chupa-Cabras, are you Brazilian?

― DeRayMi, Tuesday, August 13, 2002 8:00 PM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
Yes, and i feking hate him

― Chupa-Cabras, Tuesday, August 13, 2002 8:00 PM Bookmark

I never, ever 'got' Caetano Veloso. I remember there was a point, maybe in the late 90s, when he got a huge push here and a lot of the hype seemed to be around the story (the political stuff, etc.), but his music always sounded so ungraceful and dull to me.

waht

I get what you are saying Hurting, but listen to The White Album.

produced by Rogério Duprat

or for straight bossa, just listen to Domingo

I'll grant that his post-tropicalia stuff is kinda spotty (endless repetitions of "9 out of 10 movie stars make me cry" = um no thanks)

I was listening to Som do Brasil on WKCR last night and they were talking about him. First they said "Caetano, you either love him or hate him" and then they started making fun of the way his wife dressed him!

Can someone recommend some newer electronica bossa nova stuff? I got this recently, what else is good?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/richhunt35/democustico.jpg

A brilliant bossa nova song where you wouldn't expect to find one: "Busy Doin' Nothin'" by the Beach Boys, off the Friends album.

One whole verse is Brian Wilson giving directions for driving to his house! I'm amazed he wasn't worried about stalkers....

Folks who come to bossa and other more trad Brazilian sounds from a jazz angle seem to love Luciana Souza much more than I do. She was just in town and I skipped the show. Maybe I need to listen a few more times (as her fans are so enthusiastic)

Feliz aniversário, Tom Jobim!

http://vimeo.com/85415894

Bossa Nova - The Music Which Seduced the World

a new documentary by Bret Primack and Ken Avis, exploring the roots of bossa nova and the pivotal role of Washington D.C.’s musicians in popularizing the Brazilian bossa rhythm in the U.S. This fascinating film features exclusive performance, recording and interview footage with musicians from the original Jazz Samba recording, plus rare archive footage of the era.

Just saw this last night. A bit disjointed but interesting footage and interviews. In the discussion section afterwards, a jazz radio dj and writer who was seen in the movie, took the film to task a bit for not making clear enough that Charlie Byrd's bassist Keeter Betts introduced Byrd to Brazilian music

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/blame-it-on-jazz-samba-bossa-nova-craze-started-in-dc/2014/05/26/8657665a-e32f-11e3-9743-bb9b59cde7b9_story.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/arts/music/carlos-lyra-a-pioneer-of-bossa-nova-reintroduces-himself.html?_r=0

He's gonna be in NYC for the first time in 50 years

Mr. Lyra’s lilting tunes, including “Primavera“ (Spring) and “Você e Eu“ (You and I), inspired bossa’s most famous composer, Antônio Carlos Jobim, to once call him “a great melodist, harmonist, king of rhythm, of syncopation, of swing” and “singular, without equal.”

But unlike Jobim, whose “The Girl From Ipanema“ brought him and bossa worldwide fame in 1964, Mr. Lyra had no comparable breakthrough. It’s been 50 years since his last appearances in the United States, on tour with Stan Getz, the saxophonist who helped turn “The Girl From Ipanema” into an American smash.

What??

I always liked this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyP0vfXF-Qg

x-post--DELTA AIRLINES PRESENTS

"BOSSABRASIL" Marcos Valle with Carlos Lyra

at Birdland in NYC May 26 to 30th

Not likely to make it up there, but might be worth the $40 plus $10 minimum

Pulling out "Tanto Tempo" by Bebel Gilberto again for the summer. Super chill

Wanda De Sah also hits that spot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvoNEwON96g

Don't really get the hatred for Astrud Gilberto in this thread, is it just challops or pushback against the twee indieness? Anyway she's no Elis Regina or Nara Leão but imo she has good taste in collaborators and knows how to incorporate her voice into tunes, been listening to her Now album a lot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=892rcoj4XNY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrbazMk_D4c

Read that Castro book recently and agree w/ everyone it's great. Some quibbles: dude seems pretty condescending towards anyone daring to do politically charged music, and the bitter tone towards the ending is kinda weird - makes it seem like Bossa Nova was a short burst of creativity on the Brazilian music scene that was unjustly forgotten, as opposed to the starting point to what (nationally and internationally) is probably seen as its most creative era.

Nice article about Johnny Alf: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/arts/music/johnny-alf-bossa-nova.html

Very interesting article on Alf

Interesting doc on MUBI for a few more days called WHERE ARE YOU, JOÃO GILBERTO?

Thanks for heads up

Might not actually be that good according to other reviewers but hard for me to be objective when people like Roberto Menescal appear.