Bossa Nova

A vital record in the story of bossa nova, this 1961 release introduced Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and with them bossa nova itself, to the United States a full year before Stan Getz had a hit with Desafinado.

The album gathers 12 tracks from Gilberto's more than three-dozen bossa nova recordings for EMI-Odeon in Brazil, following the record label practices of the time. Issued as part of Capitol's international Capitol of the World series, it was never the easiest record to track down.

What it offers is something genuinely foundational: some of the earliest examples of the meeting point between samba and cool jazz. The rhythmic spark comes from Gilberto's distinctive guitar style, while the melodies are shaped around his articulate, intimate voice.