Joćo (I Really Samba)
Artist: Joćo Gilberto

Recent but classic jazz-bossa is played by one of its defining spirits. Vocally, Gilberto is in fine muttering form, communicating intensely with somebody in his breast pocket, and his guitar is as delicate as ever. This recording expresses the close links of bossa nova and jazz. Joao has Clare Fisher arranging and on some cuts playing... Read More

The Essential Astrud Gilberto
Artist: Astrud Gilberto

This British LP has some of Astrud Gilberto's finest early recordings. The cool-toned bossa nova singer is heard at her best on "The Girl from Ipanema," "Meditation," "Corcovado," "Bim-Bom," "One Note Samba" and "It Might As Well Be Spring." Unfortunately, the liner notes, which do sum up her importance well, say nothing about the exact... Read More

Jazz 'Round Midnight: Astrud Gilberto
Artist: Astrud Gilberto
Amoroso/Brasil
Artist: Joćo Gilberto

Two of the influential Joćo Gilberto's LPs (Amoroso and Brasil) are combined on this single CD. The former session is pretty definitive with Gilberto interpreting four of Antonio Carlos Jobim's compositions (including "Wave" and "Triste") and four other songs (highlighted by "Besame Mucho," "Estate," and an odd 31-bar rendition of "'S... Read More

Desafinado
Artist: Joćo Gilberto
Community Score: 8.00

Samba's kick-back ebullience has always seemed more attractive than the muttering ellipses of bossa nova. But these (presumably early -- zilch data) recordings remind one once again just how great was Gilberto's talent, up-the-sleeve vocal style and all. Classics all, from the super-familiar "Desafinado" to the favorite, "O Pato," with its... Read More

Compact Jazz: Astrud Gilberto
Artist: Astrud Gilberto

For listeners new to Gilberto's classic Verve work, this edition of the label's Compact Jazz sampler series makes for a perfect introduction. Along with Verve's equally fine Silver Collection of Gilberto's prime sides, this 16-track set includes cuts from most of the singer's different projects. From her classic Getz date ("The Girl From... Read More

Brazil's Brilliant
Artist: Joćo Gilberto

This vitally important record introduced Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and thus, bossa nova to the United States in 1961, a year before Stan Getz scored a hit with "Desafinado." Twelve of Gilberto's more than three-dozen bossa nova recordings for EMI-Odeon in Brazil were included, as per the record label practices of the time -- and having... Read More

Gilberto and Jobim
Artist: Joćo Gilberto

The back cover of this Capitol LP claims "Here's the album that started it all," and to an extent that is true. A year before Stan Getz first met up with Charlie Byrd to launch bossa nova in the United States, Joao Gilberto (with backing by an orchestra led by Antonio Carlos Jobim) recorded a dozen bossa nova performances, including "One Note... Read More

Look to the Rainbow
Artist: Astrud Gilberto
Community Score: 6.00

For this CD reissue the music on singer Astrud Gilberto's album Look to the Rainbow is combined with half of the songs from her following album A Certain Smile. The former session was one of the bossa nova singer's best (11 perfectly suitable songs on which her soft voice is accompanied by an orchestra arranged by Gil Evans and Al Cohn) while on... Read More

Samba de Uma Note So
Artist: Joćo Gilberto

A couple years before hitting it big in the United States, guitarist/singer Joao Gilberto recorded this rare but valuable album with Antonio Carlos Jobim's piano and orchestra. Gilberto performs six Jobim tunes (including the debut versions of "One Note Samba," "Meditation," "O Pato" and "Corcovado"), plus his own "A Salute to Bonfa" and five... Read More