Stan Getz & João Gilberto

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Stan Getz & João Gilberto · Stan Getz, an American saxophonist, and João Gilberto, a Brazilian singer and guitarist, made the album Getz/Gilberto together, which was released on Verve Records in March 1964. The pianist and composer Antônio Carlos Jobim played on it and wrote many of the songs. The album was recorded in March 1963 in New York, under producer Creed Taylor, with Phil Ramone as engineer. On two songs, The Girl from Ipanema and Corcovado, Astrud Gilberto sings, who had never sung professionally before.

Music and breakthrough

Bossa nova had come into being in 1958, through Gilberto and Jobim, among others. Getz had become enthusiastic in the early 1960s and had already had success in 1962 with Jazz Samba and Big Band Bossa Nova. After a bossa nova concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962, Taylor wanted to bring the two Brazilians together with Getz. In the studio the differences sometimes ran high: Gilberto liked a delicate approach and found Getz too loud, and their language barrier was bridged by Jobim. The album received Grammys for best jazz album and best engineering, and The Girl from Ipanema received the Grammy for record of the year. In 1965 it was the first non-American album to be named album of the year. More than a million copies were sold.

Influence

The music is restrained and calm. Gilberto sings almost in a whisper, the guitar plays the rhythm and Jobim keeps his piano minimal. Above it Getz plays his soft, warm tenor saxophone. The record made bossa nova known worldwide and showed that jazz and Brazilian music could form a natural blend.

Listening

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  The Girl from Ipanema · Stan Getz & João Gilberto met Astrud Gilberto, 1964
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