bossa nova (brazil)

seems bossa nova is one of those styles that comes and goes
since it's invention in brazil in the 50's
a few years ago when lounge music was all the go
bossa nova made a resurgence (again)
i must admit i have never been a big fan of this music
all a bit middle of the road for me i think
it's all just a bit too nice and gentle
and i like many probably was over-exposed to the big hit
about a girl from a place called ipanema
here's what songlines magazine had to say about bossa nova
bossa nova has been synonymous with brazil - and rio
since its inception in 50's copacabana
by singer-guitarist joao gilberto
pianist-composer antonio 'tom' jobin
and poet-lyricist vinicius de moares
bossa drew on samba's 2/4 notation but without the frienzedly syncopated percussion
a deliciously awkward dialogue exists between voice and guitar
and finger-picked chords relish the desafinado (out of tune) commemorated in jobim's classic
discreet cymbal beats imitate a woman's sashaying hips
bossa's debut was jobim's existentially melancholy 'chega de saudade'
immortalised in gilberto's 1958 version
while 'garota de ipanema' (girl from) by his wife astrud
launched an international frenzy and jazz collaborations led by stan getz
it captivated the world and even tropicalistas like caetano veloso
and today's electronica set explore it
this clip is apparantly a bossa nova standard titled wave
and features above-mentioned antonio 'tom' jobin on piano
from a live studio performance in 1978
(6 of 50)