Nara Leao

On what would have been her 73rd Birthday we would like to remember the influential singer Nara Leao, described as the “muse of bossa nova.”

Danny!

Off his 2007 instrumental album Dream,Fulfilled American hip hop artist and producer Danny! (remember the exclamation) expertly samples Joao Gilberto’s “Bolinha De Papel” to form his “Summer Samba”. Brilliant in its execution , you’ll have this one on replay.

Can you hear it?

Joao Gilberto – Bolinha De Papel

Danny! – Summer Samba

Dorris Day

With the movie award season now in full session, we remember the life of one of the most successful American singers and actresses of her generation and an unassuming bossa nova songstress, Dorris Day.

Dominating both the worlds of movies and music she currently stands as the 6th top box office performers of all time and has sold millions of musical records.

Latin for Lovers (1965) – Dorris Day

Notably, her 1965 album, “Latin for lovers,” featured a number of bossa nova classics from Antonio Carlos Jobim’s catalogue such as “Corcovado” (quiet nights), “Desafinado” (Slightly out of tune) and “Meditation.”

Interestingly, bossa nova music was also featured in the background to a scene in her movie, “The Glass Bottom Boat.” The song was likely composed and arranged by American musician Frank De Vol.

Her career would see her record 29 albums, many of which produced songs that performed well on the billboard charts. She was rewarded with a Grammy lifetime achievement award for her decades of successful work.

Marcela Mangabeira

Anyone familiar with original song will remember the pulsating bass drum line and catchy whistle melody that doesn’t seem to leave the mind. In this bossa nova version by Marcela Mangabeira, the former is absent but the latter is re-worked as a flute.

Bossa 012

Mangabeira embraces Adam Levine’s spirited performance and adds a layer of restrain that is suitable for the toned down arrangement. Not to suggest that this song is a drab affair, contrary to that, it has the grove to make you move.

The remix is off the album Bossa 012 which can be purchased in the itunes store

Stan Getz

Bossa nova pioneer, Stan Getz, will be commemorated by members of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra this Thursday, January 17th. The show will begin at 6:30 in the The Richard H. Driehaus Museum, 40 E. Erie, Chicago. The price for entry is $30.00 for members of the museum and $40.00 for the general public. This is just one of a series of shows occurring during the orchestra’s 2012-2013 concert season.

Chicago Jazz Orchestra

From the promoters:

Hear “The Sound” come alive once again in this intimate concert performed by members of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra (CJO). The performance features three of Chicago’s most sought-after performers-Greg Fishman on saxophone, Eric Hochberg on bass, and Dennis Luxion on piano-paying tribute to the legendary Stan Getz.

Source

Orfeu da conceica

Few have enjoyed such enduring recognition and appreciation for their culture and artistic contributions to their country as Vinicius De Moares has. Characteristic of his multifaceted career, Vinicius provided both the script for his play, “Orfeu da Conceição” and the accompanying soundtrack with the same title. Therefore, this album is significant as it represents the first time Vinicius would be a main artist and writer on a musical album and it also marks the beginning of his collaboration with Jobim.

Much like the play the cast on this album was carefully selected and included Luiz Bonfa on the guitar and Roberto Paiva, who provided additional vocals. The Overture is a magnificent and appropriately theatrical stretch of music. Beginning with a whimsical arrangement of strings, it eventually transforms into a faster and livelier section complete with syncopated drums and background vocals that all follow the melody of the classic lamento. “Lamento No Morro,” is the final song on the 21 minute album and has acoustic guitar strings in place of the orchestral arrangement featured in the overture.

Everything in between is equally romantic and elegant.

Tanto Tempo- Bebel Gilberto

The title track from our album of the week,”Tanto Tempo” is performed in an exclusive Itunes live session. Enjoy.

