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Astrud Gilberto
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Astrud Gilberto's Cool Vocals Helped
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Astrud Gilberto Albums A - Z
Astrud Gilberto
(Compact Jazz Series)
1987 Verve compilation
This compilation represents the ticket to perhaps the wealthiest voice of bossa nova...listen to Astrud and your senses and vision will never be clearer. I have been struck with the tender and crisp happiness of Astrud's voice for over thirty years now...and there is never a week that goes by without my 'fix' of Astrud's happy and mature voice! This particular set, although quickly remastered, is enough to lure the one-time listener into the seductive and glamorous world that is Astrud Gilberto! Verve Records, Creed Taylor and others obviously knew that Astrud's voice honored the timeless and priceless songs of Bossa Nova...and this CD provides it all to the fortunate listener! --an Amazon.com reviewer
Her phrasing, her swing, her angel-soft voice,
in portuguese; The hues of her tone of voice paint the most wonderful colors in
the canvas of music and beyond. Only Elis Regina and perhaps one or two more
Brazilian singers have gotten up there where she is and where she takes us
everytime she sings. If you like bossa nova, jazz, or brazilian music in
general, this is a must have and your just one click away.
--an Amazon reviewer
Astrud for Lovers
2004 Verve compilation
Excellent CD! A really nice collection of soft, smooth and
breezy songs by Gilberto. The ones with back up by Getz and Jobim really define
that distinct Bossa Nova sound. A wonderful introduction for anyone who enjoys
soft jazz or Bossa Nova from the 1960's. Hopefully, Verve will also re-release
some of the harder to find albums that Astrud Gilberto recorded in the 1960's.
--an Amazon reviewer
The Astrud
Gilberto Album
(The Silver Collection)
1987 compilation
Astrud Gilberto found fame with her contributions to 1964's classic Getz/Gilberto album, which spawned an instant standard in the hit single "The Girl from Ipanema." From there, she went on to fill many LPs with her winningly hesitant, longing vocal style; this disc collects 25 tracks cut between 1965 and 1970 for Verve. Among them are early versions of a number of Brazilian standards by the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim ("How Insensitive," "Once I Loved") and Luiz Bonfa ("The Gentle Rain," "Tristeza"). "Fly Me to the Moon" and the Bricusse-Newley "Who Can I Turn To" fit the mood perfectly. Throughout, Gilberto is aided by lush, thoughtful arrangements, including one by Gil Evans on "Berimbau." This entry in the Silver Collection series is an excellent introduction to one of Brazilian pop's most emblematic voices. --Rickey Wright
Astrud
Gilberto's Finest Hour
2001 compilation
How many compilation c.d.'s by Astrud Gilberto did it take before one can say that this is "The finest hour" by the living legend Bossa Nova singer Astrud Gilberto? She is "The Girl from Ipanema", and when you ever heard her, you'll never forget her crystal clear and relaxing voice ! This compilation is a very good one, because it contains songs from most of her Verve albums, even her latest one together with James last. The very special thing to this c.d. is that they added 3 rare songs. One of them "Who needs forever" from the movie "The Deadly Affair" has been rereleased already on the soundtrack c.d.", but songs like "Wish me a rainbow" and Come softly to me" only appeared so far on 45rpm vinyl singles or e.p.'s. I can highly recommend this c.d. to Astrud Gilberto collectors as well as admirers who want to have at least one of her c.d.'s in their collection, if that is the case than this one should be added to your collection. No doubt about that! --an Amazon.com reviewer
Astrud Gilberto
Plus
James Last Orchestra
(1987)
This collaboration with James Last and his orchestra is Astrud Gilberto's finest moment, an absolutely wonderful piece of music. The lush, eclectic instrumentation is complemented by her singing, sometimes criticized as being pretty but plain, unrangy, and without depth. On this recording, she retains a subdued aura but certainly shows versatility, jazziness, and occasionally passion, if not intensity. But blending, not dominant, vocals are needed for this lovely music, and it is the instrumentation that is more captivating. --an Amazon.com reviewer
Beach Samba
(1967)
It IS a lovely day when Astrud's on the stereo! Her husky, sweetly nuanced yet off-center voice goes great with rain or sunshine outside, and her choice of songs is clever, surprising and relaxing. Her duet with her young son on "You Didn't have To Be So Nice" is quite charming(and seems to be their answer to a previous duet, "The Bare Necessities", found on the CD "Windy")and "A Banda(Parade)" really gets your blood pumping. The arrangements are classy, ornate, spare and jazzy. Her delivery(and her trouble with the English language)may make some listeners unaccustomed to her pure sweetness squirm a little, but those attuned to Astrud's pithy, almost-throwaway goodness will be delighted. I was. Includes 5 bonus tracks, songs also found on "A Certain Smile." --an Amazon.com reviewer
A Certain Smile,
A Certain Sadness
with Walter Wanderley
(1966)
More Walter Wanderley
When
Astrud Gilberto
(wife to the great singer and guitarist
Joao Gilberto) sang the now-classic "The Girl from Ipanema" in 1964, she'd
had no formal vocal training. It mattered little, as her laid-back sensuality
overflowed through the song and propelled her on to several more musical
projects. This 1966 collection with the small combo of organist Walt Wanderley,
guitarist Joćo Gilberto, bassist José Marino, and Claudio Slon on drums features
Gilberto's reposed voice in such a seductive, warm light, one thinks they've
died and gone to drink martinis in a Rio lounge. The album includes a mix of
classic bossa nova tunes ("So Nice" and "Call Me") sung in both English and
Portuguese.
