Something Like Sound

In an attempt to class things up around here I’m starting a new feature series. It’s called “Classic Jazz” and will chronicle our personal favorite jazz records from the mid 20th-century. These articles will cover important history surrounding these recordings and their impact on modern music. First up is a record that is often found on my turntable: bossa-nova classic Getz/Gilberto.

I have almost no doubt in saying that everyone, at one point or another, has heard “The Girl From Ipanema.” While the song has become somewhat of a comic-filler piece (for use as elevator music, etc.), it’s difficult to deny the sultry charm of the 1964 recording. Images of a mysterious and beautiful woman walking down the Brazilian coast are conjured while Gilberto’s smooth classical guitar and Getz’s saxophone carry the tune.

However, while “The Girl From Ipanema” may be the most famous song on the record, it is certainly only the beginning of an LP that has been honored numerous times and maintains its place as a staple of jazz collections everywhere. Many of the tracks were penned by famed Brazilian songwriter/composer Antonio Carlos Jobim who also played piano on the recordings.

The marked Latin-flavor of Getz/Gilberto causes it to stand out from other jazz recordings of the same era. While Coltrane and Davis may have helped to further improvisational and bebop jazz, Getz managed to bring bossa-nova into vogue with the American public. One of the main features of Getz/Gilberto that causes it to stand out from other jazz albums of the same era is the fact that many of the songs are not merely instrumental; soft, smooth vocals from Astrud Gilberto wind their way through a few songs.

If you can get your hands on a vinyl copy I would suggest it over any digital format (a preference that holds true for any jazz record). Since this record was wildly popular in its day (and since Getz doesn’t often receive the same treatment as other jazz contemporaries) finding a copy at your local independent record shop or thrift store should be no problem.

Buy Getz/Gilberto: iTunes | Amazon

Listen via the Grooveshark widget embedded below.