Lead Guitarist: Luiz Amadeus

Combining bossa nova and rock seems to a be a new trend that is emerging.Only a few weeks after a bossa nova remix of Metallica’s ,”Enter the Sandman,” became a viral hit, another group has decided to mix the two genres. Rather than do a bossa nova version of a popular rock song, the Brazilian based rock group,”Ovelha Negra,” did a rock version of a bossa nova song. Unsurprisingly, they decided to re-do, the most popular bossa nova song of all, “Girl from Ipanema.

The calming song is transformed into a rock ballad with acoustic guitars traded in for the electric variety and drums that are notably harsher. The guitarists also sing the actual lyrics of the song and provide a smoothness reminiscent of the original. The rousing guitar solos are a welcome addition and their lively rendition of the bridge is a highlight.

Charlie Byrd

Throughout his life American guitarist Charlie Byrd would visit many places and learn from different mentors but it was his faithful tour of South America that would have the greatest impact on his career and the music of his homeland. As a member of the trio most responsible for bringing bossa nova to the United States, he will forever have a special place in the heart of Jazz and bossa nova fans around the world.

Virginia was his birth place and it was here that his father, his first teacher, would introduce him to the guitar. He played in his school orchestra but his time in the United states was cut short when he was drafted into the United State Army during World War II. Despite his duties, he still found time to sharpen his skills as a guitar player. It was in France where he was afforded the opportunity to meet and perform alongside his biggest influence, Gypsy guitar player, Django Reinhardt.

After the war he moved across the US and even spent time in Italy. In each location he was under the tutelage of renowned guitar players of the time such as Sophocles Papas and Andrés Segovia. While in Washington he decided to seriously delve into mastering the classic guitar. It would prove to be  a decision that would affect his playing style and sound for the rest of his career.

Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd (extreme right) during a Jazz Samba session

In 1961, he went on a diplomatic tour of Brazil and from there absorbed the new musical sensation, bossa nova. Shortly after returning to the United States he got in contact with Creed Taylor and Stan Getz and exposed them to the sound he learned in South America. Mesmerized by what they had heard, they left New York for Washington and began to record what would later be titled by Taylor as “Jazz Samba.”

The album would go onto to exceed the expectations of all involved. It remained on the pop billboard charts for several weeks and even reached number one. The success of this album began the bossa craze of the 1960′s that spread across the whole country and the rest is history.

Jazz Samba

Byrd would go on to release more bossa nova material such as “Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros,” “Once More! Charlie Byrd’s Bossa Nova” and “Brazilian Byrd.”

The Legend

Set to be released on the 7th of January, The Legend is a two CD compilation of Joao Gilberto‘s work over the initial periods of Bossa Nova . The first CD comprises of his debut album “Chega de Saudade” as well as the two subsequent albums “O amor, o sorriso e a flor” and “Joao Gilberto”. These albums represent the roots of the genre, with greats such as Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes ,Carlos Lyra and Dorival Caymmi included.

Disc 2 is a collection of various ventures  Joao has been apart of over the years from his performance at Carnegie Hall to his his work on the soundtrack of Italian filmmaker Steno’s, Copacabana Palace. For one who wishes to have an appreciation of not only Joao but the birth of Bossa Nova this is one to look out for.

Bananeira

With lyrics by Gilberto Gil ,Bananeira or Banana Tree is a catchy, light hearted song that can get you to your feet. Not strictly Bossa Nova it carries a funk to it , altogether a great song.

Tanto Tempo- Bebel Gilberto

Being born to parents that have enjoyed success in the music industry is often both a gift and a curse. Doors are opened for such privileged offspring but expectations are usually placed on the son or daughter.

Despite being the daughter of bossa nova legend Joao Gilberto and artist Miucha, Bebel Gilberto does not struggle from any form of identity crisis. Rather than rush her work, her major debut album, “Tanto Tempo” was released in 2000 at the age of 34 after years of working with various collaborators and on a number of projects. The result are clear to be seen as the album is every bit as mature as its artist.

Having taken time to ensure her life and career followed the path she wanted,  her voice and musical direction parallels this attitude. Due to this, Gilberto sounds at ease at all times, which is perfect for the mood being cultivated; namely a relaxed one.