Astrud was as cool as a cucumber and her untrained, nonchalant grace
gave her singing its unique charisma. It wasn't until the late 1980s that the
world heard this sort of passive, detached persona again in the bewitching
vocals of Cesaria Evora, proving once again that style and delivery are just as
important as distinct vocal tone. Astrud Gilberto taught us great singers aren't
made on a voice alone. --Karen K. Hugg
Diva Series: Astrud Gilberto
2003 compilation
Getz Au Go Go
Astrud Gilberto is on several songs,
with Stan Getz and Gary Burton
(1964)
The sultry, cool vocals of Astrud Gilberto steal the show of this live 1964 set, recorded in Greenwich Village's Cafe Au Go Go. Backed by Gary Burton on the vibes, Gene Cherico on bass, and skinsman Joe Hunt, Getz and crew saunter through "Summertime," "The Singing Song," and "6-Nix-Pix-Flix" (the latter two penned by the then-21-year-old Burton). Of course, nothing comes close to the magic of Gilberto and her breathtaking contributions on "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars," "It Might as Well Be Spring," and "The Telephone Song." Compared to some of his more adventurous early-'60s recordings (Focus, Mickey One), Getz Au Go-Go--the saxophonist's last bossa nova disc--is an oasis of comforting cool-jazz sounds. --James Hendrickson (Amazon.com)
Getz/Gilberto
(Remastered)
Astrud sings "The Girl From Ipanema"
on this legendary album by her
husband Joćo Gilberto and Stan Getz
(1964)
Originally released in March 1964, this collaboration between saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Joćo Gilberto came at seemingly the end of the bossa nova craze Getz himself had sparked in 1962 with Jazz Samba, his release with American guitarist Charlie Byrd. Jazz Samba remains the only jazz album to reach number one in the pop charts. In fact, the story goes that Getz had to push for the release of Getz/Gilberto since the company did not want to compete with its own hit; it was a good thing he did. Getz/Gilberto, which featured composer Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano, not only yielded the hit "Girl from Ipanema" (sung by Astrud Gilberto, the guitarist's wife, who had no professional experience) but also "Corcovado" ("Quiet Night")--an instant standard, and the definitive version of "Desafinado." Getz/Gilberto spent 96 weeks in the charts and won four Grammys. It remains one of those rare cases in popular music where commercial success matches artistic merit. Bossa nova's "cool" aesthetic--with its understated rhythms, rich harmonies, and slightly detached delivery--had been influenced, in part, by cool jazz. Gilberto in particular was a Stan Getz fan. Getz, with his lyricism, the bittersweet longing in his sound, and his restrained but strong swing, was the perfect fit. His lines, at once decisive and evanescent, focus the rest of the group's performance without overpowering. A classic. --Fernando Gonzalez
Gilberto With
Turrentine
with Stanley Turrentine
(1971)
Astrud's voice and laid-back delivery are better here then on her earlier (and better-known) Verve albums. The real treasures of this album though are the outstanding arrangements by Eumir Deodato, who once again proves he is the master of this type of music. Nearly every track is full of interesting, complex, yet beautiful instrumentation. He blends mellow low strings with lots of Fender Rhodes electric piano, plenty of electric and acoustic guitar, and a wide variety of Brazilian percussion instruments. It's just a rich tapestry of sound that never fails to intrigue me, even though I've probably heard the album a hundred or more times. Stanley Turrentine is all over this record, and his solos are soulful, strong, and melodic as always. If you can get past a couple of the Carpenters songs that are included, you'll find it to be a timeless album. This is one you'll want to listen to this one over and over.
The Girl From
Ipanema
1999 compilation
Jazz Round
Midnight:
Astrud Gilberto
Jazz Round Midnight
compilation
(1996)
Jungle
(2002)
With the exception of two song titles ("Como Fué" and "The Look of Love"), the album is comprised of Astrud's original compositions, written in a rich variety of different rhythms and moods. The musicians backing Astrud's vocals are superb, and their performances filled with enthusiasm and feeling. Mark Lambert, Astrud's co-producer, guitarist, and sometimes partner in song-writing, is also an accomplished vocalist, and performs a duet with her on their composition, "Dancing". Astrud feels very privileged to have been able not only to assemble such an outstanding group of musicians, but also to collaborate on a duet with John Margolis (on the track, "In Spite of the Odds"), a musician, vocalist, songwriter whose work she greatly admires. --Amazon.com description
Look To The
Rainbow
with Gil Evans (1965)
It can hardly be argued that producer Creed Taylor specialized in making interesting albums (for better or worse) by recording his star performers in new and different settings. Astrud Gilberto had recorded some songs with bossa/jazz combos and a number of songs with string orchestras, but LOOK TO THE RAINBOW placed her in the setting of a big band for the first time.
So & So:
Mukai Meets Gilberto
with Shigeharu Mukai and Omar Hakim
(1994)
Verve Jazz
Masters 9:
Astrud Gilberto
compilation
Verve Jazz
Masters:
The Bossa Nova Story
Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz,
Joćo
Gilberto, and Astrud Gilberto
compilation