Her bossa nova roots are mixed with an underlying elements of electronica. To her credit she manages to incorporate the latter with a level of subtly that is very characteristic of bossa nova and does not clash with the acoustic guitar sound. Much of this is thanks to the producer, Suba, whose background in experimental, ambient and minimal music helped him to craft an aural experience that is distinct and clean.  The contributions of electronica musicians such as Chris Frank, thievery corporation and Amon Tobin are all also present as well.

The album maintains a dreamy aura from start to finish and Bebel’s voice manages to be the focal point of this experience. The opening track, “Samba De Bencoa” establishes this feel from the offset. With an airy ambiance, smooth melodies and Gilbeto’s voice, which seems to float over the track, the song leaves one in a somnolent state.

Immediately after is another highlight in “August Day”. A similar musical atmosphere is present on the track, however this time the tempo is faster and where as the other had a lazy charm this track has a hypnotizing rhythm. Nina Miranda’s appearance on the track is more than welcome and both singers do well to balance each other. The rest of the album follows the same pattern, with Gilberto managing  to change from relaxed to mildly energetic effortlessly.

Her version of Summer Samba is an important song. The decision to change the title of the bossa nova classic to “So Nice,” is a yet another example of her effort to personalize the familiar elements of her world. The music follows this theme, with the structure and instrumentation being adapted to her unique breed of bossa nova and does not sound out of place in the album at all.

Delicately, combining elements of past and present, Gilberto manages to forge her own identity not by following or rebelling against her heritage but rather by using it and other musical influences to create an album that bridges generations of music and accurately represents her unique position within and between them.  A most appropriate way to ring in a new millennium of bossa nova music

Pat Thomas’ Desafinado

Desafinado (or off key) has been done in several versions. For many North Americans the version by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd was the first they had heard and certainly it was the first version to get any widespread commercial buzz in the states with a peak position of 15th in the Billboard pop charts. Though, as this version was an instrumental, it could not be the first English vocal version of the song.

This honor belongs to Pat Thomas whose version of Desafinado was the first to be sung in English.  Though not widely known among bossa nova fans, Thomas gives a good account of herself on the track singing with a controlled verve that has a timeless quality. The song came from her album, which has the same title, and was a unique artistic venture for the jazz singer. Notably, it featured production from Creed Taylor along with arrangements from Lalo Schifrin.

Antonio Carlo Jobim

Wagner Homem and Musician Luiz Roberto Oliveira have recently released a book entitled “Histórias de Canções: Tom Jobim,” (translated to Histories of the song: Tom Jobim). In it they provide interesting and little known facts about the background of several of the classic of the great composer.

One such example is the controversy surrounding the classic, “One Note Samba.” Upon it’s release journalist Paul Francis accused Jobim of plagiarizing Cole Porter’s, “Night and Day.” In response, Jobim released a statement indicating that though he may have been influenced by the song, there were key differences in the composition of the song and that his song was indeed an original piece of work. Evidently, he was never charged.

Through the book we learn that this was not to be the only controversy that the musician would be involved in, as he was also accused of “selling out” to capitalistic interests. This was due to his decision to sell the rights of “Waters Of March” (Aguas De Marco) to Coca Cola for a commercial.  Accused of bartering a “national asset,” Jobim responded firmly by  stating that if he were interested solely in money he would have sold the rights of all his records to the large number of cigarette factories that sent him offers.

These are just a few of the many stories that are in the book which is 320 pages and costs R$ 35.00 in stores now.

Bossa nova star Bebel Gilberto has a voice that appeals to our sensual side. Feelings of love and calmness are often evoked when listening to her music. Appearantly, listening to her music also indicates what kind of dater you are.

This insight comes from the women’s magazine, “Glamour” in their article, “What Your Taste In Music Says About You On A Date.” According to the American based publication, Bebel Gilberto listeners are likely to, “flutter little kisses all over every inch of your date’s body,” as soon as they get the chance and are also likely to be a “foodie.” So if you end up dating someone who tells you that he/she is an avid Bebel Gilberto listener you know what to expect .

Additionally, her music is sure to makes good background music for a romantic dinner.

2013: The Year of Vinicius De Moraes

2013 promises to be another active and exciting years for bossa nova fans all over the world. There are a number of events and album releases on the horizon. However, as we look forward to a new year with new possibilities, we should also look back at the life and work of one of bossa nova’s most talented poets and lyricists, Vinicius De Moraes.

Vinicius De Moraes

There are several events and tributes that will take place across the world being put on by a number of different individuals and groups. As one of Brazil’s most prolific and influential cultural figures of 20th century it comes as no surprise, that it is this country leading the way with tributes with commemorative stamps already being made to celebrate the legend.

In the previous year he was honored with an exhibition, “The Haver, Paintings and Music of Vinicius de Moraes.” Additionally his son also payed tribute to him with a collection of intimate portraits taken before his death entitled “The friends of my father.”

In the world of music, former collaborator Toquinho paid homage to De Moraes and another of Vinicius’ offspring, this time his daughter, Georgiana, paid tribute to her father in Portugal alongside Miucha during a performance for the, “Year In Brazil.”

We here at bnovamusic will also be doing a number of special articles on the legend along with our own tributes in song and other art forms for the year of 2013. The Vinicius wall paper you see above (that can be download here) serves as  the first of such tributes.

Have a happy new year

Sitti Navarro during Interview

The Philippine, “Queen of bossa nova” Sitti Navarro has recently sat down with orange magazine TV to give a part English-part Philippine interview about her new direction. The young songstress has already released 4 studio albums and 2 live albums and has expressed excitement at future prospects with a new album to be released in 2013.

Related articles

• Sitti Navarro reveals her top 5 (bnovamusic.com)

2012, marks the first year of our existence but it also marks an important year in bossa nova music.We celebrated 50 years since the writing of the, “Girl from Ipanema” and also celebrated the golden Jubilee of Charlie Byrd’s and Stan Getz classic, “Jazz Samba.” In this article I will recap the year in bossa nova and also the year for Bnovamusic, featuring some of our most interesting stories.

Current releases

Jazz Samba Project Veroneau

Open Air

This year was also saw a number of contemporary artists release bossa nova albums. Cecilia Monte toured Canada and her album, Open Air was featured as our album of the week. Luciana Souza released two albums this year, Duos III, her bossa nova album has received a Grammy nomination for Latin jazz album of the year. Veronneau released their second album “Jazz Samba Project” to rave reviews and was our favorite original release of the year.

Bebel Gilberto

Bebel Gilberto had an active 2012

We also would like to put the spotlight on Bebel Gilberto who had a very active 2012. She was the headliner at this year’s Brasil Summer fest in New York. She also toured extensively throughout north America and Europe with her most publicized performances being at the Sziget Music Festival. When not touring she also spent time helping poor and unfortunate children by combining with the non-profit organization, “Save the Children.” Her and acclaimed videographer Fabrizio Ferri also put together a special video to showcase their work and raise awareness.

Gilberto Gil

Gilberto Gil performs at Carnegie Hall

Age has not slowed down the political and musical figure, if anything it seems to have had a reverse effect. Gilberto Gil had a busy year touring North America, visiting numerous institutions and was also featured in the “Voice of Latin America” held at the Carnegie hall, where he served as a representative of Brazilian music. He capped off a hectic year by performing alongside American music great Stevie wonder in Rio de Janeiro in front of more than 400,000 fans.

Tributes

Tributes are a common commodity in the music world but of course there are some artists that warrant grander tributes than others. Caetano Veloso celebrated his 70^th birthday this year and was worthy of being named the 2012 Latin Grammy Personality of the year.

( English translated closed captions are available)

2012 was also the year that Maria Rita “rediscovered” her mother Elis Regina. Her tour of brazil was a series of concerts paying tribute to her deceased mother. An appropriate memorial for one of the most celebrated and talented female vocalists in contemporary Brazilian music history.

Maria Rita pays tribute to Elis Regina

Antonio Carlos Jobim also received a number of tributes with an art exhibition created in his name, focusing on his love of nature. A documentary was also released on DVD and Wanda Sa celebrated 50 years by paying tribute to the legend in concert. Evidently his legacy lives.

“Tom is by far the largest, I think he is amazing, his music is very elaborate, very Brazilian, but has international flavor, so much so that Frank Sinatra recorded his songs.” –  Wenda Sa

Remixes

Bossa nova has an unmistakable sound and feeling to it. For this reason over the years it has been used  by several groups across various genres to change the style of their original works. 2012 has been no different with a number of bossa nova remixes being done.

Most popular amongst these was the gangnam style bossa nova remix. The original is the most watched internet video ever and has reached 1 billion views worldwide on Youtube. The song features  elements of pop and electronica and seems like an usual candidate to have a bossa nova remix. The result is an unconventional mix that will appeal to some and turn off others. Below we featured other notable “bossa nova remixes” that we enjoyed:

1. Rolling in the Deep(bossa nova remix) – Mint Parker

2. A thousand Miles (bossa nova remix) – Lua Blanco

3. Enter the sandman(bossa nova remix)- Captain Vibe

Anime?

One very interesting phenomenon this year has been the number of anime-bossa nova crossovers we have seen. These animated series, often originating from Japan, with distinct art styles and engaging plots have captivated the imaginations of people all over the world. The music styles vary depending on the genre of the anime but few would have expected to see as many anime-bossa nova crossovers as we ended up seeing. Below are some of the most popular of this year that we featured on the site

Bleach Anime – Going home (bossa nova remix)

The Idol m@ster anime soundtrack

Full Metal Alchemist & Bossa Nova

Editors Pick:

BNova logo

This year we have published hundreds of articles covering a wide array of different topics. Notably, our album of the week series has been very popular and the accompanying song of the week series has also garnered a lot of views and positive feedback. Below are my personal picks for the best original articles of 2012:

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Album of the Week: Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

The Gentleman and Bossa Nova

Vinícius de Moraes’ tribute to Oscar Niemeyer

Profile: Sitti Navarro

Italian Bossa Nova: Riccardo Bossa Nova

10 interesting facts about, “The Girl from Ipanema”

Lani Hall: The voice of Brasil 66′

Song of the Week: Soul Bossa Nova – Big Band Bossa Nova

Exclusive Interview with Veronneau

Most Popular posts:

Helo Pinherio writes, “The Eternal girl from Ipanema”

Below are the most popular post of 2012:

The Girl from Ipanema writes her autobiography

Tangerine and Elephants combining Bossa Nova and English Rock in latest single

Video: Winter Bossa Nova

Art Garfunkel: Jobim, one of the great songwriters

Artist Spotlight: Três Valetes e uma Dama

Special Thanks

First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone involved with the writing and artistic direction of this site. Your tireless work has contributed greatly to the remarkable output and growth experienced over the past few months.

Scott Willis, the owner of Bossa Nova Breakfast, has been a very supportive figure for this website. Not only has he helped publicize the site by disseminating our stories, he has also been available to talk with us when needed. His radio station is my personal favorite and has been my personal background music while writing several articles.

We would also like to thank our interviewees who fortunately were all very timely and positive. We’d like to thank the publicist Laurie Lockhart, who was very co-operative and helped us while we were doing articles related to her artist Cecilia Monte. Tangerine and Elephants provided us with media in the form of videos and pictures and we are thankful to them for that.

The Bnovamusic readers

More than anyone else we would like to thank the viewers and followers of Bnovamusic. We started this website because we believed that there was a need for an active bossa nova website for English speakers and feel honored to serve you.

Assessment

We’ve enjoyed very positive growth since we launched this site in August. We have managed to amass 2411 followers on the website and 2299 followers on Facebook. We hope to continue this trend of growth and hope to provide more interesting articles centered around the genre of music we all love, bossa nova.

Goodbye 2012

Gilberto Gil & Stevie Wonder

On Christmas eve on the Copacabana Beach Stevie Wonder and Gilberto Gil delighted hundreds of thousands as they performed together in Rio de Janeiro.  Stevie Wonder amused fans first by speaking in  Portuguese and then later by performing his own rendition of  the bossa nova classic Girl from Ipanema.

Stevie Wonder in Rio

Gilberto Gil certainly did not disappoint either. His performance was powerful as always and  his tribute to Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania recently deceased mother, Doña Cano, was heartwarming.

Gilberto paid tribute to Doña Cano

She lived a very long life and left us the most beautiful family”

This free concert is the latest of a series of live performance that the duo has engaged in throughout Brazil.

The seaside concert in Rio

Feliz Natal and Boas Festas from the Bossa Nova Breakfast!

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Helo Pinheiro: Tall and tan and young and lovely

Perhaps no person has enjoyed such a widely known and celebrated song dedicated to them than Helo Pinheiro. One day at a bar in Rio de Janeiro, lyricist Vinicius De Moraes and composer Antonio Carlos Jobim witnessed Pinheiro walking down the fashionable Ipanema strip. The event was to change their lives and the music world forever. Her beauty and alluring gait inspired the song “The girl from Ipanema,” which would go on to be one of the most successful and influential songs of the 20th century.

Legendary lyricist and writer of the song Vinicius de Moraes would later dedicate another tribute to her:

“She is a golden girl, a mixture of flowers and mermaids, full of light and full of grace, but whose character is also sad with the feeling that youth passes and that beauty isn’t ours to keep.  She is the gift of life with its beautiful and melancholic constant ebb and flow.”

Helo Pinheiro with Vinicius De Moraes

A wedding band plays, “Enter the Sandman” in bossa nova style

Musical performances at weddings, generally tend to follow a prescribed Modus operandi. Music is usually soft and romantic. A fitting mood to such a cherished and intimate event in one’s life. Love songs from names such as Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and Nat king Cole are the expected standard. With this in mind it is very understandable that a band’s decision to play a Metallica classic, “Enter the sandman” at a Wedding would catch the world by surprised.

However, their unusual song selection went virtually unnoticed at the event as they disguised the heavy metal song with a bossa nova style that was smooth and calm. The paradoxical performance has become a viral hit on YouTube and has been featured on various television programs.

 
From now until Christmas we’re mixing the Sounds of the Season with our classic playlist of Bossa Nova, Samba & Brazilian Jazz! Tune in to the Bossa Nova Breakfast to hear bossa versions of “Jingle Bells”, “White Christmas”, “Christmas Time is Here”, and “Home for the Holidays”, along with music from the legends of bossa nova such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Sergio Mendes, and Roberto Menescal.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been busy adding more holiday music, including new versions of “Joy to the World”, “O Christmas Tree”, and “The First Noel”, from Nossa Bossa Nova’s latest recording “For Christmas”. We’ve also just added Vinnie Zummo’s “Retro Cool Bossa Nova Christmas, Vol.2″, and “Christmas Samba” by the German band TrioRio. And we’ve brought back favorites from past years such as “Boas Festas” from Lisa Ono, Two for Brazil’s “Two for Noel”, Jack Jezzro’s “Bossa Nova Christmas”, and the collection “A Brasilian Christmas”, with Oscar Castro-Neves, Joyce and Toninho Horta. Our playlist also features classic tracks from Jobim’s “Wave”, and Astrud Gilberto’s “Beach Samba”, as well as music from Marcos Valle, Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd and more!

Tune-in for our unique blend of Bossa Nova, Samba & Brazilian Jazz mixed with the Sounds of the Season on the Bossa Nova Breakfast!

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Mr.Flash

Gilles Bousquet aka Mr.Flash is a French DJ known for his strong kicks and thumbing basses. In his mix “Dirty Bossa Nova” he takes the Jobim classic “One Note Samba” and gives it a twist, reshaping  bossa nova into a hip hop groove. The results are excellent.

Can you hear it ?

Antonio Carlos Jobim – One Note Samba:

Mr.Flash – Dirty Bossa Nova: